Disappointed with my 16k Service....

[craigatcsi]

I overshot my 16k mile service on my 07 Venture by 4k. So, I took it in Tues. I got it back Wed, $800 poorer.

I was disappointed to hear that the carbs were 'barely out of balance'. I had them save the old plugs so I could see them - they looked great! Hardly any wear at all, and the color looked right. I ended up keeping them as a spare, just in case a new one goes bad.

I was hoping that the bike would run like a crotch rocket, since I haven't had it tuned in 10k - nope, she runs about the same.

I could tell they had the fairing off and my handlebars had to be re-adjusted for me.

Oh well, at least they said that she looks great and everything is in 'ship shape'.

craigr

[kyle]

THAT SUCKS !!!! IF YOU CAN DO ALL THAT STUFF YOURSELF OR HAVE A FRIEND HELP. MY OLD DRUMMER WAS A BIKE MECH. AT A STEALERSHIP AND HE ADMITTED THEY SHORTCHANGE ALMOST EVERY CHANCE THEY GOT.... "EASY MONEY" HE SAID....

[midnightventure]

I think Yamaha has all the service requirements except the rear end service set way to often. The carbs need synched right away because the dealers can't seem to do it right but then they don't change much. The plugs look new with 20000 miles on them. My air filters are never dirty. Every time I service it I decide to let some of that stuff go longer the next time.

[Yammer Dan]

Another reason I'll stick with the 1st Gens. Have to do them yourself. Can charge yourself what you want.

[craigatcsi]

Something else I wanted to run past you folks, that I forgot to mention in my original post -

 

While I was standing at the counter waiting to go over the invoice & pay, the guy was on the phone with someone saying 'you can change it yourself, just use Motorcycle oil and keep your receipts for the oil & filter'.

 

So does this mean I will have problems if I need warranty work on my engine - I didn't keep the reciepts.

 

craigr

[CMIKE]

Got to the dollar store and get you 3-4 different reciept books...write your own receipt if you need them. IRS agent during an audit told me to bring reciepts for business stuff after lunch. They were happy as snot to see them after lunch. What they gonna say?

[Snarley Bill]

no reciepts needed. if they give you any crap on warranty sue them. do all your own work. half the fun of riding is working on your own bike. only thing i let the dealer do on mine is recalls. i won't even take it to the dealer for a state inspection. $70.00 an hour to look at my bike. just crazy. if you can start a mower and mow your lawn you can get a book and some tools and fix your own bike. great learning experience.

[craigatcsi]

no reciepts needed. if they give you any crap on warranty sue them. do all your own work. half the fun of riding is working on your own bike. only thing i let the dealer do on mine is recalls. i won't even take it to the dealer for a state inspection. $70.00 an hour to look at my bike. just crazy. if you can start a mower and mow your lawn you can get a book and some tools and fix your own bike. great learning experience.

 

You know, when I was in my teens and early twenties, I would tackle ANYTHING. I got myself into trouble more than one time. But hey, that's how I learned. I did everthing from engine swaps on cagers to full strip down restoration on MC's.

I don't even paint anymore. My old bikes, I didn't have them very long before I was stripping them down and doing a custom paint job on them, adding / changing lighting, etc...

For some reason, on this NEW Venture, I hesitate. Granted, I will not remove the front end or rear tire - my health won't let me handle the weight. But the rest of it, I have no excuse, other than intimidated and I can afford to pay to have it fixed right the first time.

[skydoc_17]

If that aren't really"fixing anything" and you weren't happy with the results, then my friend, what exactly are you paying for.

$800.00 would get you an "Around The World" at Helga's House of Pain!

For $800.00 you could have went to Cody!

Earl

[MiCarl]

Scheduled service is about preventative maintenance. The idea is to prevent the day you have to take it in running like crap and blow big $$$ on something.

 

Now, Yamaha may schedule it too often, the dealer may charge too much or cut corners; but it's not reasonable to expect routine maintenance to make any improvement in performance for something that's been well cared for.

[craigatcsi]

Scheduled service is about preventative maintenance. The idea is to prevent the day you have to take it in running like crap and blow big $$$ on something.

 

Now, Yamaha may schedule it too often, the dealer may charge too much or cut corners; but it's not reasonable to expect routine maintenance to make any improvement in performance for something that's been well cared for.

 

 

Well Said!

