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Why are we paying MotoGP service prices?


Newoldbiker

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Newoldbiker

So a few weeks ago I posted re radiator paint flaking off and was offered great advice - so primer and top coat purchased it's off with the old radiator to fix it.  Now, an admission.  My valves have never been checked.  Like ever.  I know I should have etc but after looking at posts etc and following the old 'if it isn't broken......' I hadn't got round to it.  37K miles.  From new.  Now I'd callled 'Mr Honda' and he'd said £180 including VAT.  So take off £36 for vat = £144 divided by 2.5 hours = £57.60 per hour labour.  So, a 2.5 hour job or thereabouts at around £60 an hour.

 

Now I'm a semi retired science teacher so I can follow instructions.  I usually do the oil + filter, air filter etc, but this was the first time I've ever opened the engine.  Looked at YouTube, looked on this site I thought I'd give it a go.  Long story short, I achieved this at my 3rd attempt after following https://www.bad link/forum/how-to-s-/4513-valve-adjustment-step-step-21.html this from the American NC site.  I hadn't matched the left and right side timing marks properly the first two times.  I did this today in a 'Heath Robinson' tent (a tarpaulin attached by rope to my house to form a canopy) in the pouring rain on my hands and knees.) From taking off the radiator hoses to finishing and starting her up and discovering I was third time correct = 1.5 hours (and NB I had an awful time with the pathetic right side plastic timing cover which decided to round itself off on my 14mm spanner and took about 20 minutes to get off - I'll have to buy a new one).

 

So at the rate Mr Honda wants = £144 divided by 1.5 = £96 per hour.  What's going on?  It's ridiculous!  Feeler gauges =  £5 off flea bay, tarpaulin to keep me dry = £6 and the cost of the new timing cover = say £10.  Job done for £20

 

I know they have overheads etc but it's like what happens at music venues - went to see Mark Knopfler at the O2 a couple of weeks ago and it was £7 a pint for beer.  £12 for a gin and tonic.  We are being charged too much!

 

Rant over.  I'll now check my valves as per the schedule and would say to anyone - follow the guide above - it's so clear!  The guy should write a book.

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Is that where the customer always comes first? 

* Larryblag stands up and salutes *

If Rocker had been able to keep his Crossrunner the services would have been way more expensive than his new 500 (obviously). And his Monkey will be half the cost of the 500..   My son has t

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Rocker66
12 minutes ago, Newoldbiker said:

So a few weeks ago I posted re radiator paint flaking off and was offered great advice - so primer and top coat purchased it's off with the old radiator to fix it.  Now, an admission.  My valves have never been checked.  Like ever.  I know I should have etc but after looking at posts etc and following the old 'if it isn't broken......' I hadn't got round to it.  37K miles.  From new.  Now I'd callled 'Mr Honda' and he'd said £180 including VAT.  So take off £36 for vat = £144 divided by 2.5 hours = £57.60 per hour labour.  So, a 2.5 hour job or thereabouts at around £60 an hour.

 

Now I'm a semi retired science teacher so I can follow instructions.  I usually do the oil + filter, air filter etc, but this was the first time I've ever opened the engine.  Looked at YouTube, looked on this site I thought I'd give it a go.  Long story short, I achieved this at my 3rd attempt after following https://www.bad link/forum/how-to-s-/4513-valve-adjustment-step-step-21.html this from the American NC site.  I hadn't matched the left and right side timing marks properly the first two times.  I did this today in a 'Heath Robinson' tent (a tarpaulin attached by rope to my house to form a canopy) in the pouring rain on my hands and knees.) From taking off the radiator hoses to finishing and starting her up and discovering I was third time correct = 1.5 hours (and NB I had an awful time with the pathetic right side plastic timing cover which decided to round itself off on my 14mm spanner and took about 20 minutes to get off - I'll have to buy a new one).

 

So at the rate Mr Honda wants = £144 divided by 1.5 = £96 per hour.  What's going on?  It's ridiculous!  Feeler gauges =  £5 off flea bay, tarpaulin to keep me dry = £6 and the cost of the new timing cover = say £10.  Job done for £20

 

I know they have overheads etc but it's like what happens at music venues - went to see Mark Knopfler at the O2 a couple of weeks ago and it was £7 a pint for beer.  £12 for a gin and tonic.  We are being charged too much!

