I think you guys will get a kick out of this...$1500 for a valve adjustment

[mickdaddy]

So I saw this listing on the Boston Craigslist for a mobile mechanic. I thought to myself that's pretty cool. I can respect the entrepreneurial spirit. I've been wanting someone to teach me how to do valve adjustments for a while so I figured I would pay this guy to come out to my warehouse with plenty of space and I can pay him to show me how to do it.

Now keep in mind, I may not know how to do a valve adjustment but I do know that 90% of the work is just removing all the shit in the way to access the valve cover which I already have off, lol

Anyways, i'll let the screenshot do the talking

http://i.imgur.com/WTpatRx.png

[Tekime]

That guy is on crack.

[breakdirt916]

does he service you for the extra $300?

[GearHd6]

I'd say he sucks at his job and doesn't want an audience to watch the horror show.

[stoinkythepig]

If you watch, he'll have to remove the valve cover and actually do the work, hence the extra $300.

I have worked on a few bikes that had supposedly had dealer valve adjusts done, but the valve cover bolts still had the factory paint that was used to mark that they had been torqued properly.

I'm convinced that:
a. Factory recommended valve adjust intervals are way too short
b. Dealers use this to their advantage and skip them but charge anyway
c. The only way to ensure the valves are properly adjusted is to do it yourself or have someone trustworthy do it.

[nhbubba]

If you watch, he'll have to remove the valve cover and actually do the work, hence the extra $300.

I have worked on a few bikes that had supposedly had dealer valve adjusts done, but the valve cover bolts still had the factory paint that was used to mark that they had been torqued properly.

I'm convinced that:
a. Factory recommended valve adjust intervals are way too short
b. Dealers use this to their advantage and skip them but charge anyway
c. The only way to ensure the valves are properly adjusted is to do it yourself or have someone trustworthy do it.

I agree with all of this. Every time I trust my motorcycle to a dealer mechanic I leave the deal feeling let down, like I was took.
Now I DIY or do not ride.

For a fraction of that money, buy a factory service manual and some quality tools. You can learn to do anything on that bike yourself and be better off for it.

Also no mechanic has the vested interest in making sure the service is done right like you do.

[Imbeek]

F valve adjustments. More accurately, F spending hours to put feeler gauges in there just to find out its all fine. This ain't the space program.

I'd rather do something more useful, like inspecting my antenna fluid thru a microscope or retempering the kniflin pin.

[TIMMYDUCK]

3 Inspections / Adjustments done on the Busa with 85 K on it now .

Out of all 3 inspections, 1 valve once was found to be out of spec .

Funny thing is, this guy is probably finding customer / victims that don't know any better.

[xrocket21]

If you watch, he'll have to remove the valve cover and actually do the work, hence the extra $300.

I have worked on a few bikes that had supposedly had dealer valve adjusts done, but the valve cover bolts still had the factory paint that was used to mark that they had been torqued properly.

I'm convinced that:
a. Factory recommended valve adjust intervals are way too short
b. Dealers use this to their advantage and skip them but charge anyway
c. The only way to ensure the valves are properly adjusted is to do it yourself or have someone trustworthy do it.

My RC51 valves have been on my to-do list for a while :/

[stoinkythepig]

I have worn out valves (they run out of adjustment) on two Kawasaki bikes in my lifetime. One took 60,000 miles and the other took 90,000 miles.

[Falko]

I looked into doing mobile marine service a number of years back. Nothing major, routine maintenance and light repairs. It is actually very costly to operate such an endeavor. The costs you have to carry are a bit higher than normal garage type charges, which you wouldn't think because of less overhead. But the insurance you have to carry (mainly due to working near water) is pretty high. I'm not trying to justify this guy's costs as they seem outrageous, and I am assuming he isn't doing his service on bikes in a body of water, but mobile costs can be a bit higher.

[stoinkythepig]

I looked into doing mobile marine service a number of years back. Nothing major, routine maintenance and light repairs. It is actually very costly to operate such an endeavor. The costs you have to carry are a bit higher than normal garage type charges, which you wouldn't think because of less overhead. But the insurance you have to carry (mainly due to working near water) is pretty high. I'm not trying to justify this guy's costs as they seem outrageous, and I am assuming he isn't doing his service on bikes in a body of water, but mobile costs can be a bit higher.

Plus you need to set aside funds for legal defense fees: Mobil marine mechanic scam NH MA - Northeast Marine -UPDATE - The Hull Truth - Boating and Fishing Forum

[TheIglu]

Bring that pig to me and I'll do them for $500 AND teach you how. Then you can go do valve adjustments for people for $1400 each and make a million!


I've only done 2 valve adjustments ever that didn't require any shims. Of course I'm a stickler for tolerances.

[Tekime]

I love that a valve adjustment on the thumper takes 20 minutes and a wrench, no shims.

So, I've never gone to the dealer but what do they typically charge? I thought a few hundred bucks was typical..

[nhbubba]

I've only done 2 valve adjustments ever that didn't require any shims.

I see what you did there.

[TheIglu]

I've done my fair share. I even have a folder in G-Drive filled with Google Sheets that calculate everything out for me for each bike I own.

Just enter in the measured gap and the measured existing shim, it'll tell you what shim you need in there if it's out of spec. Makes it easy.

[mickdaddy]

I love that a valve adjustment on the thumper takes 20 minutes and a wrench, no shims.

So, I've never gone to the dealer but what do they typically charge? I thought a few hundred bucks was typical..

$400 is on the high end for a valve adjustment through a dealership. That was what MOMS quoted me and they are pretty notorious for being expensive

Out in California, I used to see specials all the time for $200~

[TheIglu]

Damn, I had Valley Motorsports do the desmo valve adjustment on my Ducati for like $350, including swapping over a shock spring. That guy must have a coke habit.