Who does your regular scooter maintenance?

New poll.

I really trust my dealership. The guys in my group always say they will help me out but I guess I want the dealership to do the maintenance. Plus they stand behind their work. I have always been pleased.

I do all my own regular maintenance. I do have the dealer change the tires and brakes but everything else I have done so far. I will be changing the coolant soon and will do a "Pictorial" for this too. I have read about others doing this and it doesn't look to be too difficult.

I just hit 600 miles on my new Silverwing and need to do the first service. I called the dealership, who said they were booked up solid until late next week. I need to keep riding it but hate to put too many more miles on it with the break-in oil still inside. He suggested that they just basically change the oil and filter and that I can do this easily myself plus save money.

Is this a good idea? or do I need to have them go over it and check it out? Also would it affect warranty if I do it myself?

Thanks

RobinC wrote:

He suggested that they just basically change the oil and filter and that I can do this easily myself plus save money.

I would suggest doing your own oil change ... it is real easy ... plus save more money. I would not use the Honda motor oil, they keep switching vendors to find the cheapest price point and not quality. I needed the 24mm socket and low range torque range since it is a very light aluminum.

The dealer changes tires and drive belt but I change my oil. The dealer's mechanic torques the bolt too much to suit me. I get it just snug enough but no more. Saves the washer and doesn't leak at all. Dealer's salesman who sold me the bike and I changed a headlight that had burned out . Their mechanic tightened the parking brake then showed me how it is done. Nothing else has needed work and I have 53000 miles on it. Looking forward to the pictorial on changing the coolant. May remove the under-seat light. Tried to do it once but couldn't get it out without the fear of breaking something. Will try again. Always carry a flashlight which illuminates more. On the 9th ordered 2 Bridgestone tires for the wing and two for the reflex. Dealer will install when we get weather in a few MONTHS!

Not that I can't change the oil as a girl...LOL But I just feel better knowing that they look over my bike and just check things out. I'm terrible but I just want to get on and ride. :D I ride a lot so I'm in every few weeks for an oil change. I do know I need to check my tire pressure more often and plan to be better at that this summer.

The Honda dealer in Reno has done all of my maintenance. Diane

I still do the oil/filter change. And have change the coolant once (because I broke a fixture changing the oil filter ). I have used the dealer once to change the belt and install a rear tire. Just recently had a not so good experience with the dealer that led me to an independent shop that doesn't look like much, but the owner was raised by biker parents. He knows his stuff and has a good reputation. Very pleasant discovery for me to be led to him. Granted, he is more biker friendly than scooter but the basics are the same. His shop will be doing all the things I can't do myself.

For a little side note, while I had the scoot in the shop. The assistant that actually moved my scoot into the shop was fun to watch as he got on to move it in. He sat there a few seconds ( I could read his mind... as he was imagining the feel of the smoothness of riding this fine fine machine... then he asked... "where is the clutch"

I just went over 23k miles, I always done my own work. I heard too many bad things about the local dealer and the kids he has working there. They don't work
on many scooters either and don't have the experience. Its too easy for them to
over/under torque a critical fastener. Beside i really enjoy working on my Swing.

I do!

driftwoodpoint wrote:

Not that I can't change the oil as a girl...LOL But I just feel better knowing that they look over my bike and just check things out. I'm terrible but I just want to get on and ride. :D I ride a lot so I'm in every few weeks for an oil change. I do know I need to check my tire pressure more often and plan to be better at that this summer.

Well I'm a boy and whilst I will tinker and do simple jobs, I'm not a good DIY or mechanic type person so also very much of the "get on and ride" persuasion leaving most of the mechanical work for my local independant dealer, the same one that did many of the modifications for me

At first I tried the Honda Dealer where I bought my Silverwing, but he is just too slow - it took him a week to do my 600 mile oil change and install my Givi windshield. Then, I tried my local Yamaha/Suzuki dealer for my routine oil changes and install the aftermarket gizmos on my Silverwing and he did a great job and was very quick. With the Yamaha dealer I can drop it off in the morning and pick it up that evening. They also sell a lot more scooters: Yamaha, Suzuki, Benelli, Schwinn, and some retro Italian lookin' things, so I figure their mechanics have pretty much seen it all. Plus, I like going into their show room and drooling over all the big cruisers and sport bikes. They also carry Kawasaki and Victory Motorcycles so there is a lot of eye-candy to ponder. I may just have to swing by there this afternoon...

