service cost

hey guys,
I just left my bike for 2nd service and they charge me 400 bucks.
There was no major complaints. They only have to change the oil, which would cost max 210-250..What's remaining 150 for? I thought it was free service..

SO if the color of the oil not darken after 350-400km means it's bad oil??...The oil name is MOBIL SUPER 4T 20w 40...I know MOBIL 1 Is for cars and imported from Abroad and expensive oil..I am not sure about this MOBIL super 4T ,As here in my town many of the GS owners using it ,recommended by LOCAL SC and they satisfied with it comparing to OUR SVC CASTROL OIL...
Earlier Me and some other guys in the forum(Madhu,ADI....)Many used GULF PRIDE 4T PLUS 20w 40 JASMO2 API ....And it was not darken the color even its complete 1500km..Its RED wine color ...Even while changing oil the SC Mech noted still Viscosity left after feeling it in Hand ....AS per the thread if U see Lot of guys Used GULF pride 4T and MOTUL 4T plus ...and conveyed both Had satisfactory result ...
Yes Vishnu ...When i got my bike returned the sound coming from my bike as per Main SC is TAPPET NOISE and told it was ADJUSTED TO 0.5MM...
AND the SC mech also done a 200ml Test and got 13.4km..But i am sitting on pillion The SC guy rode the bike in speed between 30-45 in 6th gear itself under some traffic ...But the way he drives makes me ...Bcos of risking me with lot of cuts thru the traffic ...Anyway i am safe ...

The main SC not agree that ,the fuel sensor(inside the tank) is able clean to avoid false reading in Fuel gauge And also told 2ml 2T oil per ltr of petrol is not recommended .....
Finally when i arrive my place i found i forgot to replace a Bolt Called "DRUM BOLT" which is causing some kind of noise while the bike hit path holes like "Tink ..Tink")...went to local SC today and he told that bolt out of stock...But u can replace similar bolt other than SUZUKI OEM ....Is it true for this DRUM BOLT..?????????

I am aware as some may not agree, but am telling what I know that's it if am wrong please point out so as you are giving me an oppourtunity to learn.

Each brand oil has its own characteristics and that will varry from vehicle to vehicle.
And I know few branded oils are manufactured in the same place andheri, mumbai. But the formula is diffrent according to the company specific its not packed in diffrent containers its made at diffrent manufacturing units which is under the same firm name and place.

Reason for colour
1. Some oils are made to with stand high temperature so the colour of oil remains same.

2. My bike is running on gulf oil and its colour turns black with in 500 kms, but the same gulf won't turn black for abdhul or vishnu in 500 kms its because am living in a much polluted area and those two spends much time with non polluted or very very less polluted green fields.

How pollution infects the oil ?
Air filter filters air but it won't filter the air 100 % those dust may get settled down in oil only
And in city like bangalore stress on engine is much higher than oin village and other places

Just assume the stress goes to engine in bangalore hectic traffic jam.

All the above said factors reflects in oil colour.

All those HH, honda, suzuki and other jap bikes goes with JASO ma2 standerd oil well.

And abdhul our PSR suggested the 2 or 5 ml oil sollution for false reserve I believe not the false petrol level indication.

Bro, I'm more concerned about engine wear than battery drain.

Usually my bike starts on the second kick. I believe ES puts stress on engine. When we kick the piston may move up and down 5-6 times but the ES will move the piston till it starts often more than the kicker. But we never know how many times it went up and down.

I believe treating my bike as another living body. Therefore, in morning, while keeping the switch OFF, I kick it 4-6 times, alternating the clutch on and off. This ensures that oil that has saggregated below the engine from all night's rest and cold is now pumped up in the engine. You can see it by checking the oil window too. After this, I switch the bike ON and it starts in hardly one two kicks. Depending on weather, I may have to use choke for few seconds, not more than 30 seconds. Between starting the bike and running the bike, there is atleast a 30 second - minute gap. It is never that I thumb start the bike and start running. I would definitely not like if someone wakes me up after deep sleep with a shock and make me run miles! Why would the bike be treated this way?

It is true that now for saving battery for HIDs, I am using kick full time, but even previously I used to follow the same sequence. Whether it works scientifically or not, I do not know, but it works for me

LOL, no one can quote a better example than that. And also kick starting bike is more manly

13 th service update

Hello all,
Good to see the thread cross 1000 pages. I just finished my 13th service on by bike @19000 Kms on the odo. I got fed up with the SC in chennai as they do only water wash during the paid service. So I planned to take it to my home town and give it to a a well known service centre.

