Cost of 6000 mile service for my F650GS

[pjsbrown]

Taking my '05 F650GS in for it's 6000 mile service and was wondering what kind of pricing others have seen. I'm looking at $252 for labor and then about $50 in parts.

Also was told I needed to do a brake flush in the first year (coming up on April 4th) to maintain my warranty.

Any input is appreciated!

[dsaam]

Taking my '05 F650GS in for it's 6000 mile service and was wondering what kind of pricing others have seen. I'm looking at $252 for labor and then about $50 in parts.

Also was told I needed to do a brake flush in the first year (coming up on April 4th) to maintain my warranty.

Any input is appreciated!

The labor estimate sounds about right, I think it should be about four hours labor for the 6k service at whatever rate. Changing the brake fluid is in the annual service, which should be done, well, annually. I don't think it will void your warranty, but it's a good idea. Brake fluid absorbs water over time, which lowers the boiling point of the fluid. When pressure is applied it can cause the watered down fluid to boil, and in short the brakes fail. And the failure can be anywhere from the brakes feel soft and squishy to you have no braking action whatsoever. So, if you decide not to renew the brake fluid I merely suggest that you allow an exceptionally adequate following distance on the road. Also, if you get cruddy brake fluid, it can gum up the master cylinder, and in a couple years you'll need to either rebuild or buy a new master cylinder, far more expensive than paying for routine maintenance. And you'll know your brakes work.

Just my thoughts!

[BONEY]

Labor sounds right. I just went in there myself and there's a lot of labor involved.

On the brake fluid- I just changed mine out after 1 year. I had been up in the hills and ridden through a few creeks within the year. The fluid in the rear caliper was BLACK. I'd say that's a good argument to do it more often if you go off road.

[Boxerkuh]

I never owned a F bike, but do know that the annual services and the schedule, suggested maintenance can be a bit high. One of the reason's BMW's last so long is that they have a more frequent scheduled services. As a result it is suppose to catch some problems before you get stranded or have a small problem become a large one. (In theory anyway).
One thing to remember is how much you ride, how often you ride and what type of riding you do. BMW's in general don't like to sit (as with most vehicles) as seals can dry out, batteries discharge, etc. I am a pretty good keeping up with mine services and have noticed that if I don't the bike tends to let me know... So, yes do the service and the annual service. Your bike will like it and it will give you peace of mind... Food for thought... :eat :drink

[Sadlsor]

For the F bikes anyway, that is a lot of money for a relatively simple job. It's a one-man operation with the right tools (essentially a Mity-Vac or similar apparatus which you can manufacture easily).
Restricting this commentary to bleeding brakes, ABS or not: less than $3.00 for the brake fluid, give yourself 90 minutes if you're really apprehensive and / or anal... this is NOT rocket science, nor brain surgery.
Learning simple maintenance chores will pay off immeasurably in self-confidence, dollars saved, and the independence of not relying on the dealer (no matter how nice, how friendly, how helpful) for every little job. If you have never visited f650.com, then you are missing a valuable resource for 650 owners.
Now losing my self-imposed restrictions (see above)... even checking valve clearance is not beyond the capabilities of mere mortals. Nor genuine klutzes as myself.
Go for it.

[Voni]

You can do some (or all) of the service yourself. We've found lots of willing help at local club doings where mechanical types (not me) share how to at an annual event such as the Fix Ur Bike day we host the first Saturday in April. If you're close to Lawrence, Kansas USA drop me a line and I'll get you more information about this year's event.

Voni
sMiling

[sgborgstrom]

I just completed a valve adjustment on my F650. Actually doing the shim change is fairly straight forward, getting all the parts off (and then putting it all back together) to get to the shims is what takes the time.

I'd say 4-5 hours of labor is about right for someone who has done it before.

Steve

[Voni]

It has been over one year since I sent Paul Glaves a set of DVDs to review for the BMWMOA Owners News. It is a Good Thing that I ain't holding my breath waiting for him to share his impressions.

Paul didn't write ANY columns for almost a year while catching up on other stuff he'd promised to do. He's back at it now. Maybe he'll get that done. I'll ask him.

Voni
sMiling

[Voni]

You're welcome.

It's weird. I get demanding phone calls for Paul from people who think he's a highly paid MOA mucky muck who owes them immediate service - when in actuality all of his time is volunteered. He just likes helping people. And with 38,000 members he gets lots of 'requests.'

I get to be the nag-o-gram.:dance

But nobody does it better.

Voni
sMiling