Over kms before 1st service?

GS Jenn · June 12, 2006, 01:08:14 PM

Hello all...

I have a new bike, 05 but brand new, and I've put a little over 500 kms on it so far. I'm supposed to get it serviced at 1,000 kms. The problem - my first service appointment is booked for July 7 and no Suzuki dealer in town can get me in any sooner. I booked this service when I picked up the bike and that was the earliest they were offering.

My current job is 125 kms from home, I work out here Monday to Thursday and then go home for the weekends. Which means two more round trips and I'll be over the 1,000 kms.

I took my Jeep this week since the weather's iffy but I wanted to be taking the bike!

The dealer suggested if I was going over the ks before the service to do my own oil change at 1,000 - which I can do - but I'm wondering how bad is it to go over the kilometres before the first service? How far over is it okay to go if I change the oil?

scratch · June 12, 2006, 01:40:33 PM

Changing the oil is the most important thing we do when the shop does the first service. Change the filter, too. What the shop will do when you bring it in to them is check the cylinder head nuts are torqued correctly and change the sparkplugs (you could do that, too), chain adjustment, valve clearance check (sometimes), cables, bleed the brakes, check brake light operation and tire pressures. Personally, I wouldn't go over a hundered more miles over (what's that?...160kms?).

shik · June 13, 2006, 12:13:55 AM

Quote from: scratch on June 12, 2006, 01:40:33 PM
Changing the oil is the most important thing we do when the shop does the first service. Change the filter, too. What the shop will do when you bring it in to them is check the cylinder head nuts are torqued correctly and change the sparkplugs (you could do that, too), chain adjustment, valve clearance check (sometimes), cables, bleed the brakes, check brake light operation and tire pressures. Personally, I wouldn't go over a hundered more miles over (what's that?...160kms?).

Yes, it's 160,9km. http://www.stabb.com/tools/convert.html

GS Jenn · June 13, 2006, 10:18:07 AM

This sucks, means I have to ration out my riding for the next month until the service. I didn't get a bike to leave it in the driveway just because some dealer has a backed-up schedule. Damn.

NightRyder · June 13, 2006, 10:45:03 AM

Well, you could do it yourself. Thoes things are not that hard. With a helper, you could do them in a day, I would say.

GS Jenn · June 13, 2006, 11:18:47 AM

I would totally do them myself, but I have to do this service at a Suzuki dealer at 1000 kms or my warranty is void. I got an extended warranty thrown in for paying cash for the bike so I would like that to stay in effect.

pandy · June 13, 2006, 11:19:59 AM

Quote from: GS Jenn on June 13, 2006, 11:18:47 AM
I would totally do them myself, but I have to do this service at a Suzuki dealer at 1000 kms or my warranty is void. I got an extended warranty thrown in for paying cash for the bike so I would like that to stay in effect.

This is a myth in the United States. Are you sure it's true in Canada that you have to use the dealership?

NightRyder · June 13, 2006, 11:20:15 AM

Sounds like a good reason to let them do it.

GS Jenn · June 13, 2006, 11:54:08 AM

Quote from: pandy on June 13, 2006, 11:19:59 AM
Quote from: GS Jenn on June 13, 2006, 11:18:47 AM
I would totally do them myself, but I have to do this service at a Suzuki dealer at 1000 kms or my warranty is void. I got an extended warranty thrown in for paying cash for the bike so I would like that to stay in effect.

This is a myth in the United States. Are you sure it's true in Canada that you have to use the dealership?

I was told I can do any other service myself, but to keep the warranty, the initial service has to be done by a Suzuki dealer. Doesn't have to be the one I bought the bike from. There are three Suzuki dealers in my city, but none of them can get me in any sooner than first weekend in July.

The dealer told me it would be okay to go slightly over kms if I changed the oil... what I was wondering was how far is okay to push "slighly over" without causing possible harm to the bike and/or voiding the warranty.

LMT · June 13, 2006, 06:09:48 PM

I'll probably get hammered on this, but what's the great urgency? I recently sold a Kawa. EX250 Ninja and had the dealer service it at 1200 miles, should have been done at 600 mi. The main item was the valve checking and adjustment. I had the tech write down the incoming and outgoing valve clearances and they were extremely close. I also have a GS500 2005 and am closing in on 1000 miles and haven't had it serviced yet but am I stretching it dangerously close? Can't you just get the valve job done and nothing else since the rest is quite simple that most people could handle and do themselves and not pay all that extra $?

scratch · June 14, 2006, 04:08:35 PM

Have you changed the oil?

Change the oil to get rid of all the resultant shavings before they clog an oil gallery.

LMT · June 14, 2006, 05:59:33 PM

Yes I have changed the oil and filter at least twice. It's just running so well I really am not sure about valve adjusting just yet...wish I could watch. BTW I just discovered from the Ninja250 forum that the dealer should have synched the carbs and adjusted the fuel mixture at its first service (on my Ninja) which could have helped a lot because it used to take a full choke and really long warm-up even in warm weather. I don't have any of that with the GS. (Sold the Ninja 2 wks ago...not for that reason but just because I didn't need 2 bikes).

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Over kms before 1st service?