Regular maintenance cost?

[DemonPig]

Dear lord, you need no tools for an oil change, except for a proper size wrench for the drain plug. Usually between 13-19mm, you probably already have it. Oil filter you can most likely get at Part Source or Canadian Tire, they cover most bikes nowadays. Filters are put on hand tight! Your hand is the best tool you have. If you have problems taking it off then yes a 10 dollar filter wrench will do. I have never had to use such wrench on any of the bikes I had though. Oil change maybe 15-30m to drain it nice. Any place like Canadian Tire or Costco will take your dirty oil free of charge.

To adjust the chain - once again - a couple of wrenches. Takes 2 minutes.
Chain - I don't clean it either, just lube. Use Motul chain lube most often. Goes on sale a lot.

So yeah, if you guys really insist on giving someone $100 for something you can do in half an hour yourself - go ahead!

 

[油井緋色]

^
I torque my drain bolt and filter to spec! lol

 

[Riceburner]

Big mac combo large fries and a drink should suffice if u want help with it

Crap! I don't even get that. I'm charging way too little.

 

[DGJ]

ive got a 2011 Ninja 650R, 09-11 are the same. Im using Motul 10W40 and bought an original Kawi Oil filter. Fairings took like 5mins to come off, was 3 screws on each side of the top part of the fairing holding the belly and 1 on each side of the belly fairing near the bottom. Get that to slide off then you have easy access to the filter and drain plug. It takes 2L, having someone help you is a good idea though especially if you dont have a bike stand. As for the chain im using the Motul Chain Cleaner and Motul Chain Lube

Full synthetic is the oil, not the filter Hmmm, must be charging some labour for the chain adjustment I guess, figured he'd throw it in and just do it while the oil was draining...

Not sure, but $120 was the price he told me, I was told by another forum member that there are filters meant for synthetic oil and if you didn't get that it'd be bad for the engine.

Do use motorcycle specific oil and not auto oil in 10W-40 grade. There is a difference in the additives. Suggest synthetic as it lasts longer. You will need 3L and a filter.

I have the same engine. It takes me ~15min to change the oil myself. It requires an oil filter wrench ($10) and a wrench or socket to fit the drain bolt under the engine. Also an oil drain pan and funnel ($15). So the tools will cost you ~$25 and you will always have them. Put the pan under the engine, take out the drain bolt at the bottom of the engine and let oil drain. Take off filter and put on new one. Put back in drain bolt and add 3L of new oil. Pour old oil from drain pan into empty oil bottles and drop them off at a service station for recycling. No driving your bike in for service, no waiting, only the cost of oil and filter. Could not be more simple. Note you will need to put your bike on the rear spool stand to hold it upright, the side stand does not work for this. You may also need an Allen key set to remove a fairing panel to access this.

Thanks for the advice but I just went ahead and got a shop to do it, was my first service on the bike (just got it a couple months back) and wanted a mechanic to look over it as well. Turns out there was a leak in the breather and a missing screw somewhere on the rear fender, the shop took care of me well.

10/10 for z1 cycletech south of hwy7 and leslie did everything I needed and made sure the bike was in perfect condition. They also helped adjust my clutch for free recommended for anyone, its going to be my go to shop in the future.

Dear lord, you need no tools for an oil change, except for a proper size wrench for the drain plug. Usually between 13-19mm, you probably already have it. Oil filter you can most likely get at Part Source or Canadian Tire, they cover most bikes nowadays. Filters are put on hand tight! Your hand is the best tool you have. If you have problems taking it off then yes a 10 dollar filter wrench will do. I have never had to use such wrench on any of the bikes I had though. Oil change maybe 15-30m to drain it nice. Any place like Canadian Tire or Costco will take your dirty oil free of charge.

To adjust the chain - once again - a couple of wrenches. Takes 2 minutes.
Chain - I don't clean it either, just lube. Use Motul chain lube most often. Goes on sale a lot.

So yeah, if you guys really insist on giving someone $100 for something you can do in half an hour yourself - go ahead!

I'd feel much better handing over $100-$200 for a shop to make sure my bike is 100% and doing the work for me, everyone has to make a living and they seem to deserve it. This is opposed to me trying to do this and probably taking a couple hours not knowing if I did it right every time I went on the bike for a ride.

Note I have no stands, no experience doing an oil change, looking over a bike or adjusting the chain.

 

[Riceburner]

Absolutely nothing wrong with having a pro do the work if you have the $ or lack of confidence. But it serves you to get familiar with your bike in the long run and a simple oil change is a good place to start.

 

[vince492]

I live in the York region, shouldn't be a problem getting around here. Ill consider doing it myself but I need a check up on my bike anyways so I might want to have someone work on it this time. My chains loose too and it needs a clean.




300 for a tool isn't too bad considering the money you're saving, I'd be anal about that stuff too, always scared that oil screw is going to fall loose and leave me sliding into a car.

I didn't use a torque wrench on my first oil change....screw went loose and dropped on the highway, with all the fresh oil, at least my friend was following me so we looked for the screw, found it (at night...kind of unbelievable) screwed it back with a good torque and put back all the old oil...and bought a torque wrench next day

 

[skip]

Nothing wrong with having a mech look at the bike. I would suggest if they are willing that you watch and learn. It really is a cost saver if you can do some of the stuff yourself.

I did a semi major service on my wee this past weekend. Thought about this thread and then started adding up the shop costs if I was not doing it myself. The number I cam up with was....rather high. Figure what I saved on the work pays my insurance for the year plus some whiskey. What I did was:

-Replaced air filter
-Replaced engine oil and filter
-Replaced coolant
-Replaced spark plugs
-Replaced front brake pads
-Adjust valves
-Adjust chain
-Adjust clutch
-Sync throttle bodies
-Adjust throttle
-Adjust idle

Did that with a mastercraft socket set and a couple of screw drivers and a PA feeler gauge. The 21 piece set that cantire has on sale for $12 this week plus a 6" extension is all sockets that you need for basic stuff.