How many of you get a HD dealer do the First Season Service and thats all for the entire season? With Syn . most can do 10,000 miles and not have to worry? Or do you bring the bike back in and do another SERVICE as the miles start piling on ? During the same season? Thanks for your Answers in Advance

 

I wouldn't take it to a Harley dealer, they will rob you blind. Before most rides I check my tire tread depth, tire pressure, all my lines(brake, gas), & my running lights along with turn signals, also check my brake pad depth. Your manual tells you everything you should check & how often.
2,000-5,000 miles your brake pads should be checked & replaced, oil & oil filter. 7,000-10,000 miles check or have check I guess your belt tension, I think there is a cam service needed on twin cams at 10 or 20 thousand miles. Also 7-10 check & most likely replace tires, tranny fluid, primary fluid. Non of these fluid levels rarely change but it does not hurt to check them. Also take note I'm not sure if these are the exact mileage just suggesting. So simply check your owners manual.
I understand if you don't want to take the risk of tearing your entire engine down & rebuilding it wrong but if you have time & the proper tools checking & changing fluids or brake pads is easy as hell to do.

 

In addition to the above I lube the throttle and clutch cables, grease the steering head bearing, tighten up the battery cables and go over most of the visible nuts and bolts, including the exhaust, but don't mess with the engine cover bolts, to make sure they are tight. You would be surprised what comes loose. Check all the lights and signals and look for any oil leaks. Adjust the clutch also and make sure the throttle is within adjustment.

If you have a service manual then all this is lots easier.

 

Good information

 

Without meaning to insult the original poster, I must say that taking your cycle to the HD dealer for a checkup is ridiculous: because (1) the job will likely be done by someone who doesn't care; (2) for what the job actually requires you will pay an outrageous sum; (3) doing what you need to do is so incredibly easy that it is foolish not to do it yourself; (4) getting to know your cycle is actually part of your "job" of owning it. You need to be familiar enough with the basics before you ride.

You will read on this forum of people who took their bikes to HD to have simple things done and have returned with nuts not tightened, bolts missing, low oil in the tank after the oil change, et cetera. As I mentioned in another post not too long ago, doing most things you are capable of doing yourself has numerous benefits, not the least of which is knowing that the job was done correctly. Do not ever believe that HD has as its highest priority the well-being of the customer in mind. I say this because too many on HDF have had some terrible experiences.

This is not to say that all experiences at HD are bad. The problem is that you will never know which experience you will have. Does that make you feel good?...I thought not.

 

Well although true about knowing your bike I too have a warrantee which I would not want to jepardize? I know on some of the threads HD does not look fondly at Back Yard Mechanics and if they can BLAME anyone who takes care of their bike all the time and NEVER uses HD for anything including their first Service they will. So I can understand making it a $350 Check-Up at the beginning of the season also when your Warrantee is done and when that gets Bigger in Cost it would be time for taking care of the simple things.
I do remember when after a ride in the 70's and 80's some guys would take out the wrenches and start tightening the bolts and nuts which would become loose from the Vibration , LOL!! It was not funny then but when you think back on it it was and to hear the cursing and swearing OH MAN LOL!!

 

Although I do my own maintenance, I think it is ridiculous to imply that if you don't do your own you are some how deficient. I know many riders who, for various reasons, elect to have a dealer or independent shop do their maintenance.

There are many (most) Harley dealers that are capable and conscientious about their service. Do what ever you are most comfortable with. Your owner's manual will outline what service is recommended and at what mileage. There is also a pre-ride checklist you should refer to. Your only responsibilities as an owner/rider are to ride safely, and to assure the bike is maintained properly, whether you do it yourself or hire it done.

 

From the original post I was not aware that there were warranty issues involved. If that is the case, then definitely preserve the warranty. But no, you cannot then ride 10,000 miles without changing the engine oil and filter. More accurately, you can but that would not smart since oil is cheap and HD service is not.

In your operator's manual there are service intervals along with what items/components to check or replace at those intervals. It is a good thing to observe these recommendations and do them yourself when the existing warranty will not be affected.

 

full service at the beginning of the season and every 5,000 thereafter as the book says for the rest of the season .

 

Fluids should really be changed at the END of the riding season so the old, contaminated, acidic lubricants are not sitting all winter in your engine, tranny & primary.