 

Rant over.  I'll now check my valves as per the schedule and would say to anyone - follow the guide above - it's so clear!  The guy should write a book.

It’s  a simple choice those enjoy working on their bike or want to save money  do so and those that for one reason or another would rather pay somebody else do that. Personally I’m the latter group as for me bikes are for riding not tinkering with (did enough of that on my old Brit bikes) other than routine checks. Each to their own.

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suffolk58

Today I got around to watching the Missenden Flyer's latest longer test of the Enfield Interceptor.

It's a bike I really fancy, but unless I wasn't listening correctly, he says it needs the valves checking every 3,000 mikes! Yes 3,000. And oil changes (fully synthetic) at the same time. This makes the bike seem a bit less of a bargain now.

What do you think?

 

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alhendo1

It also has a 3 year warranty with breakdown cover so I'm guessing if you're doing a high mileage each year and dealer servicing it won't be cheap...I know nothing about what goes on in an engine so how come Truimph can run twins with more power and have 10k service intervals....that being said if it's a fine days bike then you probably won't need more than one service per year.

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Grumpy old man
3 minutes ago, alhendo1 said:

It also has a 3 year warranty with breakdown cover so I'm guessing if you're doing a high mileage each year and dealer servicing it won't be cheap...I know nothing about what goes on in an engine so how come Truimph can run twins with more power and have 10k service intervals....that being said if it's a fine days bike then you probably won't need more than one service per year.

Mmmm! When I was looking at the Tiger last year it was 6000 mile intervals, so are the twins different?

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baben
12 minutes ago, Grumpy old man said:

Mmmm! When I was looking at the Tiger last year it was 6000 mile intervals, so are the twins different?

Twins are pretty much car engine standard for servicing but I bet the dealer makes a meal of it. £700 at Lings for the 12000 mile valve  check on Tigger.

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MikeBike
2 hours ago, suffolk58 said:

Today I got around to watching the Missenden Flyer's latest longer test of the Enfield Interceptor.

It's a bike I really fancy, but unless I wasn't listening correctly, he says it needs the valves checking every 3,000 mikes! Yes 3,000. And oil changes (fully synthetic) at the same time. This makes the bike seem a bit less of a bargain now.

What do you think?

 

With the constant leaking and topping up I'd have thought the oil change was continuous.. :-)

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alhendo1
1 hour ago, Grumpy old man said:

Mmmm! When I was looking at the Tiger last year it was 6000 mile intervals, so are the twins different?

Yes I believe the twins are 10k...triples 6k...

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I don’t think service intervals are a big consideration for the majority of buyers. It’s one service a year for most. Plenty of two year old bikes in dealers with 900 miles on them. Very nice Ducati 1100 Scrambler for sale near me, 320 miles. How can you part exchange a bike with 300 miles on it? Mind you, it’s going to need new timing belts next year.. :( 

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Bart Stilgo

My NC X

360 Miles on the clock and I was the THIRD owner

Now at a healthy 9500.

 

By the way the most expensive part of a can of beer?

The can

It costs 3p

Think your being over charged ?

 

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Wedgepilot

I'm the third owner of my X and it had about 800 miles when I bought it! It's got a more respectable 30k now 😊

 

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alhendo1
4 hours ago, Tex said:

Mind you, it’s going to need new timing belts next year.. :( 

Dare you risk it?😨

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Grumpy old man
8 hours ago, baben said:

Twins are pretty much car engine standard for servicing but I bet the dealer makes a meal of it. £700 at Lings for the 12000 mile valve  check on Tigger.

Bloody hell! Glad I wasn't tempted :w00t:

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Roy Atkinson

If you buy a BMW GS aren`t the service costs a lot more?

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skorpion
14 hours ago, suffolk58 said:

Today I got around to watching the Missenden Flyer's latest longer test of the Enfield Interceptor.

It's a bike I really fancy, but unless I wasn't listening correctly, he says it needs the valves checking every 3,000 mikes! Yes 3,000. And oil changes (fully synthetic) at the same time. This makes the bike seem a bit less of a bargain now.

