If all you want is an oil change, then no it is not worth $300.
If you want somebody to check your bike over once a year then yes I think it’s worth it.
Hopefully they do/check everything they are supposed to.

 

you should try to do-it-yourself, if you get stuck on anything youtube has a lot of video's and if anything it will give you a reason to buy more tools wife won't like it but who cares you will have more tools

 

I think that bolded part is the best statement I've read concerning amateur mechanics. Save the amateur hour for the Tee Vee.

 

Learn how to do it yourself.no big deal to change fluids .many how to videos out there

 

It's kind of like filling out your own tax forms. About 7 years back I sold a house and for the first time I thought that I better have a "professional" do my taxes. What a waste of money. That's the same way I feel about 99% of the mechanics I've run across over the years. If I could get a "professional" mechanic then I wouldn't mind paying so much, but when I see these goof ***** that are learning on the job, or tax professionals just filling in the form on the computer, without any real knowledge of the tax laws, while charging an arm and a leg. I just down load the tax forms for free and buy the service manuals and / or read about how to do a particular service of this form and other forums and just do the work myself.

 

I'm hoping that I hit my 5000 mile mark, right around November, and I'm planning on having the dealer do the service. Yeah it's going to cost me $300 to change all of the fluids, but the dealer here will pick up the bike from my house, and bring it back all cleaned up. (they do this in the winter here)

The biggest reason I'm going to use the dealer is because my bike is still under warranty. It's worth it to me to have a professional look everything over and make sure 1) it's safe for me to ride and 2) nothing is broken or wearing abnormally.

I would much rather the dealer find something wrong with it while it's under warranty; then for me to do my own basic maintenance and not see something that could have been fixed for free.

To me that makes it worth the $300.

 

If you are not mechanically inclined, Have a good Dealer and only put 5K a year, I would let the Dealer do it. A Trained Mechanic not only has the knowledge, he has the feel for what he's doing. I read post on here all the time about stripped bolt's and whatever. Lot's of Poster's shouldn't be doing their own work IMO. It's not as simple as just picking up a wrench and turning a bolt. Example, Clunker said the oil drain plug had white Threadlocker on it. That's not Threadlocker,that's pipe dope to lubricate the threads! Let the Dealer service it. JMO

 

I do my own maintenance. Actually all of my work. Its very easy with the service manual. What you save you can buy every tool you need plus you will have a chunk of change in your pocket. You also have the piece of mind knowing it was actually done. If you take it to the dealer make sure you watch them check over the bike. Shop rate is about quick turnover. It takes quite a bit of time to check the torque on all critical fasteners plus I check all other fasteners such as exhaust brackets motor mounts, shifter fasteners, etc... Often you get an oil change and that is it; sometimes that is not even done well because the regular services are often not assigned to the most experienced tech.

To the earlier post, fuel filter is not until 20K and it is extremely easy to do on an '08 up with the 6 gallon tank. Fork oil changes are easy to do also, do chrome lowers when you do the first change.

 

This is my lament too, but like you riding a stock bike is just not possible for me. OTOH I've had my '07 for >4½ years and it's now mostly where I want it. Of course I said that two years ago, then one year ago, and the beat goes on.

To those who have dealers do routine service, I have big problems with doing that for several reasons:

1. Needless expense when the only reason I might not want to do it is laziness.
2. Will they actually do the work?
3. If they do the work will they do it right? E.g., will they tighten the drain plug anywhere near the prescribed torque?
4. DIY provides a good bonding experience with the bike. It will love you for it, and vice versa. Your relationship will grow.

With me oil changes have always been sacred for paranoid reasons. I think about a family of roaches building a nest in the oil funnel at the dealer and the tech is too busy or lazy to inspect or clean it out before doing the work. Okay, the oil filter will catch it, but I don't like roaches in my filter either. I put my funnels in Ziplock bags or seal them tightly in garbage bags to keep out foreign matter...and roaches. Will the oil he installs be correct? You get my paranoid drift, but if I do it I'll do it right, or at least it will be my way, and that peace of mind is important. If I had someone else do the work I would end up spending as much time double-checking everything as doing the work in the first place.

 

Sure, if ya want to spend too much money.