So I called the dealership today asking about the 600 mile service on my 14r, when transfered I asked how much an what the process would envolve. The parts man said it would be 95 for the oil change *full synthetic* along with another 50 dollars to check the chain and cable *throttle cable I'm guessing* and that was it..

Should there be anything else you think they would check? Or am I just dealing with another retarded dealership?

(((Ring-Ging Rich!)))

Dealer Pee Rinse Apple: Steel her ship, I am the pee rinse sap pulling the phone cord up to my ear here...
Cuss two me are: Yes, I'm in need of an oil change is and check things out too.

Dealer Pee Rinse Apple: Sure, we can hang on... Let me connect you to the back.
Cuss two me are: No, they just rip did me off saying pay this for that and say look, you'll pay for disshitoo!

Dealer Pee Rinse Apple: Say, thanks for giving me the heads up on the suggestion box is what does my ear look like?
Cuss two me are: Figured I'd drop my bike in for the first service. See if your clowns in the back screwed up...

Dealer Pee Rinse Apple: Say wait a minute here, are you saying your service records fall into the check me 600 points
Cuss two me are: Of service? Yes, that is what I was getting at. You have a basic first service and check as per are

Dealer Pee Rinse Apple: We a dealer franchise and you are talking to the owner pee rinse supple is my contract up?
Cuss two me are: I know the factory can't call the ball on your price is that I know. But if you are going to yank my wallet out of my ass, charge me extra for things you'll forget not reading the owner's man you will pay in the end

Dealer Pee Rinse Apple: Of story. I hear you Mr. Customer. Maybe we can swing something here.
Cuss two me are: First, my name is CUSS too smear my name like that, how dare you take a bike to the dealer and now clear that ass of a pee rinse some owner the riot act about owning a jet on wheels and now either I get some professional service at the going price or we rip you one oil filter from the back, set the cans of oil in the bag too. Drop a new drain plug don't let me remind you about keeping that washer for the tool box so things are faster in the back did you say?

Dealer Pee Rinse Apple: I said if the factory dies not line up their dealer principals all in a duck is fire the fucks!
Cuss two me are: Hey, I just want to get my oil changed and a 600 service is how is it I'm taking a loan out for an oil change and it cost more than a month's you till eye teas are watching?

Manual tells you everything - check
Dealerships overprice things and try and sell you random shit - check
Mechanics in the back are normally idiots.. - check
Never take bike to dealer? - kinda check?

My hubbish is kinda slacking.. I miss anything?

The dealer also cannot void a warrenty because you choose to service the bike yourself. It also helps to know people who know more about bikes than you do or at least it has for me.

Speed, as mentioned above, the 600 mile service is well addressed in the owners manual. Kawasaki emphasizes the importance of the 600 mile initial service in order to get the bike checked out and to also hopefully help the owner develop a relationship with the franchised dealership.

Starting on page 107 of the owners manual (2012 model assumed) is a descriptive timeline of required maintenance items. Nearly all of the initial service is for checking to ensure that nothing is falling off of the bike. It's truly something that anyone can do and is truthfully something that is pencil whipped at the dealership.

Save your money and do the checks yourself and change the oil. You'll receive much better service from yourself and you know the work is performed by someone who gives a darned about your bike.

For my 600 mile service I will use:

Kawasaki 10W-40 oil - K61021-207A @ $9.95/qt. Need 5 quarts
oil filter - 16097-0004 @ $8.32 from Ron Ayers
drain plug gasket - 92065-097 @ $0.29 from Ron Ayers

Torque spec for the drain plug is in the manual (22 lb/ft from page 121) and I can probably guarantee the shop isn't using a torque wrench on it when they're installing the plug.

Everything else is merely checking the bike out. If you do it yourself then you'll be into the initial service for approximately $65 and a couple of hours TOPS. I personally take things apart just to wipe the dust away and to ensure things are assembled to my liking.

Save your receipts, keep a data log of work performed and part numbers of items installed, and save your money by doing your own wrenching. For me it's 80% of the ownership pleasure.

Do the check yourself and save some money. Put some more miles on it before going to full synthetic also.

Oil changed! Everything checked!

Thanks for the info/help guys! It's kinda scary doing things to a new bike, being extra careful. I've worked on plenty of cars in a performance shop but bikes are new to me. Looking forward to it tho!

Get yourself the service manual if you haven't already

There's a EXCELLENT resource right here on this forum with the 2012 Service Manual in pdf form. The prep and assembly manual is also available. I don't have the thread off the top of my head but search for 'manuals' and it should show up.

I am a certified tech and I can say that, in my opinion, 90% of the tech in the shops are idiots. I learned how to work on bikes because I couldn't trust the work done my others. Do it yourself, it ain't that hard if you just use the manual and take your time.

Mad

I have had horrible luck with dealerships in the Fresno, Ca area. When I bought my new (2011) Zed-14, they had installed the battery backwards! When I bought my Bandit 1250S back in '08 (different stealership), they didn't install the rubber blocks used for adjusting seat height - under the seat, and instead told me they were probably just "shipping blocks" - it is hard to find a good mechanic these days...