Not a DEALER story, but a repair shop none the less: Took an Ultra Classic to a local shop, I forget the miles..lets make it a 30K service. Was told will be ready after three. Cool. I got off work at four.
Went in to pick up my bike....was told I owed X ammount...and the lead guy said :"Were you TESTING us?" (Was I what?)...He asked again if I was testing them...then he pulled out a twenty dollar bill,
and said he found it under my gas tank cover....OH! I explained I always keep a twenty there, just in case I come up short of some cash somewhere. He said that one of the steps on the maintenance
schedule is to oil the gas tank cover hinge...and who the heck does that...but they did....and found my $20. So, some people do-do half the crap....and maybe more.


Chuck

 

Spend $60 on a service manual. You can do everything they do on the first service your self no problem.... For FREE. minus cost of your oil and filter.

 

The first part is absolutely not true at my dealers around here.
I have watched them do 1k service on many bikes, and it takes a while.
They actually dump the oil, and filter, and while it is draining they pull the derby cover, and adjust the clutch, put a wrench on every fastener pretty much. They check belt alignment , and brakes. I don't feel it's a ripoff , but I do my own service, because I like to do it.

 

I know a guy that went to a dealer for an estimate on some work He wanted done. The dealer then gave Him what was a really reasonable estimate. The guy, known to be a bickering penny pincher, said "I think your'e trying to rip me off. I am not going to fall for that. I am not just some kind of fool. I believe I want a second opinion".
The dealer, without taking a blink, told Him "OK - you are ugly as hell too".

 

The hourly labor rate is what drives up the cost of service at a dealer. Although the oils and filter needed for changing all three holes (which they should be doing at the 1000 mile service) can run nearly $100 alone.

Frankly, at 1000 miles, there is very little that is done besides the fluid changes, most everything else is checking fasteners, tensions, etc. Its very overpriced and if you are able to do it yourself its worth doing. Many dealers usually throw the first service in as part of the purchase of the bike, mine does.

 

I did the 1000 mile service myself as i rode that in 5 days. I found the rear axle was misaligned and took it to the dealer on my trailer to have it aligned and recorded that the belt was wearing on the outside edge bad enough to stick rubber all over my left side exhaust. they corrected it at no charge. at 8000 miles, i ruined the rear tire which i had a warranty on and they replaced it at no charge. the only time my bike has seen the dealer. i record and take pictures and keep the receipts on oil, filters, air filter cleaner and oil, etc. I actually enjoy working on mine most days. battery is getting weak and not looking forward to that job(i have done it before on a previous road king,lol)

 

Southern Thunder in Southaven MS is running a $29.99 oil change special now

 

For those of you that think the first oil change you got with your bike was free. Guess again. It's factored into the trade and final sale. I waited until my paperwork was signed and then pointed out I was to get a free 1000 mile service. He stuttered as he made up the "We owe you" sheet.

I did that on the advice of my salesman. He said nothing is free. They build everything into the deal.

 

At 1000 mile service, there is no reason to change an air filter.

As for the other things on the so-called checklist, those items are there so the dealer mechanic can catch what the factory missed. It's a "check and tighten" exercise basically.

Now, as to the cost of this "required" service, I might agree that is priced too high. At $400, and $100/hr labor, less the cost of Oil, that's about 3 1/2 hours of work. And I really doubt that it takes that long to do this service.

 

Man,you don"t get those 30 dollar oil changes in Jersey!!!