 

My bike is usually 'babied' - (Almost).

 

Actually, I thought this same thing on the way to work this morning.

 

I bought a Yamaha because, among other reasons, I am sooo happy with my 115hp outboard Yamaha and the quality of that motor. Metrics have always had the reputation of 'running forever' and 'being almost bullet proof'.

 

I took the bike in for MAINTENANCE, not repair.

 

Still,... for $800, I wish I could tell the difference in how she runs. BUT, I CAN tell the difference in how the kickstand works. It moves MUCH more freely now!

 

craigr

[Moped]

Craig, just curious how they billed you for $800? Like you said you took it in for 16k maintenance not repair. I assume that is for plugs, filters, oil, and maybe coolant. You did mention checked carb sync. You also mentioned that the fairing was removed?

[Tom]

The reason I joined this sight years ago when I bought my Venture is because MOST Yamaha mechanics know nothing about the Venture.I have done all the work myself and warranty was honered on the few things I needed done under warranty..most of the time they gave me the parts and I put them on.

[Dave77459]

Craig, just curious how they billed you for $800? Like you said you took it in for 16k maintenance not repair. I assume that is for plugs, filters, oil, and maybe coolant. You did mention checked carb sync. You also mentioned that the fairing was removed?

 

According to the Service Manual, at 16,000 miles, they should:

 

Replace spark plugs

Check the crankcase ventilation system

Check the fuel line

Check the fuel filter

Check the exhaust system

Check carburetor synchronization

Check the idle speed

Replace the engine oil

Replace the oil filter

Check the air filter

Check the cooling system

Replace the coolant

Check the brake system

Replace the brake fluid

Check the clutch

Replace the final gear oil

Check the control cable

Repack the rear arm pivot bearing

Check the brake / clutch lever pivot shaft

Check the brake pedal and shift pedal shaft

Check the sidestand pivot

Check the sidestand switch

Check the front fork

Repack the steering bearings

Check the wheel bearings

Check the rear suspension link pivots

 

Since he overshot by 4,000 miles, they might have also done his 20,000 mile service? This would add:

 

Replace fuel filter

Check evaporative control system (for California only) -- added for completeness

 

In addition, there are some things that should be done every two years, regardless of mileage.

Edited September 11, 2009 by Dave77459
Added 20K Service

[beyeker]

I have 24,000+ on my 2007 Venture, It's never seen a Servive Department. In northern Wisconsin we have good honest Yamaha Dealers. They will tell you right out there is no need to repack the bearings, you are better off waiting till they start to fail and replace them, all the money you paid was removing a fairing to repack steering head bearings. I have put over 56,000 miles on two of my five Royal Stars without any bearing problems. With unleaded gas spark plugs will last a lot longer then 16,000 miles. I'm on Royal Star number 5. The other 4 have new happy owners with lots of miles on them. I have always taken them in at 26,000 miles for plugs, carb sync, valve check. I change the fluids myself. Now if you want to talk about costly service, buy a Harley.

[Dave77459]

I have 24,000+ on my 2007 Venture, It's never seen a Servive Department. In northern Wisconsin we have good honest Yamaha Dealers. They will tell you right out there is no need to repack the bearings, you are better off waiting till they start to fail and replace them, all the money you paid was removing a fairing to repack steering head bearings. I have put over 56,000 miles on two of my five Royal Stars without any bearing problems. With unleaded gas spark plugs will last a lot longer then 16,000 miles. I'm on Royal Star number 5. The other 4 have new happy owners with lots of miles on them. I have always taken them in at 26,000 miles for plugs, carb sync, valve check. I change the fluids myself. Now if you want to talk about costly service, buy a Harley.

 

There are fewer things specified at the 24,000 mile mark, but they do say to check and adjust the valve clearance at 26,000. How much should they valve service cost? I'm at 25,000 or so.

 

Dave

[beyeker]

I believe I paid about $250 on my last Royal Star. Get a quote, they should be able to give you a ball park. I have been waiting to see the 2010 Venture to see if I want to trade, but I guess I will be getting the service.

[frogmaster]

Itemized bill?

