Motorcycle Mechanic's

[The Cosworth]

Hey Guys, I just purchased a 1998 VTR1000F and have an appointment with Bow to get it inspected, then probably the back brake done, oil change, fluids, valves adjusted and carb sync'd maybe, depending on condition.

I am wondering if there is a preferred shop for everyone. I called Blackfoot and they haven’t called me back, GW doesn’t deal with Honda's, My buddy went to a place that was great near GW on Edmonton trail but I forget the name now...

I have an appointment booked for the 25th at Bow and that was squeezing me in.. Any thoughts??? or is anyone here a bike mechanic somewhere??

[MrSector9]

To adjust the valves on that bike (if i rmeber correctly) is a half expensive job since i think they use DOHC with shim under buckets.

carb syn if it is off is defiantly worth while getitng cheked relaly helps mid throttle response as well as low idle/low throttle response. also will even out cylinder temperatues iif the carbs are off since one will be working harder to keep the other one with it.

As for oil changes if you are at all handy then I woudl suggest possibly doing them yourself, saves alittle money, getes you familiar with you bike and you know exactly what went into it.

rear brakes I woudl suggest you taking it into a shop,perosnnaly i woudl do them myself but then again i have worked as a mechanic for over 5 years now :)

[The Cosworth]

It was called universal motorsports AH!....

Yeah i would do the oil myself but i live in an apartment now... also dont have the time starting a new job. I worked as a mechanic for a year at heninger toyota, so im sure i could do the brakes on the bike but dont feel comfortable just yet.

cancled the appointment at Bow and booked there for monday, doing something called the full service (inspect everything, valve adjust, carb clean and sync, oil change). then i have a good base line to go from with service... :eek: $450.00, seems like a lot after just dropping close to 5 bills on it... hopefully she comes out ok

[MrSector9]

oh ,my gpod...


what is all included?

to service a bike we usually charged $75 plus parts... so usually came out to around $100.

Ask them exactly what is included in this full service.

does alberta have safety's for motorcyces? is that included?

[The Cosworth]

where do you work, its a valve adjust, carb, and all that, i dont know if it needs a saftey it was bought and always has been in alberta

[MrSector9]

its on the east coast :)

I would MAKE SURE they take the heads apart, becasue I will almost gurantee they will not take the valve cover off that bike if it doesn't need it.

I just checked and your bike is shim under bucket style of valve adjustment. This is a big job meaning you have to do the follwing:

1. remove ank and all above engine area
2. remove valve covers
3. drop the timing chain
4, meausre all valve clearences
5, remove camshafts
6. remove "buckets" and measure shims
7. order (or have in stock) the correct shim to achieve valve clearence to factory spec
8. correctly time and resintall everything.

This woudl work out to be around $500 by itself as it is labour intensive (usually a full day, 8 hours) local shops are over $55 an hour.

as for the carbs being syned it is a pretty easy job and woudl take approx 30 minutes to compelte for shop time.

you oculd possibly put a little paint on one of the valve cover bolts (try to make it inconspicous) to verify if they did indeed take it off (i will say they wont)

[MrSector9]

I shoudl add for the rest of the service would include.

1. change oil/filter
2. inspect/lube chain
3. check all lights, horn, safety equipment
4. air pessure in tires/check tires
5. lube anywhere that woudl need lube (depends on the bike)
6. set throttle free play if it is out of wack
7. check brakes for tolerances, replace pads if necessary (usualy inform customer first to see what brand they may want)
8. run engine, test electric fans, cehck idle/set if off

in reality most mechanic that have done a few shoud be able to do a full service in 1 hour as you drain oil,while oil is driaing check lights.

I would definatly ask them what exactly is included within this serice.

same goes for a carb clean.. if the bike doesn't need it (if it was properly winterized) then it iwll not be done, you will more then likely be told it was done, but i woudl be the carbs will not be taken off.

IF they really do all that work, then $450 is a good deal, but I woudl make sure that everythign is done and done correctly sorta deal.

[The Cosworth]

my buddy just had the same thing done to his, we just bought bikes the same week together, and got the same thing done, and said they do a wonderful job

and everything in that last post is included i think, he said it is about 8 hrs labor for everything so i dont know...

sounds ok to me
??

[MrSector9]

yeah if they do spend the time on the bike the it is defiatly worth it.

ewith how many shady mechanics/shops there is thoguh soemtimes you never know what you can trust sorta deal.

if it was me I woudl do a few things and then ask questions after to make sure certina thigns were done. I, liek you i imagine don't mind paying for good work but I do not like paying for work that was not done, and that i was lied to about it being done.

[SOAB]

$450 for a valve adjustment and card sync sounds about right. i would do the brakes myself though. if you've taken a look at your rear brake caliper, its only a couple bolts to pull off to change out the pads.

[The Cosworth]

yeah we'll see what that will run, i just dont have the stuff to hold a bike up while i do that, the bike is a bit intimidating

[SOAB]

you don't need a bike stand to change the pads. just lean it on the kickstand and 10 minutes later, you're done!

[The Cosworth]

yeah actually once i was home i checked that out and checked how much pads were

$40, sweet, im doing it myself