I think I'm done with owning Triumphs

[Nick Calne]

Triumphs are more expensive to service than Jap bikes.  Look at the service price list at a multi-brand dealer like Fowlers in Bristol.

[zombie2]

Triumph's make mechanics out of ordinary bikers.
One other thing to consider is the time it takes to take the thing apart to actually start wrenching on it , now consider a fully faired bike and you can see where the money goes.
Once ya get your head around the triple it is an easy bike to work on.

[markbvt]

All my friends that own Jap cruisers with hydraulic valve adjusters have never, EVER paid more than $300 for a service.

For what it's worth, cruisers are pretty much the only bikes with hydraulic lifters because their V-Twins are so low-revving. All of the modern high-revving engines use shims for valve adjustment. So switching to a Japanese bike won't help valve adjustment costs, and may actually hinder them -- for example, removing the bodywork on a V-Strom in order to get to the cylinder heads is a time-consuming procedure in itself.

--mark

[Bixxer Bob]

I discovered recently that the Moto Guzzi MTX adventure (similar power / weight to the Tiger) has tappets!!!  They need adjusting more often than shims but with the cylinder heads sticking out in the breeze like that, its not exactly hard work and you only need a spanner and a screwdriver.  Yet still the owners complain....... :roll:

[NeilD]

the cylinder heads sticking out in the breeze like that, its not exactly hard work and you only need a spanner and a screwdriver.  :

that was also handy when they discovered the early batch of 8 Valve engines had been supplied with faulty cams/followers..  :lol:

.

[Bixxer Bob]

It's hardly a Guzzi only fault tho' eh?  Without thinking too hard BMW (twice), Kawasaki, Honda  etc etc...

[NeilD]

..and the 2nd time for Guzzi after they had the same when they tried Hydraulic lifters..  :roll:  :D  However, when I was out in the shed the other day messing around with the Tigers alternator bolt and clutch, I was wishing I still had my Motot Guzzi..!  :lol:

[walker]

For what it's worth, cruisers are pretty much the only bikes with hydraulic lifters because their V-Twins are so low-revving. All of the modern high-revving engines use shims for valve adjustment. So switching to a Japanese bike won't help valve adjustment costs, and may actually hinder them -- for example, removing the bodywork on a V-Strom in order to get to the cylinder heads is a time-consuming procedure in itself.

--mark

The honda CB750 nighthawk had hydraulic adjusted valves, and it was not a pushrod engine. You're right though - even with an overhead cam configuration and hydraulic, the red line is a little lower than these bikes.

I'd probably even be ok with a little less top end RPM for something with less maintenance required.

But, since I am not in that situation - I get to learn what the motor looks like on a more regular interval. On the plus side - removing the tank, inspecting everything in detail, you will be more likely to spot potential problems (if you take a little time to look) before they become big problems.... last valve check I noticed one of the tank fuel lines (from the front to the back) had deteriorated badly... wasn't leaking... yet.... so I fixed it.

Same deal with changing my own oil on a car .... take the time to inspect the front suspension, brake lines, look for other loose fasteners, check steering linkages, look for other damage or problems.

[Timbox2]

As it happens I once had a CBX750 (Similar engine to Nighthawk) with hydraulic followers, kin thing had an almost 2 stroke power band, nothing below 7k, then it wailed. I never had any probs with the valve train, but the alternator chain eat itself eventually (Common Issue).

[tazshido]

