Curious if dealership is blowing smoke

309 Views 8 Replies 5 Participants Last post by rcannon409, 1 d ago

Stevaholic

Discussion Starter · 23 d ago

I recently purchased a 2007 650r, i've only rode it a couple times since. Yesterday I took it to work and noticed some heavy slack in the chain, and since it needed tires anyways I took it to the motorcycle dealership in my town. Long story short the I heard the guy telling the front desk lady it was already to late to change a rear tire(showed up and hour before close) and that I could get it done the next day but he couldn't do it today. I step outside when I hear this and the guys looking at my bike.

He messed with the rear sprocket and said there was some play, I know the sprockets been rode on and needs replacing soon but he claims, with the play it has, that my cush dampers are completely shot and that's the reason my chain has so much slack. Trying to charge me 700 for a new chain and sprocket set, tire put on along with the dampers + labor. I'm not extremely mechanically inclined and hoped to get a second opinion. I left it there overnight and am tempted to just have them throw a rear tire on and tighten the chain so i can get it home.

What do you guys think?

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Hugo Delgadillo

· #2 · 22 d ago (Edited)

If you depend on dealers.......you will get ripped off. they want you money and rely on your lack of knowledge. Chain slack you adjust by yourself. Rear sprocket play?. You can check that yourself simply by putting bike on rear lift and move wheel back and forth. Cush drive replacement is very easy,....but of course..you would have to remove wheel.

..........OK, mounting tires is not easy to do w/out their expensive equipment, but other that that,.....I'd do the rest myself......and no, ...I would not get new chain or sprockets,....UNLESS I CAN DETERMINE THERE IS SHARK TEETH ON.

If rear sprocket play is confirmed by myself....I'd buy the cush drive, and simply tell them to mouont new tires and install new cush drive. They should not cost extra.

.....by the way, when I buy motorcycle tires by myself......a rundown car tire shop near where I work, mounts tires for me for $7 US dollar. (I give them $20). Of course, I remove the tire and bring it to them myself. I also balance the tires by myself, with an axle and a couple of shop jacks.

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Obo

· #3 · 22 d ago

All those items you can do for yourself for less money than a dealer. It will likely take you longer and you'll have to buy a few tools to help you. Again, even with those you'll likely not be worse off.

Now if you're not really confident doing any or all that work, see if you have a friend who can help. Having a dealer do it won't guarantee it's done right (although it might be) but will guarentee it will cost a lot.

Chain adjustment or replacement, cush drive rubber inspection or replacement, rear sprockets are all relatively easy. Tire/rim removal and installation from the bike the same.

Getting the tire on/off the rim is doable without a tire machine, but the first time takes some time! I've done tires on my ST1300 and ZR7S with just a homemade bead breaker, 3 tire irons, some tire lube and zip ties! Balancing can be done with stick on weights or the tire beads you pour into the tires. If the dealer will sell you tires and install & balance them on loose rims you bring in and charge you under $20 each it might be just as easy to have them do it.

There was a time I paid those costs because I wasn't comfortable doing it, but I've grown wiser (or miser) with age

There's no right or wrong here but those prices sound unfortunately not unbelievable.

Prices pulled from Ronayers.com 2007 Kawasaki NINJA 650R (EX650A7F) Rear Wheel/Chain | Ron Ayers
OEM chain $225
OEM front sprocket $ tba
OEM rear sprocket $65
(aftermaket sets are around $200+-)
Tires $400
cush drive $44

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Zed7

· #4 · 18 d ago (Edited)

Stevaholic, how many miles on your bike?
I ask because there’s a bearing in your sprocket carrier that holds the unit in place. The cush drive rubbers are there to lessen the impact of the engine pulses. I’m not sure that worn rubbers alone would be enough to cause a wiggle. Those rubbers tend to last for eons.
If you can wiggle the rear sprocket while the wheel is still on the bike you may have a bearing issue as well as worn rubbers. And possibly the last person in there didn't install the rear wheel/spacers correctly. It happens.

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Stevaholic

Discussion Starter · #5 · 2 d ago

Zed7 said:
Stevaholic, how many miles on your bike?
I ask because there’s a bearing in your sprocket carrier that holds the unit in place. The cush drive rubbers are there to lessen the impact of the engine pulses. I’m not sure that worn rubbers alone would be enough to cause a wiggle. Those rubbers tend to last for eons.
If you can wiggle the rear sprocket while the wheel is still on the bike you may have a bearing issue as well as worn rubbers. And possibly the last person in there didn't install the rear wheel/spacers correctly. It happens.

