09-28-2015, 03:15 AM
Tomas.. I know. It's a gamble. I wanted to have the valves checked multiple times on my ST 1300 (same valve arrangement) and the shop forman would ask me questions and then always advise that the valves didn't need adjustment. At 54,000 miles I couldn't take it anymore and told them to do a valve inspection on it. They were all in spec. The shop says they have inspected lots of valves on these modern motors and they very rarely need adjustment, and those that do usually exhibit cetain signs..hard starting, drop in gas mileage, uneven idle to name a few.
AT 8000 and 16000 I swung by the shop. Always same advice. Not exhibiting any of the signs, save your money.
My brothers Triumph with same valve arrangement has had his valves inspected every 8,000 miles. He now has close to 40,000 miles on his bike. Never a valve out of spec.
Several members of the forum are approaching 30,000 miles and have had regular valve inspections, and always in spec. I have heard of some members that did have valves out of spec. One claimed many of his valves were out of spec, in which case I have to wonder, did he get a lemon motor, or did the mechanic really know what he was doing? Were they really out of spec, or did the mechanic adjust them so that they were in the middle of spec and run up the service bill?
Yamaha on their high performance sport bikes with 15,000 rpm redlines and same valve arrangement, specs 26,000 miles for valve inspections and those rarely need adjustment either. Surely these low rpm low performance Honda motors are as good as those. Been around forums for a long time and have seen how reliable these motors can be. Of Course, No guarantees.
But, there is a reason Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Triumph ALL spec this kind of valve arrangement. Because it's the best, most reliable system for opening and closing valves.
Now, before I get a lot of what if's and let me tell you's, and I had a buddy's,.... I know the consequences of a tight valve. I know that spending a few hundred bucks now may save me thousands later. I know it's cheap insurance to have them inspected. I may do that a bit further down the line. We shall see. I would not recommend others skipping valve inspections.
Like I always tell my kids. CHOICES AND CONSEQUENCES
The choice I have made is to skip the valve inspection for now, and think about it further down the road. Consequences may make themselves apparent one day and I may regret these decisions.
AT 8000 and 16000 I swung by the shop. Always same advice. Not exhibiting any of the signs, save your money.
My brothers Triumph with same valve arrangement has had his valves inspected every 8,000 miles. He now has close to 40,000 miles on his bike. Never a valve out of spec.
Several members of the forum are approaching 30,000 miles and have had regular valve inspections, and always in spec. I have heard of some members that did have valves out of spec. One claimed many of his valves were out of spec, in which case I have to wonder, did he get a lemon motor, or did the mechanic really know what he was doing? Were they really out of spec, or did the mechanic adjust them so that they were in the middle of spec and run up the service bill?
Yamaha on their high performance sport bikes with 15,000 rpm redlines and same valve arrangement, specs 26,000 miles for valve inspections and those rarely need adjustment either. Surely these low rpm low performance Honda motors are as good as those. Been around forums for a long time and have seen how reliable these motors can be. Of Course, No guarantees.
But, there is a reason Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Triumph ALL spec this kind of valve arrangement. Because it's the best, most reliable system for opening and closing valves.
Now, before I get a lot of what if's and let me tell you's, and I had a buddy's,.... I know the consequences of a tight valve. I know that spending a few hundred bucks now may save me thousands later. I know it's cheap insurance to have them inspected. I may do that a bit further down the line. We shall see. I would not recommend others skipping valve inspections.
Like I always tell my kids. CHOICES AND CONSEQUENCES
The choice I have made is to skip the valve inspection for now, and think about it further down the road. Consequences may make themselves apparent one day and I may regret these decisions.