I asked our regular motorcycle mechanic about this before I bought and he's familiar with scooters and will be comfortable doing the work on this one. The dealer in the closest large town (not the one I purchased from) has a spotty service reputation. They tend to forget to tighten important things like axle fittings. My son had a tire mounted there recently and on a trip he's on currently is realizing that while they mounted the tire, they did a poor job of balancing the wheel.

It looks like at least half of us do our own maintenance, I enjoy doing it and save a few bucks at the same time. Doing my own brakes scares me a little but I want learn to do my own. I have had the rear wheel on and off twice, successful both times

I do ,these things are pretty simple .

I replied "I do" but in all honesty my SW is brand-new so I don't know yet. I called 3 dealers today and an oil change runs between $60 and $75. This is really a robbing! Why could a dealer change oil on my Acura MDX for $20 and I have pay so much for SW??? And why an oil filter is worth $13 and a quart of oil costs $6? Does anybody else thinks that this is wrong?
Thanks, Miro.

Yes that is pretty steep .Why don't you look for a local motor cycle mechanic ?Buy your own oil and filter and get him to change it for you
should be a lot less that way .

Miro wrote:

I replied "I do" but in all honesty my SW is brand-new so I don't know yet. I called 3 dealers today and an oil change runs between $60 and $75. This is really a robbing! Why could a dealer change oil on my Acura MDX for $20 and I have pay so much for SW??? And why an oil filter is worth $13 and a quart of oil costs $6? Does anybody else thinks that this is wrong?
Thanks, Miro.

Miro,

Here is a "Pictorial" I did for changing the oil. I would try it yourself since it is very simple and only takes about 30 mins the first time.

https://www.silverwing600.com/maintenance-tips-and-hints-f7/oil-changing-pictorial-t161.htm

You will also need a oil pan to catch the oil and I also use a larger wire strainer made of a screening material. I hold it under the oil drain plug so when I undo the plug it will fall into the strainer. But you should really attempt to do this yourself. If you have any questions just get back to me, or others here, and we would be happy to help you. The bike takes about 2.25 quarts of oil.

IMPORTANT !!! As Bill (Honda-Silver) said in a earlier post here, the plug and threads are aluminum so don't overcrank the plug. If you don't have a torque wrench then just tighten it, but do not over-tighten it.

Could anybody recommend a good place on-line to buy oil and oil filter? I think I would like to stick with Honda brand but I am open to arguments there.
Thanks, Miro.

Miro,

If you buy oil on-line you may pay a bit more just to ship it. You can get the Fram oil filter from Wal-mart and the oil too. If you saw the pictorial I posted you can get the part number for the filter. I have also read that it is better than the Honda filter, but I really don't know for sure though. When you get about 1,000 or more miles you should think about going to a synthetic oil. But if you want to buy on-line you can check out www.scootertrap.com .

Miro wrote:

Could anybody recommend a good place on-line to buy oil and oil filter? I think I would like to stick with Honda brand but I am open to arguments there.

I would not suggest the Honda oil - I know it sounds strange. It seems that Honda chooses it oil based on lowest cost provider and not quality of the oil. From what I read they have switched numerous times when when the contract expires.

For the price of their oil filters, you can buy some of the highest quality filters.

I use Amsoil Synthetic Oil and Oil filters.

That is a very good Tutorial on changing oil .The biggest mistake beginners make is cross threading the oil plug .So I would just like to add it should screw in easily ,if not it is likely cross threaded . I have had to correct this problem many times .So watch out for that ,also make sure the new filter actually has a gasket ,and that the old one is not stuck to the engine .
Hope this helps .

So far, I've done everything on my S'wing except mount and balance new tires.
That includes, to date, oil and filter, final drive oil, air filter, and spark plugs. Oh yea, I've topped off the coolant reservoir. Haven't changed the coolant yet, or the brake fluid, but would like to at some point.

I'm anticipating changing the drive belt and rollers in the next few (4 +/-) thousand miles - already have the parts. I'd probably wait longer, based on what I've read from others, but last winter I got the rear end smoking pretty good when I got stuck in the mud, and I'm thinking changing the belt might just be a good thing to do on schedule, at least the first time. I also bought front brake pads, but I don't know if I'll bother with that. They look fine to me.

Jeff, have you published your coolant tutorial yet?

I do everything to both my Silver Wing and my Reflex. When it is time for tires though, I will have the dealer do it, but not the one in my home town. I can't afford their prices.

I do all the maintenance and repairs to my Silverwing and Goldwing. I have service manuals for both and tools for complete overhaul of just about any bike. Having lived in places where you had to do everything for yourself one learns to do a lot of different things.