Riders of Harley-Davidson bikes will make any and every excuse to continue to justify their choice. "It's OK to have less power, I ride American!" or something like, "I'll pay more for a Harley because it holds it's value"
Some of you sound just like that. "What do you have against shops making money?" I have nothing against a business making money, BUT look at alot of you, many of you don't take your bikes to the stealerships for service for the exact reason I'm bitching about. If the services were less expensive MORE people would be willing to let them do the work instead of tearing their bikes down in their basements over the winter. "Triumph makes mechanics out of riders." Not because they are overly maintenance intensive, but because of the confiscatory prices for the services!
Honda is doing it too, The 750 and 1100 Shadows (now out of production) had hydraulically adjusted valves, but the VTX 1300 and 1800 do not. Guess they weren't sucking enough blood out of their buyers and had to move to a more expensive maintenance schedule.
Another point is the Tiger itself, It doesn't have the power of the Speed triple or daytona, so why should it need to rev so high or have all that extra performance built in that is not used on the girley?
Look, I love this bike. It is, by far, the best motorcycle I've ever ridden. I will be doing all the maintenance on it myself from now on (except that valve clearance check). Looking at the invoice I see that I could have accomplished everything they did except for the valves and loading the tune.
I really wanted a Rocket III tour, but when I do get a cruiser, that won't be the one I buy simply because if I'm shelling out that kind of cash for a motorcycle, it needs to be (and WILL be) easily serviced in my garage.
Don't take my comments personally people, I'm bitching at the company and the stealership. Not you.

[Mustang]

Riders of Harley-Davidson bikes will make any and every excuse to continue to justify their choice. "It's OK to have less power, I ride American!" or something like, "I'll pay more for a Harley because it holds it's value"
Some of you sound just like that. "What do you have against shops making money?" I have nothing against a business making money, BUT look at alot of you, many of you don't take your bikes to the stealerships for service for the exact reason I'm bitching about. If the services were less expensive MORE people would be willing to let them do the work instead of tearing their bikes down in their basements over the winter. "Triumph makes mechanics out of riders." Not because they are overly maintenance intensive, but because of the confiscatory prices for the services!
Honda is doing it too, The 750 and 1100 Shadows (now out of production) had hydraulically adjusted valves, but the VTX 1300 and 1800 do not. Guess they weren't sucking enough blood out of their buyers and had to move to a more expensive maintenance schedule.
Another point is the Tiger itself, It doesn't have the power of the Speed triple or daytona, so why should it need to rev so high or have all that extra performance built in that is not used on the girley?
Look, I love this bike. It is, by far, the best motorcycle I've ever ridden. I will be doing all the maintenance on it myself from now on (except that valve clearance check). Looking at the invoice I see that I could have accomplished everything they did except for the valves and loading the tune.
I really wanted a Rocket III tour, but when I do get a cruiser, that won't be the one I buy simply because if I'm shelling out that kind of cash for a motorcycle, it needs to be (and WILL be) easily serviced in my garage.
Don't take my comments personally people, I'm bitching at the company and the stealership. Not you.

please .....go buy a cruiser and let us know how that works out for ya ..........

[Sin_Tiger]

I can find good and bad in a sides of this discussion. One thing I do believe I read between the lines is that most comments reflect that we don't want to see you sell the bike because we know you will miss it more than you realise, I'm not getting into the cruiser thing again, it's your choice, got to scratch if it itches.

Personally, and don'take this the wrong way please, if I had just paid for all that work I'd be out there riding the rubber off it to enjoy my hard earned dosh and thinking it'll be another X k miles before it needs doing again.

Whatever you decide please stay in touch as you have experiences and opinions to share like everyone else here.

[Putts255]

I can find good and bad in a sides of this discussion.

Whatever you decide please stay in touch as you have experiences and opinions to share like everyone else here.

  Well said Sin_Tiger, could not have said it better myself......

[oxnsox]

Riding a bike is about enjoying the ride... it really doesn't matter how you do it, or what you do it on.

As long as it puts a smile on ya dial and makes you appreciate how damn lucky we all are to be able to have the options  

[metalguru]

I have been in the bike trade one way or another all my working life and I remember when the Honda variable valve timing was fitted to one of thier bikes honda said it takes 6 hours to find and service this set up, and this was in the '90s. Let alone the rest of the service.
  Jap bikes have got far more complicated since then, look at a goldwing!!!
Triumphs have thier own wierd ways but evolving all the time.
Just study a bit about wrenching and get the tools required (not many) surf this site and service costs can be down to materials only. Once practiced in even removing the tank a few times it will give a boost in confidence to explore even more. At least when you do it yourself you know the job is done.