VFR Maintenance

Recently, I took my Yellow 2k VFR with 21500 miles on to the shop for some maintenance. I had them check the clutch (it just was not feeling right), Check the cooling system, I could smell the anti-freeze but never saw any leaks and the bike was going over 200 degrees while riding on the highway and also to check the chain tension (clean and lube, because it is still cold and I am lazy). Well I needed a new clutch, they repaired a leak in the antifreeze resovior, the chain needed to be adjusted and was also lubed. Since the clutch was done they also had to change the oil. They had to order the clutch and Honda sent a bad clutch and I ended up waiting a week for the part. The shop did a really good job and the total cost was $538.00. What do you guys think - I am in NYC and the work was done at a shop in Manhattan. I have just recenly moved and I need to get things setup so I can do some of the work on the bike myself. At the next 3k oil change I am going to take the bike to Honda to have all the maintenance done ie valves checked. Tell me what you think and if you have gotten good work done on your bike cheaper than me.

 

Emon:

It's hard to determine if prices are fair or not depending upon where you live.

I live in Delaware and the mechanic I go to charges 50 bucks an hour straight time. He does not go by that dumb ass Chiltons manual. So if a job takes two hours, then its 100 bucks no matter what.

So based upon your repairs, I would estimate 250-300 bucks if I took it to John for the above work.

I think the price you paid sounds fair for Manhatten, and you said the most important thing..."They did a really good job".

However, you probably could have shaved some money off, maybe around 75-100 bucks if you changed the oil and cleaned, lubed, and adjusted the chain yourself.

That's the little stuff that can add up and cost you.

I don't think you got ripped off, It sounds like a "fair" price.

Just my two cents!

BZ

 

i agree, i beleive you got a fair price. certainly not a rip off.

 

That sounds reasonable-well, not reasonable but average cost. I concur that labor is generally $50+/hr. OEM Honda parts are not cheap. I recently did the 16K (at 17,500 miles) mile valve adjust/throttle body synch on my bike and it cost me $350+ and that was with no actual valve adjustment. The mechanic said that VFR valves are hardly ever off and if I have this done again at 40K, they will probably still be perfect! These proces are NE Washington state. You can get an estimated parts price on www.bikebandit.com but you probably got an itemized bill. It doesn't sound like your clutch lasted very long. Anyone else replacing clutches on 5th Gen VFR's at around 20,000 miles?

 

Not me. Bought my '00 model with 27,000km on the clock, it's now at 77,000km with the same clutch.

 

Good to hear, perhaps emon07 has a drag racing addiction! I have done a few small wheelies on accident but never intentional burn-outs. Tires/chains and sprockets are already short lived and I would rather not pony up to the bar for a $600 clutch swap!:wink: