Bradlo Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Hi Folks... As a fairly newbie sort of returned rider, with little or no mechanical skill, I was wondering about potential service costs on my 1994 Virago 535... I plan to take a short trip to France in June with a mate, and although my bike seems to run pretty well, I thought maybe I should get it serviced before I go....having said that, it had a service (oil/plugs /filter etc) just before I bought it 18 months ago, and I have only done about 500 miles on it since!!!! Any ideas of the sort of costs I could expect, also what sort of work should be carried out??? Apologies for my ignorance!!! Cheers. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noise Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Are you taking it to a garage to get it done or are you doing it your self? its not that much of a hard job and can be don ewith billy basic tools and a stand made out of the finest red neck material you can get your hands on. If you take it to a Garage id say your be looking at close on £100 with parts, labour and the Del boy back hander. but if you do it your self youd be looking at half of that and a damn good excuse to get away from the wife for half the day. You will be looking at needing: Spark Plugs = £10-£20 Oil = £40 (depending where you go?) Oil Filter = £10 Air filter = £10-£20?? Or you can go down the route i did which looks like this: Crank, Con rods and Big ends = £650 Gaskets = £177 Oil Pump = £35 Oil = £45 Oil Filter = £15 Gasket selant = £15 for three tubes And 5 months of rebuilding the pissing engine from start to finish. The hardest part of doing a service your self is catching every drop of warm / hot Oil into the catch can as soon as the bolt is removed, and remembering not to kick it when your doing the spark plugs or drop your brand new air filter in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beef Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 servicing is easy. heres how I do it make a brew. head to garage. turn on radio. turn radio up to loud enough to enjoy but not piss neighbours off level. number 21 on mine. drain oil= run engine for tens mins to warm it up. make another brew and drink while you let bike cool for ten mins so it don't burn you. place catch tub under oil drain plug. remove oil drain plug, remove oil filter. remove oil filler cap, helps oil drain properly.... remove spark plugs, install new plugs remove air filter. fit new air filter, remove fuel filter fit new fuel filter apply a smear of oil to oil filter. fit oil filter, fit drain plug, fill with oil run bike up to temp have another brew, maybe a biscuit or even some cake. while allowing bike to cool check oil level top up if necessary. run bike up to temp. take a piss if needed check oil level top up if needed if not put cap on and leave alone drain shaft drive oil. check the oil as it drains for metal particals or other foreign bodies refill the shaft drive system. check cables. then either replace or at very least lube them. then check and lube all other points that need it. spoked wheels fitted, then check spokes for tension or damage. replace or tighten if needed check tyres for wear and damage, check side wall for cracking check tyre pressure, adjust as needed. check all bulbs, replace if needed check and grease all point that need it, brake pedal pivot. brake rod arm. ect ect. check all nuts / bolts for correct torque/ tightness. tighten as needed check any 'R' pins or split pins. if badly rotten then replace, better now than when they brake when your riding and nut works free and makes you crash... cherk fork seals, and replace if needed. check fuse and fuse holders. clean them and replace fuses. as your doing this clean any thing that needs to be cleaned when crawling around and under the bike, or with parts removed that normally would not be. optional. remove old brake pads/shoes. fit new pads/shoes drain brake cables. refill with new fluid bleed brakes stand back admire your handy work and have another brew, gear up go for a ride, about ten mile round trip to check all is ok. allow bike to cool and check fluid levels again this is how I service mine once every year. takes about 6 hours or so, but I go in garage have all that I need there, turn radio on and get to it. great way to spend a day, and some of the things I have mentioned you may have noticed before you get to the service, like fork seals or bad bulbs. so if your looking to do it in eight weeks time then start looking at the bike as your riding it and note any thing you want to look at, or order parts you need so that you have everything ready to go. I set aside the day for it, so I don't feel pressured to do as much as I can before the time runs out, or have to cut it short and not do all I want. and I can then take it steady and not rush and allow any penetrating oil time to work and time for things to settle ect ect . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike1949 Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Blimey Beef That was exhausting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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