I thought it was every 3500, but I'm probably wrong.  I generally do stuff like that whenever I think of it.  Oil I change regularly, though.

I adjusted my valves, rode it a week, then checked them again.  One needed a little more love at that point, but was still within spec.

Louder ticks could be one indication, but usually 3500 miles.

07S40rider wrote on 07/29/08 at 06:17:51:


I know you're commited to going with the shop, but you did ask when/why. I've checked mine twice now. Once at 600 miles, and again at 2500. Both times it was a check, no adjustment was neccesary. That is determined by the "go - no go" on the feeler guage part of vroom 1776's excellent tutorial on the valve check and adjustment. The hardest part was getting the timing inspection plug off. Get the recommended tools and it's a snap. The only problems I ran into were when I found myself thinking "I don't have to get that tool. I can make do with what I've got." BIG MISTAKE. If it says you need offset wrenches (and it does) GET THEM! The only problem, in your situation, will be time. It took me 4 hours the first time. I cut that to 2 hours the second time around, but was doing other maintenence work along with the valve check.
Follow the directions, and you shouldn't have any problems. Other than getting your chest, swelled with pride, in through the door to your house, where you will anounce to your wife/SO, "Ugh, me man! Me do mechanic work! Me no scew up! Me big time important now!" To which your wife or SO may reply, "Oh goody, think big time important man can handle taking out the trash?" . To which I replied "^!@# NO! Me too important! Me big time. You no boss of me!" Actually I think what I said was "Yes dear."

Mine never got that 600 mile thing.The head bolts never were retorqued. I was so involved when it was time for the cam chain I forgot to do it, remembered after it was all buttoned up.Now, with 18,000 miles on it, I cant see any maintenance issues that I can point to & say it was because I didnt do the 600 mile service. I just check valves & change oil & run it. It stays in my garage so I never wonder if I can ride it.

I had the stealership do my 600 mile service (it was $129) for a different reason: I wanted Suzuki to honor the warranty if I ran into any issues.  I've had issues in the past where an auto company didn't honor warranty work since the scheduled maintenance hadn't been followed.  I didn't figure on any issues with the bike but better to be safe than sorry.

My 12/12 warranty runs out in 26 days and I should be do for my next service just after that.

rpgpgmr wrote on 07/30/08 at 05:31:53:


There's a 7500 mile service?  Crap.  I guess maybe I should read that owner's manual I downloaded, one of these days.  My, how time flies.  Seems like it was only April 6th of this year that my bike had 3600 miles on it.  Now here we are, almost August 1 and there are 8845 showing on the odometer.  The bike is all grown up already.

I was hoping to wait until winter before checking the cam chain, but maybe I better not press my luck.

Figured they had a fish on the line and they could squeeze me.

They must be VERY good if they can squeeze a fish.
A little compressor, even a 2 gallon tank, will power an impact long enough to bust a bolt loose. Pawn shops have them & air tools, Harbor freight sells stuff that works, but wouldn't be anything that would last with too much use.My compressor came from there. Sometimes it makes noises that concern me Some tools need to be quality, especially those being used in places hard to reach. Dont want to put cheap tools on sorry nuts & bolts, especially in hard to reach places.I don't have an offset 10 MM wrench & I have very successfully adjusted the valves several times, but I am hunting an inexpensive, quality offest 10 MM.
Last time I did the valves I used the .003 blade. I had been using the .004. I checked the valves after 3,500 miles & no adjustment needed. I wonder if the closer setting decreases the Slap as the cam ramp closes the gap & is allowing the setting to stay. I dunno.

All I can do is encourage people to do their own valves for sure, & over time, cam chains & stuff, too. I dont trust any mechanics out there to actually care. They know that if you are bringing it to them for thise level service, you arent too likely to go behind them & check it, or you would have just done it. I cant imagine asking for $120.00 to adjust, on TOP of charging just to get there & check them. Crazy. This severely impacts the economy of riding a bike. , I paid about $60.00 to a small shop to check & adjust the valves the first tiome & they let me be there to watch, which gave me all the comfidence I needed.  $200.00 every 3,000 miles to check & adjust the valves, no way. Tires on bikes go away fast & cost a good bit & most just pay to have them mounted, another small sackload of cash.This is a pretty Owner friendly bike. There is fun to be had messing with it & $$$ to be saved, with just a small investment in tools & a MANual. & the " getting Squoze like a fish" is over when you do it yourself. It takes a while to get into the swing of things & paying for help as you get used to the idea & the tools to do it is the only way to stay on the road, but once folks start doing their own work,they will have more ride time, since it wont be sitting in line at the shop , waiting.& more $$ in the pockets, since they wont be paying for someone elses 6 packs, And, a Bigger Grin, because knowing you are the one keeping the thing running just plain FEELS good.

OHH yEa, Last time I did the rear tire, I spoent a few hours on the rim, while the tire was off, cleaned up the rust in the wheel & treated it with Ospho. A shop would have popped the tire off, slapped a new tube in & crammed the old tire back on & never even told me it needed cleaned up inside. All they want is to get PAID. But we, the owners, take the time to do the TLC stuff & while messing with it, we find little things that need done.
I've said all that to say this. Working on this little bike pays off more than once. MOney saved, more riding,self satisfaction, time working on it is time inspecting & paying attention to what needs done, soon.

-