I'm sure this topic has been covered but a search doesn't really turn up an answer so I'll try here.

How important is it to have your bike "serviced" at the recommended
milage? I don't mean oil changes, those are important, I mean the ones where belts etc are inspected. Dealers always say "It's important"
but then they are in the business of "selling" service. Could it be used as an excuse to not honor a warrenty issue?

Thanks

Dennis

 

I would imagine that the service schedule is there for a reason. Thus, if you neglect to service a particular item, and that item fails as a result of no service, the yes... you can count on being denied a warranty claim. The way these bikes vibrate and shake and what not, I would (and do) check everything on the list. YMMV, of course.

 

I have to agree here. You want to perform all those maintenance steps as it's what keeps your bike a safe and reliable machine.

Is there a reason you don't or can't perform the other items on the maintenance schedule?

 

I also agree the bike needs to be checked. The service schedule is a guide. Without it some people would never check anything. To keep the bike in top running condition and of course safe you need to perform the maintanence which I am sure you can do. Get the manual and some tools take your time and you will learn.

 

+1 on following the major intervals. I try to hit the service within +/- 75 miles of the major interval.

 

Regular scheduled service as outlined in the service manuel is cheap insurance for keeping your scoot in safe reliable condition. Every bike, car, boat, snowmobile I have ever had, I have followed the OEM maintenence guidelines, and I have never once had a major mechanical failure.

 

I plan on doing the service. Some I will do, some I'll let the dealer do. I just wanted
to know what the concensus was. Thanks all!!

 

I have, in the past, always trusted the Harley dealerships. I usually changed the fluids myself every 5k miles and had the dealer do their thing every 10k miles.

Two weeks ago I had enough chrome cash to cover it and I was getting ready to leave on a week long bike trip so I had the dealer do the 10k service. On the ride home, I thought the bike felt different and figured that maybe they changed the air pressure in the shocks since I run a little different than recommended. The following morning before leaving on the trip I checked the shocks and they were exactly as I had set them but the tires each had 47#s. I called to let the service manager know but he was off that day. I corrected the tire pressure to 36#s front and 40#s rear and left on my trip.

Since I doubt they even checked the pressure in the shocks because I think they would have set them to the recommended pressure and because of what they did to the tire pressures, I now do not feel confident that they did anything correctly. If they added lube to the front forks, they did the neatest job I have ever seen.

I think for peace of mind that I will do everything I possibly can myself in the future. I hate feeling like I may have been taken intentionally. I don't feel much better thinking they let the bike wash kid do my tires and god knows what else.

 

That's funny, one of the only times I let the stealer do a service on my bike (I do most of my own work.) they tried to fill the whole nacelle with grease when they greased the steering head. I assume the grease gun slipped off the zerk and they just kept pumping it in. I found out what they did when I pulled the power wire to my GPS out of the nacelle (I hang the end up in the nacelle) and it looked like a grease popsicle. What a bunch of Morons.

 

Buy a shop manual and learn about your bike, if you don't own tools start buying some. As a motorcycle enthusiast the feeling of doing your own maintenace comes with peace of mind, knowing that it's right, because you did it.