The cost of servicing the blue ninja

[Oldfulla]

Hi all,

Before you read, laugh and think what is this guy moaning about, this is MY first ever time getting a bike serviced, and to me it’s a hellava lot more expensive then what my car costs me. So lets proceed.

The time has come to finally service my bike, its sitting at 11500km’s and Kawasaki say that a service MUST be done at 12000kms, I can handle that.

So I ring up the friendly Kawasaki shop and book my bike in for a week’s time followed by the usual questions. How long is it going to take? And here’s the kicker, how much will it cost?

The answers were, an afternoon and you won’t see much change from $600 :buggerd: :gob:

JESUS H CHRIST!!!! $600 for a freaking service, my bike better come back bullet proof.

So I asked what goes into the service for it to cost $600. Apparently spark plugs are $25 each, oil isn’t cheap, neither is the oil filter or the air filter. $25 per spark plug!!!!! I had better see a beautiful glow coming from those 4 babies. Over half the cost is made up in labour grrrrrrr.:angry2:

So does $600 sound about right for a service for a bike??

Ohh and on top of that I need a new back tyre, bye bye to another $300

$900 all up and the wife is looking at me sideways threatening to sell my bike, ohhhhh there will be a death in the family if that happens. I really do love riding meh bike and although $600 is a lot of money to fork over, too me it’s worth it. However I just hope I’m not getting ripped off.

Over and out

[Trevor Suzuki]

Sounds about right to me. I pay the same for my SV for a major service. When I lived in the UK they used to go on about rip-off Britain. Unfortunately we're heading the same way. (but on smaller salaries :-( )

[NinjaBoy]

Sounds a little on the high side but parts and labour maybe a little bit more expensive outside of the cities.

The 12,000km service should include new plugs (~$20 x 4), oil ~$40, oil filter ~$20 and labour $65-$75/hr x 2-3hrs(max) to do the above plus check things are tight. Total ~$350

The plugs are changed every second service ie. every 12000km. The expensive service is at 42Km when the valve clearances are checked but this is for the extra labour. I just checked my service invoice and it only had 4.5 hours labour. So that was my most expensive service at $546.

BTW I traded the 05 636 at 54,000km and it was in mint mechanical condition. The well known Auckland dealer sold it with a further 18 month mechanical warranty.

[fireliv]

I paid $500, but the bastards ripped me of cos they didnt do anything the dsid that they had done. The only thing they did were replace the sparks. I failed a warrant 2 days later on a lose chain.
DAMN SPORTSZONE SUZUKI!!!!!!

[homer]

if i was spending $600 for a service it had better include all what you asked and the valve clearances being checked also and id say its still slightly on the high side about $550 id say with the valves being done .

Where i go in town it should be aprox
$ 400 for all you said to be done

Oil change with the cost of oil $90
clean filter remove tank etc should be half hr $apox what say $40
plugs hey tanks off isnt it cost of plugs and say 20 mins $ 130
Its looking quite cheap to me ........If it was a lot different to this id be going somewhere else .
Id guess all up $400 incl gst maybe even less
I dont think you would need a new air cleaner most places air blow them out and there fine only 10 - 15 min job

[dino3310]

if its just oil and filter and plugs, just the basics, do it your self save you alot of $$$$ workshop manuals dont cost much.
my last service only cost $68 but that was just 1 plug,oil,o\ring and filter.

[Oldfulla]

Thanks for pricings ninjaBoy, however it is getting serviced in Hamilton which is a fairly major city. I will be asking how much their hourly labour rate is. I'm gunna be pretty pissed if it comes back over $600. They dude on the phone said I would be unlucky if it was over $600.

[dino3310]

Cambridge motorcycles $59.80 hr

[xgnr]

Fook me...

Unless you have to have it done by the agent (warranty etc) have a go at dointg it yaself.

Good fun and you get to know your bike. With a little bit of experience and advice you can do the real fun stuff like brake fluid, fork oil,brake pads and air filter which is easy once you have the manual and some basic tools.

enjoy

Stu

[rainman]

My last big service was about $550ish, so, yeah. Then again, I bought the bike without full service history, and was about to go for a big trip around the countryside, so went the whole 9 yards. I think it was worth it, though. Bikes are worth keeping well serviced because the consequences of a breakdown are more severe than for a car. Good incentive to learn to DIY, tho.

I remember getting a call from the garage while it was being serviced telling me I needed new air filters. Can't be too bad, I thought.... just air filters after all... $70. Each. :gob: Found them later on www.cmsnl.com for 24.5 euros, which by the time you ship them (another 30 euros) and deal with the delays, it's just about worth buying the damn things locally.

Face it, bikes aren't cheap. But they're fun!

[EJT]

Jeez. Unless under warranty would do the oil and filter yourself. Might be able to save some labour costs if you take the fairings off before taking it to the dealer.

[carver]

Hi all,

Before you read, laugh and think what is this guy moaning about, this is MY first ever time getting a bike serviced, and to me it’s a hellava lot more expensive then what my car costs me. So lets proceed.

The time has come to finally service my bike, its sitting at 11500km’s and Kawasaki say that a service MUST be done at 12000kms, I can handle that.

So I ring up the friendly Kawasaki shop and book my bike in for a week’s time followed by the usual questions. How long is it going to take? And here’s the kicker, how much will it cost?

The answers were, an afternoon and you won’t see much change from $600 :buggerd: :gob:

JESUS H CHRIST!!!! $600 for a freaking service, my bike better come back bullet proof.

