Annual Service Advice

[T12]

My '05 GS had it's annual service 11 months ago at (8130miles), at CW motorcycles before it was then put straight into a garage while I was overseas with work. I've just got back and the annual is due before Christmas. Do I need to have it serviced annually again given it's only done 40 odd miles since the last one or will a simple self oil change be enough? The brake fluid was changed during the last service 11 months ago in both the wheel and control circuit.
I'm guessing no warranties will be affected given it's now 4 years old?
Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.
Cheers,
T.

 

[mr badger]

No warranty issues = no service surely? Don't think the oil will 'go off' somehow.

How did you lay the bike up? I'd be more concerned about tyres/battery and fresh petrol myself.

 

[T12]

I was thinking the same ref oil but thought that metal shavings etc could have settled low down or am I way off?
Bike was garaged, covered, and on the centre stand with an Optimate put on it every once in a while. Started straight away when I went round there to pick it up yesterday.

 

[Wingit]

Because I service my bike 1000 miles early before a planned Europe trip my miles/annual service intervals are a bit out of sync. I was told just recently that I would need a 12 month service in December regardless of the fact that it won't have done another 6K by then. (Brake fluids etc. I guess). However, my bike has it's first birthday this December and if it wasn't for the warranty issues I wouldn't bother. I'm guessing you don't need to worry.

 

[Owen Snell]

Maintenance Schedules

Have a look at the schedules here:

www.r1200gs.info/R1200GS-Maintenance-Schedules.pdf

Print off the annual inspection (page 5 of the above document) and go through it, using your common sense about what needs doing. Tick the boxes and add any comments you think necessary (such as did not do ..... because the bike has only covered ..... miles since the last service), then you have a record to keep with the bike, constituting a service history. As long as you keep a proper record, if you sell the bike the buyer will be fully aware of the mileage change between services (i.e. not many) and what you have done / not done.

 

[GSmonkey]

Depends if you're buggering off overseas again. I went overseas for 3yrs and never had my bike serviced until I came back for good. No harm done. Only did about 1000miles on those three years.

 

[T12]

Cheers guys. CW said the same thing that I had to take it in but I couldn't really see why. The self effort seems like a good idea, I'm likely to be around next year so may tuck her up for the rest of the winter (still SORN etc), and do the service as suggested and keep a record myself.

 

[arrybash]

I also have a 20 year old kawasaki Zx10 (Z1000B) Tomcat which I have owned from new.

Its done 10,000 miles. Which is average 500 miles per year.

I only change the oil every 2 years and sometimes even less if I have only done a few hundred miles.

It still runs and looks like new so it has clearly not sufferred as I doubt a BVMW would either.

The biggest killer for an engine is lots of cold starts with short runs. Because the engine has not warmed up, the piston clearances are greater and the enriched fuel from the cold start gets past the rings and into the oil.

If the few miles you do, give the engine a good warm up like mine does, then the low miles will not be a problem to missing the odd oil change.

Chris

 

[Mark8303]

My 2p

I had my (Sept. '07) serviced at 6k in April this year, it's now done just over
9k. When the annual was due at the end of September I rang Bahnstormer to check the need for an annual as I have it under warranty. They told me that at the mileage rate I was doing I shoiuld just take it in at 12k and they would do any annuals at that time. He said the only reason the annual was there was to catche low mileage bikes to ensure regular essential checks, and to make sure the every other year brake fluid changes were observed. As mine is coddled, and never ever ridden in rain or adverse conditionins I didn't thnk it neccessary.

 

[Steptoe]

Only 40 miles and kept in the garage - i wouldn't even bother changing the engine oil.

I had an 800 mile K75 which had stood for 6 years.
Changed the engine oil and filter and brake fluid, sold it to a despatch rider who then did 150k miles on it over 3 and a bit years with an oil and filter change once a year (weather it needed it or not ).

 

[T12]

I spoke to Bahnstormer today and they said the same as CW in Dorchester that it 'must' be serviced annually regardless of the massive 35 miles I've covered over the past 12 months. I like the idea of self documenting the basic checks as suggested above but am I seeing myself off further down the line?
Cheers