To say about the service centre, Its called "Bike Zone" on Katpadi road [near the old susee motors showroom]. They do service for all brands. One of my dad's colleague knows the owner very well. I explained all that wanted to, to the owner and he patiently noted it down. He seems to know about this bike as he has done quite a lot of service on a GS 150. He gets all the spares from the suzuki service centre near by as he knows them well. So spares are not an issue at all. I bought a new spark plug CR7HIX and asked him to replace it. He said iridium plugs gives no performance or milleage improvement; only that it will last long. But on the way back I felt that there was a little improvement in the firing during high revs.

After the service, the bike was smoother than before. Gears were even more smooth . The chains were lubricated properly and the brakes were adjusted. I am just happy with the service being provided there.

Another reason why i did not go for the service centre is that all the paid service starting from 9th is a post warranty service. I asked the SC guy there as my bike has not completed 2 years. He said only the engine has 2 years warranty. Even if I had some problem with the engine they would check if I had servced on regular intervals and met the terms and conditions. I had skipped one service and the SC guy doubted the validity of warranty . So I thought why damage the bike further by giving to Service centre rather a known mechanic can do it for me in a better fashion. My bike will be completing 2 years this May; So why bother about warranty.

I am happy now with my bike and thats all I want. Comments are welcome.

Avenger 220, Pulsar 220, Pulsar 180, Ninja 250, Hunk, Karizma, CBZ Extreme SS, Honda Stunner CBF, Apache RTR 180, R 15, Fazer, FZ 1 and many more are not provided with lever to kick. I wonder how these bikes withstand the huge tear and wear happening to its engine at the time of starting without kicking! Or are the manufacturers purposely cheating the costumers without providing this facility?
Can you please clear my doubt? I am asking this because I have removed this lever from my bike on the first day of purchase itself. It has covered 13750 kms. Is it necessary to refit it and start kicking?

Don't know whether above post has /s or not, but I will answer in good faith

I remember reading that why Splendour/Passion have great mileage? That is because the engine is horizontal, thus always in contact with oil. Our bikes have verticle engines, so oil drains down after long duration. That is why it was recommended for verticle engine bikes, to kick first to circulate the oil in engine, and then start. This helps in reduction of friction and efficient running.

This made sense to me, and hence the way!

Now gs150 6 months waiting at trivandrum , Karamana. Kerala

How long is this 'long duration of rest'?
Are all the bikes engines I have mentioned horizontal? If not, why are the bikes with vertical engines not provided with this facility?
If the horizontal/vertical engine is the only or major factor influencing mileage, how does TVS Jive give better mileage than the bikes you mentioned?
And if it gives good mileage, why are the other manufacturers not adopting that style or technology in their bikes? Is it patented by HH?
I am a Doubting Thomas. So these queries. Please clarify.

To the best of my knowledge, what ever you said was not true because:
1. Suzuki is going to release a new or limited or next edition of GS sooner, to do so they need to sell out the existing stocks

Even for the access the max wait period is 90 days.

2. Dealer may try to create false demand tell him another dealer is ready to deliver your desired colour bike with in 2 days and see how he reacts

@ vishnu brother, am not an expert but still a learner the advantage I got is one of my friend is a expert mechanic and another one is a oil distributor in andhrapradesh.

The Vertical mounted engine have better better weight distribution and Horizontal have low Centre of Mass. Horizontal engine is adopted only by lower CC bikes, I assume its due to weight factor and difficulty to mount in Chassis. Its almost like comparing Inliners vs V-Twin, mileage part is still debatable. Each one have their own pros and cons.

Like animeher said I have also read that since most people dont idle engine on starting, Hero Honda came up with this ingenious technique to increase the engine life by mounting engine Horizontal. Similarly knowing people wont lube and clean drive chain they came up with chain cover. Simple yet effective.

The engine wear happens so slow that it only appears in a long run. The petroleum based oils drain completely from engine components within few hours. Synthetics remain adhered to engine parts for longer duration due to their lower pouring point and ability to form thin layer. But since the engine is small and lesser moving parts, the oil spreads easily in no time. Even though initial wearing is still there.

Now there is pratically no advantage by removing kicker in the above mentioned bikes. It can only be seen as a trend setting from manufactures. Bajaj knows how to convince people that their bikes are always updated and stylish....

1. Piston rings are made up of high wear resistant material, they are even coated to increase it's wear resistance.
2. Of the piston ring and cylinder material, the one which wears is cylinder material.
3. The small amout of wear will have negligible affect on performance of the engine, as the piston ring material is also 'springy' in nature and it's expansion will take care of progressive wear of the cylinder material.
4. The cylinder material wear also happens slowly as it is case hardened and is slightly softer than piston ting material.

Now coming to morning start, whether you make gentle kick or button start, the engine oil spalshes at the first instant and will lubricate the mating parts. So you can forget about more wear due to absence of kick lever.
You may attach kick lever, it can help when your battery fails !