Bike Service

[Davidtav]

So my bike is a Kawasaki Z650. 2019 model. It will be two years old beginning of April. And the warranty expires then as well. I’ve done 3300 miles. There are no issues that I am aware of. 
I took the bike for the first service at 600 miles to an official dealership. They did an oil change. I fully intended to take bike for a service last year but with Covid it just didn’t happen. 
The nearest Kawasaki dealership to me is over 30 miles away. I’m pretty sure it would be flouting lockdown to take it for a service right now as it is not really essential. 
The service due now is fairly minimal. Does not even specify an oil change. The main item seems to be adjusting the chain. Which I check and lubricate regularly anyway. 
I can see it would be useful to have Kawasaki look at my bike before the warranty expires. But I’m almost certain there are no issues. 
 

The reason for this post is that I am inclined to simply service the bike myself. And do a proper oil change. In fact I have looked at the service schedule and there is nothing I wouldn’t feel confident about until the valve clearance check. Which isn’t due for a while. 
 

So my dilemma really is, how important is the stamped service book if I come to sell in a couple of years? … I would keep my receipts for parts and a record of what has been done. 
 

Appreciate any advice. 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I think most dealerships are closed now anyway. I passed ours on Monday and it was closed. Independents are open and you'd be fine taking a bike in for service. That's classed as essential travel.

 

But if you're confident enough to do the work yourself and keep all the receipts and a record of work done then most people would prefer to see that than a dealership stamp. Some dealers are great, others are hopeless. A fully stamped service book doesn't necessarily mean a well maintained bike. 

 

 

[Ian Frog]

+1

Cheers

Ian

[TimR]

Chat with Kawasaki as they did extend warranty during lockdown  (See here )

and failure to have it serviced by 'authorised' means invalidates that warranty.

It's not just milage but also yearly services .

With regards to service history to me it means nothing if buying a vehicle as it depending on the person checking the items doing so in a prescribed manner ...How many times a month do i deal with people who have just had their vehicles serviced and an item that was deemed ok has suddenly failed resulting in them being sat n side of motorway ...

Being a low milage / newish bike people will look at the history service more than older bikes .

 

To me service history is this ...its a book but it belongs on which shelf 

Fiction or Non Fiction and i always go for Fiction 

Edited March 3, 2021 by TimR

[Davidtav]

Thanks for all the advice. The link from TimR re Kawasaki extending warranty periods is very interesting. I have emailed Kawasaki this afternoon and asked for clarification on how this might affect me.

 

I will update this thread when I get a response. 
 

Thanks again. 

[husoi]

I would say that most of the forum members do their own service unless it is a new, under warranty, bike.

Personally I always replace the oil filter with the oil.

every 2 years I do an in depth service.

[Fish]

I think you'll find that most dealerships are open for servicing as they are a garage after all. I know my local Yam dealers are open. There also shouldn't be any issue about getting a service as regular maintenance is reqiured to keep it road worthy.

 

Fish 

[Davidtav]

6 minutes ago, Fish said:

I think you'll find that most dealerships are open for servicing as they are a garage after all. I know my local Yam dealers are open. There also shouldn't be any issue about getting a service as regular maintenance is reqiured to keep it road worthy.

 

Fish 

You may be correct in that the main dealers are open. I’m not sure. However I live in North Yorkshire and the nearest Kawasaki dealers are either in Newcastle, Middlesbrough or Batley. They are all well over 30 miles away. … under the current lockdown restrictions I don’t think that travel would be legitimate. It’s a bit of a grey area I think. North Yorkshire police are very vigilant on the lockdown. My understanding is that it might be ok after March 29th when we don’t have to stay local. 
 

I do appreciate the advice. 

[S-Westerly]

I travelled from Stroud to Worcester to the Ducati dealer there. Distance of about 35 miles and no problems. One thing I did have going for me is my bike is the only vehicle I actually own so technically its essential.

[Stu]

8 hours ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

you'd be fine taking a bike in for service. That's classed as essential travel.

 

I have to disagree with this a little! 

 

If you need the bike for work and can't work from home then yes its essential but if its just a toy and with 3k on the clock I suspect it is then it may well not be essential! 

[Stu]

7 hours ago, TimR said:

To me service history is this ...its a book but it belongs on which shelf 

Fiction or Non Fiction and i always go for Fiction

 

I like that! 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

7 minutes ago, Stu said:

 

I have to disagree with this a little! 

 

If you need the bike for work and can't work from home then yes its essential but if its just a toy and with 3k on the clock I suspect it is then it may well not be essential! 

I can see the principal you're making and I'd agree with it. But in practice if workshops are allowed to open to service vehicles then people traveling to get a vehicle serviced are unlikely to face issues with the police.

 

After all, garden centres are open and I see plenty of people emerging with things they've bought. I can't see how that is classed as essential travel as it's clearly as much of a pastime as some people's motorcycling. 

 

I use my bike for work and went to our dealership for parts but found they were closed. It's all very inconsistent.

[Bender]

There appears to be little appetite up here for stopping traffic, loads of bikes out last weekend, queues outside diy centers  coffee shops and others, quayside packed, very little of it essential I'm sure.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

11 minutes ago, Bender said:

There appears to be little appetite up here for stopping traffic, loads of bikes out last weekend, queues outside diy centers  coffee shops and others, quayside packed, very little of it essential I'm sure.

Same round here. Dozens of bikes passed our house over the weekend.

[Fish]

This whole lockdown is now just a farce. So many are going about doing the same old stuff they used to. Police are only interested in stopping parties where they can get maximium coverage and most fines. 

 

Yeah some bits are locked down/shut but way too much is open and trading, meaning the lockdown is the joke that plenty are seeing it as.

 

Fish

[S-Westerly]

Last week when the sun was shining and it looked like spring had sprung there were loads of bikes out. Now we're back in anti-cyclonic gloom not so much. 

[Davidtav]

I have received a reply from Kawasaki this morning. My warranty has been extended until July 2021 … so I will take it to a dealer when I can and get the service. 

 

Very many thanks to TimR for his advice on this. I had absolutely no idea about the warranty extension until I read his post. This is an example of how the forum is very useful. 
 

Going forward, after the warranty ends, I will look after the bike myself. But will try to find a good independent near me for stuff like valve clearances. 

[Ian Frog]

7 minutes ago, Davidtav said:

I have received a reply from Kawasaki this morning. My warranty has been extended until July 2021 … so I will take it to a dealer when I can and get the service. 

 

Very many thanks to TimR for his advice on this. I had absolutely no idea about the warranty extension until I read his post. This is an example of how the forum is very useful. 
 

Going forward, after the warranty ends, I will look after the bike myself. But will try to find a good independent near me for stuff like valve clearances. 

Don`t know how far he is from you but I can wholeheartedly recommend John Warrington in Malton.

I think he is also featured in this months Fast Bikes and his engine work on a Lawson Rep.

Cheers

Ian