Our service costs

[HaggardRider]

I've been going through the service sheets that came with my newly acquired T-A.

Breaks down like this...


31/03/16   3785   Service and replaced brake and clutch fluid - £7.99 parts, labour £90   
12/07/16   7014   New fork seals and oil   - £57.90 parts, labour £80.--   
22/09/17   12455 12K Service and MOT - £40.25 parts, labour £60.--, MOT £29.50
18/01/20   19037 Service and MOT - parts (incl fr pads) £108.50, labour £96 (£48 p.h.), MOT £29.65                    
16/04/21   22532 Service and MOT - parts (incl f&r BT023s) £276.--, labour £72 (£48 p.h.), MOT £29.65   
28/01/22   25461 Service and MOT - parts £60.50, labour £96 (£48 p.h.), MOT £29.65   

... so the bike has been recently serviced (6mths and 1300 miles ago) which is good with all the actual checks either listed or with a tick in the box. However, the air filter doesn't appear to have been changed going by the sheets (ordered), nor has the rear brake pad (which does look low so has also been ordered), the coolant and the brake and clutch fluids are about due (but do look ok) and engine oil and filter I can leave for a while. Then there's the valve check......

[Art]

Happy days

Air filter, according to Honda the air filter doesn't need replacing it just needs blowing outside-in with compressed air but I think you're doing the right thing in replacing it, I replace mine every 32,000 miles.

Brake pads - Should have a minimum of 1mm of friction material. I use shims to measure mine, when they get to 2mm I order pads, when they get to 1mm I fit them. If you have the pads checked at a dealer service they'll recommend replacing them early at 3mm because at that they may not make another 4,000 miles to the next service.

Originally Posted by HaggardRider

the coolant and the brake and clutch fluids are about due (but do look ok) and engine oil and filter I can leave for a while. Then there's the valve check......

Looking OK isn't enough.

Brake and clutch fluid should be replaced when it has absorbed 3% moisture, a brake fluid moisture meters is your best friend here or just blindly replace it every 2 years.

Coolant, test the concentration of antifreeze with an antifreeze tester, if the concentration is low the inhibitors would have broken down too and the coolant needs replacing or just blindly replace the coolant every 3 years.

Valve clearances, if there is no untoward ticking or rattling from the camshaft cover, a mechanics stethoscope maybe your best friend here. I left my valve clearances until 48,000 miles before I took the feeler gauges to them.

[HaggardRider]

Thanks Art, I've been intending on going the 'blindly replace' route anyway (together with oil and filter) but the condition allows me a little more breathing space and a more considered approach to what needs doing and when rather than being faced with a 'must do it now' situation - the bike was sold to me as a trade sale with no warranty (receipt says 'spares or repair') which, to my mind, does it a great injustice and it is actually a lot better than I was expecting in a lot of ways, so, happy man at the moment.

[Jlangf0r]

Valve clearances, if there is no untoward ticking or rattling from the camshaft cover, a mechanics stethoscope maybe your best friend here. I left my valve clearances until 48,000 miles before I took the feeler gauges to them.

48k miles seems rather a lot. What were the measured clearances at that point? My Mk2 has done 19k miles (mostly motorway riding) and I have been wondering whether I could run it to 24k before getting them checked.

[Steelworker]

I've had my 2009 mk 1 since new and checked the valves at 33,000. All OK though the clearances on the exhaust valves show they will probably need re-shimming before the inlets.

[Art]

Not necessarily so because you don't know what the clearances were on day one when it left the factory

[Art]

Originally Posted by Jlangf0r

48k miles seems rather a lot. What were the measured clearances at that point?

Changed both exhaust shims on cylinder 4, pondered on changing cylinder 1 right exhaust shim but decided against it.

[Art]

8,000 mile DIY Service at 56,000 miles £90.10 including:

3L Motul 5000 10W-40 4T semi synthetic engine oil
HiFlo HF204 oil filter
EBC FA388 organic pads front & rear (Brenta FT3081 GG pads out of stock)
Comma DOT 4 brake & clutch fluid
Coolant weeping at thermostat housing, mating surfaces cleaned
Drive chain seized link replaced with DID 530VX ZJ rivet link
Replaced missing M10 x 1.25 side stand pivot nut
Charging System output 13.2v at 1,200 RPM, 14v at 2,500 & 5,000 RPM
Usual 50 point front to back inspection all found good
About 4 hours off and on DIY labour

After the oil change I had another mysterious crank no start issue. Checked all the usual suspects - Air filter, air box and crankcase breather all clean, clutch switch OK, side stand switch OK. Fault found in the neutral switch wiring, no continuity to ground when in neutral? A wiggle up and down on the gear lever restored continuity so I repacked the gear lever pivots with grease, they looked a little sloppy, and its been fine since.

Noted for 60,000 mile service
Front fork oil
Steering head bearings repack with grease
check thermostat housing

Happy days

[FLIZ]

  great post Art, good to know that some of us are still servicing our bikes ourselves. 

[pedro]

Excellent Art! I service mine myself, but only to a degree. Anything in the "a bit hard" department and I bug out and it goes to the garage. I blame my age. The last expense on mine was replacing the tyres. Two Michelin Road 6 tyres £352.35. I could have knocked £25 odd off if I took the wheels in, but to be honest, I don't begrudge paying that amount for his time, my little contribution to keeping a small independent bike business going.