So I asked what goes into the service for it to cost $600. Apparently spark plugs are $25 each, oil isn’t cheap, neither is the oil filter or the air filter. $25 per spark plug!!!!! I had better see a beautiful glow coming from those 4 babies. Over half the cost is made up in labour grrrrrrr.:angry2:

So does $600 sound about right for a service for a bike??

Ohh and on top of that I need a new back tyre, bye bye to another $300

$900 all up and the wife is looking at me sideways threatening to sell my bike, ohhhhh there will be a death in the family if that happens. I really do love riding meh bike and although $600 is a lot of money to fork over, too me it’s worth it. However I just hope I’m not getting ripped off.

Over and out

next time you want it done contact me via pm.

[klyong82]

I think most of the basic stuff can be done by yourself like oil, filter, plugs etc while leave the major engine work can be done at the workshop. But at 12,000km should not be anything major. I am sure you can ask some KB members to help you out.

[Pancakes]

I normally do filters, plugs etc myself but have had the full bizzo done every 10,000 K's. Cost me $445 all up for valve clearances, check carbs, all filters, swingarm bearing/head bearing checked and fit a braided front brake line. They overfilled the oil tho! Felt a bit sluggish, drained nearly 550mL to get it down to the top of the sight glass and a bit more to get it to the full line!

[NinjaBoy]

Thanks for pricings ninjaBoy, however it is getting serviced in Hamilton which is a fairly major city. I will be asking how much their hourly labour rate is. I'm gunna be pretty pissed if it comes back over $600. They dude on the phone said I would be unlucky if it was over $600.

Sorry didn't mean to offend anyone with the "outside major city" comment. Just saw your location in your profile as Patururu.

All the services I had charged for new oil/oil filter/air filter (twice) and new plugs every second service plus some labour. Unless there is some major work eg. bearing replacements, which at 12,000km there won't be - DMTD's comment of $350-$400 max is about right.

PS. I also check the bike afterwards to make sure everything is tightened properly. No one is more concerned about this than you !!

[Gremlin]

A service I had done at 10k set me back almost $1300... but it did need another set of tyres, plus some other stuff...

bikes are not cheap... oh well... :weep:

[Oldfulla]

Thanks for the advice and offers of help guys. Been thinking about this all night and I'm giong to go to the local bike shop here in Putaruru and see what his pricing is like. If he's cheaper I will cancel my booking in Hamilton. Yeah ithis is something I would like to be able to do myself. If I can change the oil and filter on a car surely I can learn to do my bike as well.

Cheers
Oldfulla

[Goblin]

If I can change the oil and filter on a car surely I can learn to do my bike as well.

Cheers
OldfullaHey if I can change my own oil, filter and plugs anybody can. It's really not that difficult. Things like valve clearances and shims etc. I'll leave to the experts though.

[Grubber]

Yea dude..do it yourself.Easier than a car by a long shot. You can afford to put the best oil in too.Very easy if you have the time and a bit of patience.

[Usarka]

12,000km service on a kwaka is usually the full monty which usually equates to inspections of hoses, throttle play, steering, coolant, radiators, induction system etc. It also involves valve clearance inspection and adjustment, and spark plugs.

[Oldfulla]

Well heres the Update,

I went into the local bike shop this morning. The mechanic flicked through my owners manual worked out what needed to done, the nice lady next to him worked out the costs on the computer. The outcome was, $690 all up, including a new rear bridgestone Battlax 180/55R17 tyre priced at $349.

So I'm a lot happier now, still going to learn how to do it myself next time though.

So big thumbs up to the folks at the Putaruru Kawasaki shop and all the people here that said the other place was charging too much.

Cheers
Oldfulla

[Mikkel]

Good on ya - always worth it to ask around a bit. You got to use the free market competition to your outmost advantage! :niceone:


Hamilton which is a fairly major city.

Dare I say it... "Only in New Zealand!" ;)

[sprag]

Well heres the Update,

I went into the local bike shop this morning. The mechanic flicked through my owners manual worked out what needed to done, the nice lady next to him worked out the costs on the computer. The outcome was, $690 all up, including a new rear bridgestone Battlax 180/55R17 tyre priced at $349.

So I'm a lot happier now, still going to learn how to do it myself next time though.

So big thumbs up to the folks at the Putaruru Kawasaki shop and all the people here that said the other place was charging too much.

Cheers
Oldfulla

Dam that is alot different, good job, always pays to ring around, the people i got my bike off are just wa**ers so when i had my first service done (1000k's) I took it to a new bike shop that was just great, only cost me $106 as well, The other shop (where i got my bike) quoted $160

[Squiggles]

take ya fairings off if you want to save a few $$ :niceone:

[ynot slow]

I believe in using guys in your own town,especially if small,generally they won't rip you off as the notion of word of mouth is good and bad advertising,this not as bad as in say Auckland with a pissed customer,but a small town like Hawera,Stratford means word gets around,similar to you in Putaruru,or Tokoroa,TeAwamutu,in Hamilton you might get away with it,but in smaller towns word will get around of shady deals etc.That said I still like it when the estimate/quote is on dearer side,say $500 tops and ends up $420 I'm happy.


Agree with others,first time I've changed oil and filter was easy,one nut was hard to get because of header in way ,but used vicegrip to loosen then was ok,figured it was same as the car to do,only easier to get at sump.