What a Log Book Service Actually Covers
People are rarely annoyed by the price of a service. They are annoyed when the invoice contains things they did not expect. Both are avoidable by explaining the difference clearly, which is what this is.
Start with the belief that is not true
We hear this most weeks: "I have to go back to the capital city dealer or I lose my warranty."
You do not. Under Australian law a manufacturer cannot require you to service a vehicle at their own dealerships in order to maintain a warranty. What they can require is that the servicing specified in the schedule is carried out properly, by someone qualified, using suitable parts and fluids, and that it is recorded.
That is the whole test. Our technicians are factory trained and our stamps are accepted. A customer in Kununurra does not have to freight a bike to Perth and back every service interval, which would cost more than the service itself and take a fortnight.
What is in the price
A log book service is a defined list of tasks set by the manufacturer for that model at that interval. It is not "whatever the bike needs". The quoted price generally covers labour for the scheduled items plus the routine consumables.
| Included | Detail |
|---|---|
| Engine oil and filter | Drained, replaced with the specified grade, filter renewed |
| Scheduled inspections | Brakes, tyres, steering, suspension, wheels, controls, lighting |
| Fluid levels | Coolant, brake and clutch fluid checked and topped as needed |
| Chain adjustment | Tension set and lubricated as part of the service |
| Fasteners | Critical fasteners checked to torque |
| Diagnostic scan | Where the model supports it, fault codes read and cleared |
| Road test | Before and after, because some faults only appear under load |
| Stamp and record | Log book stamped, work recorded against the VIN |
What is charged separately
The scheduled service is a check and replace list. Anything that turns out to be worn, damaged or due for replacement is additional, because the manufacturer schedule assumes inspection rather than automatic renewal.
- Brake pads and discs — inspected as part of the service, replaced only if worn
- Tyres — same
- Chain and sprockets — adjusted within the service, replaced separately when finished
- Air filter — inspected each service, replaced on condition. Up here, that is usually more often than the schedule expects
- Spark plugs, coolant, brake fluid — on their own longer intervals
- Valve clearances — a major interval item, quoted separately because it is a substantial job
- Anything found broken — quoted before we touch it
Why our intervals are shorter than the book
Manufacturer schedules are written for sealed roads and moderate temperatures. Neither applies here, and it is not a small difference.
| Item | Book | Our recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Oil and filter | 6,000 km | 4,000 km, or 3,000 km on gravel |
| Air filter | 12,000 km | Expect annual replacement; inspect every service |
| Brake fluid | 2 years | Annually, before the wet |
| Full safety inspection | Annually | Twice yearly, including a pre-wet check |
To be completely clear about the interaction with warranty: servicing more often than the manufacturer specifies never harms a warranty. Servicing less often can. Where our guidance and the manufacturer schedule ever conflict, we follow the manufacturer schedule unless you instruct us otherwise.
Getting the most out of the booking
- Tell us what it is doing. Noises, when they happen, and what changed. "Rattles above four thousand revs when hot" is worth more than an hour of diagnosis.
- Bring the log book. If you have lost it, tell us when booking and we will work from the VIN records.
- Say if you need it back by a date. Parts come from Perth. We can pre-order likely items if we know in advance.
- Ask for the old parts if you want to see them. Tell us at booking, because otherwise they are disposed of.
- Book before the rush. Everybody in Broome books in the same fortnight when the roads reopen in April.
Keep the record
A stamped log book is worth real money at resale, and in a small market like this one it is often the difference between a quick sale and a slow one. We keep our own records against the VIN as well, so if the book is lost we can usually reconstruct the history.
Book the workshop on (08) 9192 4471, or see what the workshop covers.