What do you think?

 

 

Was looking around two New Interceptors that friends have just bought this weekend, I was impressed with the overall quality, they both said the gearshift was the best they have used in a long time, and for the money they were bargain's,

 

Didn't know of the 3000 mile valve check but they are screw & nut adjusters like the NC so should be an easy job.

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2 hours ago, Roy Atkinson said:

If you buy a BMW GS aren`t the service costs a lot more?

 

I really don’t know. Calling Sir Fred, calling Sir Fred?

 

6 hours ago, alhendo1 said:

Dare you risk it?😨

 

NO! A bloke I knew (he’s dead now and I’m not sorry :( ) had a timing belt go on one of the really ‘posh’ sports models (a Foggarty something or other) at hardly any miles but 38 months. Ducati were very hardline about it and wouldn’t give him a penny towards the (substantial, needed a new head) bill.

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baben
4 hours ago, Grumpy old man said:

Bloody hell! Glad I wasn't tempted :w00t:

Subsequently found I could have got it for £500 over at Webbs but they were too far away at the time - SWMBO was very ill and I could not leave her. Lings are 5 minutes down the road. Have now found an independent who is cheaper and guarantees to do the job properly!

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Defender
1 minute ago, baben said:

Subsequently found I could have got it for £500 over at Webbs but they were too far away at the time - SWMBO was very ill and I could not leave her. Lings are 5 minutes down the road. Have now found an independent who is cheaper and guarantees to do the job properly!

My mates 2012 Tiger 800XR had a 24000 mile service earlier this year, the Triumph dealers cost was about £1200, as there is over a days labour to do it.

He found an independent ex-Triumph mechanic who did it for just over half that, he does it to the book using all Triumph parts.

My NC'X had it's 24,000 mile service shortly afterwards, just over £300 at the Honda dealers, quite a contrast?

 

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Defender
1 hour ago, skorpion said:

 

Was looking around two New Interceptors that friends have just bought this weekend, I was impressed with the overall quality, they both said the gearshift was the best they have used in a long time, and for the money they were bargain's,

 

Didn't know of the 3000 mile valve check but they are screw & nut adjusters like the NC so should be an easy job.

There's a vid on Youtube showing how to service the RE 650 Interceptor, it looks quite easy, it's by the TEC Bike Parts guy.

You don't a radiator to move like the NC, but there is the tank in the way, but that just needs unbolting and lifting up to clear the cam cover.

For most RE 650 owners I imagine that one service a year/3000 miles will be about right?

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11 minutes ago, Defender said:

My NC'X had it's 24,000 mile service shortly afterwards, just over £300 at the Honda dealers, quite a contrast?

 

 

Aye, and you don’t get a Jaguar service for the price of a Fiesta either! High performance and high tech costs, both at the initial purchase and in the maintenance. ;) 

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Defender
3 hours ago, Roy Atkinson said:

If you buy a BMW GS aren`t the service costs a lot more?

My G310R's last service was £200 including a brake fluid change, the recall work was also done, but there was no charge for that.

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Defender
Just now, Tex said:

 

 

Aye, and you don’t get a Jaguar service for the price of a Fiesta either! High performance and high tech costs, both at the initial purchase and in the maintenance. ;) 

Very true, the Tiger was cheaper than his Ducati was allowing for inflation!

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Chriswright03
13 minutes ago, Tex said:

 

 

Aye, and you don’t get a Jaguar service for the price of a Fiesta either! High performance and high tech costs, both at the initial purchase and in the maintenance. ;) 

Speaking of a Jaguar service I had an X type for a while and had it serviced but the next week had the ride on lawnmower serviced and it cost more!

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4 minutes ago, Defender said:

Very true, the Tiger was cheaper than his Ducati was allowing for inflation!

 

If Rocker had been able to keep his Crossrunner the services would have been way more expensive than his new 500 (obviously). And his Monkey will be half the cost of the 500..

 

My son has the best service package - get the old man to do it. ;) 

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baben
7 minutes ago, Tex said:

My son has the best service package - get the old man to do it. ;) 

Shame you don't live nearer!:devil:

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