For what it's worth, I ended up doing the repairs myself (cush drives, new rear tire, new chain/sprocket set). When I opened her up a had HALF a cush drive in it. My uncle and dad, both avid riders and at home motorcycle mechanics, said at 13k miles that's absolutely crazy for them to just not be there anymore. I ended up leaving the bike at the shop due to rain for a couple days before going back to baby it home and im now curious if they took them out after telling me they were shot without looking into it.

Regardless, the repairs went smooth and I no longer have rear sprocket play. With the new dampers and all she feels like a brand new bike!

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Stevaholic

Discussion Starter · #6 · 2 d ago

Hugo Delgadillo said:
If you depend on dealers.......you will get ripped off. they want you money and rely on your lack of knowledge. Chain slack you adjust by yourself. Rear sprocket play?. You can check that yourself simply by putting bike on rear lift and move wheel back and forth. Cush drive replacement is very easy,....but of course..you would have to remove wheel.

..........OK, mounting tires is not easy to do w/out their expensive equipment, but other that that,.....I'd do the rest myself......and no, ...I would not get new chain or sprockets,....UNLESS I CAN DETERMINE THERE IS SHARK TEETH ON.

If rear sprocket play is confirmed by myself....I'd buy the cush drive, and simply tell them to mouont new tires and install new cush drive. They should not cost extra.

.....by the way, when I buy motorcycle tires by myself......a rundown car tire shop near where I work, mounts tires for me for $7 US dollar. (I give them $20). Of course, I remove the tire and bring it to them myself. I also balance the tires by myself, with an axle and a couple of shop jacks.

I was able to mount it with a shovel and some spoons, no balance obv but I haven't had any issues since, saved hundreds too and now I feel much more comfortable working on my own stuff after that, she's running great!

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Stevaholic

Discussion Starter · #7 · 2 d ago

Obo said:
All those items you can do for yourself for less money than a dealer. It will likely take you longer and you'll have to buy a few tools to help you. Again, even with those you'll likely not be worse off.

Now if you're not really confident doing any or all that work, see if you have a friend who can help. Having a dealer do it won't guarantee it's done right (although it might be) but will guarentee it will cost a lot.

Chain adjustment or replacement, cush drive rubber inspection or replacement, rear sprockets are all relatively easy. Tire/rim removal and installation from the bike the same.

Getting the tire on/off the rim is doable without a tire machine, but the first time takes some time! I've done tires on my ST1300 and ZR7S with just a homemade bead breaker, 3 tire irons, some tire lube and zip ties! Balancing can be done with stick on weights or the tire beads you pour into the tires. If the dealer will sell you tires and install & balance them on loose rims you bring in and charge you under $20 each it might be just as easy to have them do it.

There was a time I paid those costs because I wasn't comfortable doing it, but I've grown wiser (or miser) with age

There's no right or wrong here but those prices sound unfortunately not unbelievable.

Prices pulled from Ronayers.com 2007 Kawasaki NINJA 650R (EX650A7F) Rear Wheel/Chain | Ron Ayers
OEM chain $225
OEM front sprocket $ tba
OEM rear sprocket $65
(aftermaket sets are around $200+-)
Tires $400
cush drive $44

Shoot I got everything for under 400 and did it all in less than two hours. That dealership can kick rocks

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Zed7

· #8 · 2 d ago

At 13,000 miles your cush rubbers should look like new let alone half missing. I would imagine that if the rubbers were in fact disintegrating, there would be rubber powder residue all over the back wheel and sprocket. Something’s not right.

Anyways, if you’re going to keep a motorcycle it pays to learn how to repair them yourself. Otherwise they become very expensive.
Theres tons of great videos on YouTube showing how to fix almost anything in the world.
With those vids, tools (including different range torque wrenches), a small space and patience, you can maintain your own bike forever.

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rcannon409

· #9 · 1 d ago

Those rubbers should last a long time. Long time as in forever.

But, I see your bike is used, so all bets are off. People sometimes pressure wash or use heavy duty chemicals to clean their chain and wheel. Both can damage bearings and the cush drive unless it's done, properly.

I would also check the front end for pressure washer damage. Especially the steering head bearings.

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