8000 mile service

[Shergs]

Hello
Wondered if I could get some advice. My Transalp (57 plate) is just coming up for its 8000 mile service. I had a quote today for £350. Is it just me or is this madly expensive? What have any of you paid in the past? Id like to be able to go back to them with examples of what other people have done

Many thanks for your help
Shergs

[Austin]

I have got my Vara in for a 32,000 service today at Blackpool Honda. This is also the first time I have let any my bikes go to a dealer other than for warranty work. Its only there as I simply haven't got time to do a service on it. On a Vara the 32,000 is about the same as a 8,000 on a TA.

Their quote was £249.99 incl all parts and labour. I told them I didn't want the air filter changed (K&N fitted) or the plugs changed - easy on a vara. All I really wanted was the tappets checked and it plugged into diagnostics to confirm nothing wrong with EFi or ABS but I also agreed to coolant changed, oil change, hydraulic fluid change, and all the usual tyre-kicking checks that you pay a fortune for. I suppose if they lube some cables it will be worth it.

Anyway all this for £200 incl VAT, which I didn't actually think was too bad. So yes I think £350 for an 8k service is a right proper rip off.

[Lutin]

I'm afraid the problem is that the bike has to be almost dismantled to do the service. The fairing, tank and air cleaner all have to come off in order to be able to check the valve clearances. And the valve clearances are a fiddly job all to themselves - not difficult, just fiddly.

Sorry, haven't got a comparable quote for you as I do my own servicing.

[StumpyFingers]

I do my own servicing and can tell you it takes about 4 hours to do the tappets and at least 5 plasters for the front exhaust.

[Windmill John]

I did my 8000 service a couple of months ago.
As mentioned in an earlier thread, it took me 6.5 hours to do the tappets!
Under 15 minutes to do my Beamer tappets!
If they genuinely do your tappets, then pay them, but if they don't.......

It took me 6.5 hours because:
a. First time on a Trannie
b. Crash bars took a while to get off
c. Haynes manual didn't cover 2006 model
d. Took my time to ensure no errors
e. Listening to the radio
f. Sat back every now and then to get the lay of the Trannie for a future better understanding.

I know next time I'll knock off a comfortable hour or so.


Absolutely cracking bike; except tappet adjustment

[steveR]

Hello
Wondered if I could get some advice. My Transalp (57 plate) is just coming up for its 8000 mile service. I had a quote today for £350. Is it just me or is this madly expensive? What have any of you paid in the past? Id like to be able to go back to them with examples of what other people have done

Many thanks for your help
Shergs

I paid a lot, lot less than that for an 18K service, a biggie, last year. AIR, I paid about £200

[stephen McG]

I got 8K service for my old TA700 at North Harbour Ayr (supplying dealer)
I was £160. I suspect that valves were not done as bike was in for just under 2hrs
I had no problems.
I suspect that all things in service book are music to dealers tills.

SMcG

[Tony Varadero]

I had posted this somewhere else I think but if you want to have another quote I would contact First Line Motorcycles in North London Used Motorcycles, New Motorcycles, Honda motorcycles, GIVI luggage, Shoei Helmets, Used Kawasaki Yamaha Suzuki Motorbikes - First Line Motorcycles - 1st Line Motorcycles .

They are official Honda dealers (when I chekced they were much cheaper than Chiswick Honda and much more pleasant to deal with)
£ 350.00 sounds like a lot to me but then again I don't know the ins and outs of it all....
I asked the price for a 16K service on the Varadero (I think it is a fairly big service and they quoted me less than Chiswick Honda would have charged for the 12K which is supposed to be a minor service....)

Hope it helps....and good luck

[Windmill John]

Call me cynical, but with Transalp and Varaderos, I wonder how many main dealers do check tappets. Even a man of Stumpyfingers calibre took four hours to do them.

BTW, I do know the difference between tappets and valve clearance, I just prefer to call valve clearance adjustments -tappets.

[oggy]

Its all in the labour. Newbury (Berks I assume) is not exactly the most cost effective place in which to reside, so a labour rate of circa £50/hr would not be unrealistic for that neck of the woods.

If tappets are done and fluids changed, then that is a good morning's work. Say 5 hours. As previously mentioned, bodywork removal simply to get at them is an utter pain and time is money.

Add on parts - say oil/filter/brake fluid etc for £60., then add the dreaded VAT and your are up to £350+

Arguments abound whether tappets actually require adjustment at 8000. Personally I am of the if it ain't broke don't fix it brigade on tappets, but oil and filter and other consumables I change even more than advised.