 

Sounds WAY WAY WAY too high unless justified with itemized bill!!! You would of been better off asking someone hear who is nearby you to stop by and a six pack goes a Loooong Waaay

 

Go back and get this itemized bill and review line by line and watch the LABOR HOURS here is an example... (I had rear tire replaced and asked them to inspect and if uneven brake pads then to flip my rear brake pads. I looked at my bill and seen point-50-Hr (30 minutes). The tire was off for replacement already and there are 2 clips on each pad no tools required just unclip & flip that's it less than 5 minutes max. Guy agreed and changed to point-12-5-Hr)

 

My 2 cents

[craigatcsi]

I don't have my list here in front of me, but I got the info out of the book. I also had them look at a couple of other things and check the brakes & they did replace the rear brakes. I changed the oil & filter myself.

I know I could've done some of the stuff myself, but to maintain the warranty, I wanted it documented.

The reason I overshot by 4k miles, is we were on the road & I figured I would just wait until I got back. - I know, I could have had it done early, I just didn't.

I honestly believe these guys are honest, they always have been honest in the past. I feel like I got my money's worth. Though I wish it had been cheaper of course.

craigr

[Bummer]

...

I took the bike in for MAINTENANCE, not repair.

 

Still,... for $800, I wish I could tell the difference in how she runs. BUT, I CAN tell the difference in how the kickstand works. It moves MUCH more freely now!

 

craigr

You paid to have someone put grease in very inconvenient places. If you're not mechanically inclined it was probably worth it.

 

Look at that big chrome acorn nut where the handlebars pivot. The bearings are inside of there. One's a couple of layers under the nut, and one's at the bottom of what the nut screws onto. Pretty much everything in the way has to move so they can be greased. The greasing is trivial. Getting there's the chore.

 

Low on the frame, right in front of the side bags, on each side there's a chrome disk about two inches in diameter. Deep inside those are where the swing arm bearings live. In order to actually get to them you need to be holding the swing arm in your hands.

 

Just be glad you didn't wait another 7k miles. The top half of the bike has to come off to get to the valves. I'm betting that'll be another $300 or so.

 

One really needs to be trying to get the notch rotated to just the right place so the shim can be popped out, with two done and two more to go, to understand just how much a valve adjustment's worth. I'm thinking somewhere around the time the rear valve cover goes back on, $300 is gonna look fairly reasonable to most guys.

 

A couple hundred bucks less would have been nice, of course, but if they did the work they were supposed to, and there's no reason to believe they didn't, I don't think they did you wrong.

[ronhenry4]

Another reason I'll stick with the 1st Gens. Have to do them yourself. Can charge yourself what you want.

All you need to tune a 1st Gen is a hammer and ductape oh yeah and alot of de-greaser

[dunvilsteev]

Just to add my 2 cents worth..... actually only 1.84536 US

 

I had a gas cap fall into two pieces on me, off course right after I had filled the tank. The local gouger (Baldwin Cycle Dunnville) quoted me $160 for the part. This was on my 04 VStar. Gas sloshing about, can't ride the dam thing, so I said ok order it.

I get home and thinking $160 was dam expensive for a locking gas cap I phone a few more dealerships, Claires in Fonthill ($140) and then Kelly's in Hamilton ($124). Quickly cancel the order with Baldwins (not without a few choice words) and reorder with Kelly's. Upon asking why a difference Kellys showed me the dealers book with the $124 price. When I contacted Yamaha Canada about this their response was:

 

"Each dealership is privately owned and although they suggest the price to sell their parts at it is up to the dealer to charge whatever he wants"

 

What kinda s**t is that?

 

Don't get me wrong, love the bikes, hate the company.

[awsmsrv]

Prices are also different in different parts of the country. If you live in a populous area, labor prices tend to be a lot higher, I've noticed. Around here I've found it varies from about $85-100 an hour. After a few hours of work, it adds up. Just another thought.

[ediddy]

The charge for the 16000 mile service is too high but when I bought my bike they had a deal where I could pay $900.00 and all the services were paid for three years. I know $900.00 is a lot of money but it is worth it if you're going to let the dealer do the services. I'm always at their door every 4000 miles waiting for my service. I don't care if the plugs can go longer, because they replace them as part of the service. My bike was skipping on one cylinder so at the service before the plugs were to be changed I asked the dealer if they would go ahead and replace the plugs. They said sure and replaced them. If I could do my own service I would but since I can't the $900.00 isn't a bad deal.

[Guest oldroadstar]

Service here is $138 per hour. It doesn't take long at that rate to add up.