Valve adjustments: how often and how much $..?

[NOWOOL]

Can you list your make and model of bike, how often your valves require inspection (as per service manual) and how much the dealer charged?

I'm shopping for a new bike and I figure I gotta weigh the maintenance costs into the final price. I'm sure other members are doing the same.

[Taz]

Can you list your make and model of bike, how often your valves require inspection (as per service manual) and how much the dealer charged?

I'm shopping for a new bike and I figure I gotta weigh the maintenance costs into the final price. I'm sure other members are doing the same.

Ducati 900FE - 10000kms - Do them myself
BMW R1100GS - 20000kms - Do them myself
Moto Guzzi V1000SP - 10000kms - Do them myself

[NOWOOL]

Ducati 900FE - 10000kms - Do them myself
BMW R1100GS - 20000kms - Do them myself
Moto Guzzi V1000SP - 10000kms - Do them myself

It's great that you do them yourself but it would be nice if you could list how much the dealer's would charge.

[AllanB]

Honda Hornet 900 - head gear check/adjust at 24,000 kms.

No idea of cost as I'll only racked up 9,500 so far

I should probably start saving now....

[Taz]

It's great that you do them yourself but it would be nice if you could list how much the dealer's would charge.

Wouldn't know what they would charge. You could do yours yourself. Aint rocket science.

[TLJimmy]

Wouldn't know what they would charge. You could do yours yourself. Aint rocket science.

It really is a piece of piss. All you need is some feeler guages (for the inspection part, which REALLY is simple), digital vernier and a basic toolkit, including a torque wrench. And a good workshop manual. I'd check them evey 25 000 for a Japanese bike, and evey 10 000 for a ducati.

Like doing anything on a bike, be methodical, lay it all out in the order it should go back in; This months Rapid mag has a really good article on re-shimming valves.

[NOWOOL]

I know its easy on some bikes (i do my own on my little GN250) but on the DOHC motors a lot of them require tearing the motor down. I've been asking the bikers who stop in my shop and so far I haven't met one that has had the valves adjusted. Most of them say they just listen to the valves and don't bother having them checked at the intervals. Is this normal practice?

[LittleJohn]

I do most of my own maintenance but on my old bike I just went to the same mechanic shop about every 10K, they would check them prob every second service as part of the service. Would also check and clean carb and other adjustments etc...

[TLJimmy]

I know its easy on some bikes (i do my own on my little GN250) but on the DOHC motors a lot of them require tearing the motor down. I've been asking the bikers who stop in my shop and so far I haven't met one that has had the valves adjusted. Most of them say they just listen to the valves and don't bother having them checked at the intervals. Is this normal practice?

Are you sure about the motor tear down?? My TL (DOHC) is relatively simple; as is a Hyabusa, just a lot more valves. Usually you take off the top (cam) cover, find TDC, find the current clearance (with feeler guages), mark or cable tie the cam chain/sprocket, loosen cam chain, take off cam retainers, lift camshaft, remove and measure shims (with digital vernier or micrometer). Then you add the measured clearance to the shim thickness; from this total you subtract the 'required' clearance(from the workshop manual), and this gives you the thickness needed for the replacement shim....Bobs your uncle (or you can use tables if you have them).

I wouldn't rely on listening to them (normal practise aint always best) - there are a lot of issues that can result in catastrophy befor they rattle like fuck; plus there are other things in there that rattle too - scissor gears in the TL...take the time to lift the top and measure every 25 000k's; the 'measuring' part of the procedure is the simplest