aint' nothing free, it was included in the sale price...i can promise you that....

 

how detailed are the manuals that you can buy? if i were to go that route, it would be my first time working on my bike myself. can someone like me (no experience, but good common sense ) figure that stuff out by the manual?


thanks.

btw, i paid $310 for my first svc w/ syn last friday.

 

If you have ever used a Chilton or Haynes manual you can use the HD manual. They are easy to follow with pretty good illustrations.

 

my dealer charges $375.00 with syn thats why i do my owne now save some

big bucks and a better oil-ride safe

 

Got mine done last week for $345 using Syn3. I will do the service from now on but if the dealer checks/adjusts what he's supposed to I feel its worth it for them to do the 1000 mile service and makes sure everything like it's supposed to be.

I could definitely tell they had made adjustments on mine. Clutch felt much better and shifted better than it did before I took it in for the service.

 

I'm at about 600 miles on my 09 RKC now (I've had it two weeks). I didn't like the way the clutch lever felt last Saturday so I headed to Harley. My salesman just happened to be riding in at the time. So Iasked him if he could feel it and see what he thought. He agreed that some slack could be taken out. Just then a service man was riding to the front from out back. He jumped right on my biek and took it around back and had someone start on it. I was hanging around out front and the original guy cam and told me I could gop watch if I wanted. This surprised me (this is my 1st bike), as with cars they will not let you anywhere near the service bays. They even asked if I wanted to have it washed when he finished.

So when I go in for the 1000 mile service, I'll make the day of it and watch, and learn.

 

Or alternately, place a decent magnet in the flow as the oil drains into the container. Ferrous particles will remain on the magnet for inspection if any are present. Most of what will appear at the first oil change in the crankcase should be aluminum from the machining process at the factory and are normal. Those won't show on a magnet, but it's not the aluminum you're looking for, it's the ferrous stuff that might come from lifters, valve train, crankshaft, conrods, etc.

 

i refused to pay the 320 bucks after some guys i know (took there ultras to different dealers) looked the bikes over after the dealer wheeled the bikes out just to point out issues they missed.....1 had a throttle that would not return (that was the most amusing especially because the tech at first said thats they way the cable operated throttles were!!!) i believe the idea of getting you into the dealers for that service is so you will walk around the store and start buying gadgets!! it will not effect your warranty as long as you document everything you did with receipts. besides get the service manual and learn about your scoot. its better to learn in the garage than on the side of the road....

 

I agree with Aaron and others. Many riders think there's something sacred about having the dealer do the first service, like somehow the warranty would otherwise be in jeopardy, but there is no difference between this service and any other in that regard. You'll have to check "critical fasteners," some of which are in locations under the tank inaccessible to a torque wrench (on my '07, anyway), so I just used an open-end wrench to check for tightness like 99% of the dealers probably do. The rest of it includes fluid changes and other lubes and checks--all outlined in the maintenance section of the service manual.

Keep receipts for everything (oil, filter, etc.) and maintain a log. I log everything I do to the bike in a computer database--date, mileage, description, cost, etc.--which is a good thing to show a prospective buyer when you eventually sell it.

BTW, it is not mandatory that the dealer do any service, 1000-mile or otherwise, and if they say it is required they must provide it free by law (Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975).

 

had mine done today (Tues 6-16-2009) in Austin:

Amsoil 20W50
Amsoil 75W-90 Gear Lube
Gasket Service Kit
& an entire page of check lists........$315.89

Some day I will know enough about my bike to do all of this myself. Today, however, I would never have known everything to do, change and/or check. So, I feel good about the service my scoot got today and I'll sleep good tonight and feel confident on the road. The service manual was $60 and I just couldn't afford that right now. Next month it will be in my home library. Also I have a very valuable resource here in town. The head Harley tech for Austin PD (HD certified) and I share a mutual friend. He does private work in the evenings and on weekends for a few friends and associates. I will be introduced to him soon. As my college senior is always saying, "Livin the dream!!"