Maintenance charge for CBR 250

[dictater]

I bought a one year old CBR 250 which is almost ready for its next regular maintenance at 24,000 Kms. They guy I bought it from saved all his receipts showing how much he has been paying for the service and its seems to me for service and an oil change well over priced, on average over 3,000 Baht each service. Just wondering from anyone out there what your normal maintenance charges have been. There are a couple of Honda shops here and always had the feeling that the one this was bought at is not the best.

[SumetCycle]

_{If it was just an oil change it should have been only a couple of hundred baht. Do they list the actual work done on the receipt?}

[Kwasaki]

http://www.hondampe.com.au/docs/owning_a_honda/owners_manuals/motorcycles/CBR250R-RA%2032KYJE000.pdf

My mates 3ltrs oil 160bht each 2.4ltr wanted aprox when oil filter replaced.

Oil filter 100baht to 150 baht whether your Thai or farangie.

At 24,000 kilos you may have other issue depending how well it has been looked after.

[engrin]

I bought my own oil and brought it to my local Honda dealer. Free service. Paid only for oil filter, crush washer, and gasket. Total 180 baht last week

Today I had them install a Givi rack which I bought myself from an online shop. No service charge for that either.

[Salapoo]

Ive been changing brake pads every 12k km. Tyres too. Think my sparkplug went early too.

If it's got 24k km on it then a few of the services have probably included things like that. Possibly brake pads at 12k km and tyres at 18k km.

If they haven't, change your brake pads and tyres asap.

Edited June 22, 2013 by Salapoo

[schondie]

I just had my 13,000 km service, 380 baht for oil change, brake fluid top up and oil filter. Oh, and tightening up the brakes, chain and a quick wash to boot.

I don't know where you live but I imagine it may be a place that likes ripping off foreigners.

[loserlazer]

nothing significant i paid for any cbr250r service. always couple of hundred bahts.

brake pads are finishing every 12 k - 15 k km and you have to change them of course if you are living in a congested city with lots of braking. besides stock ircs need to go at 20 k km or maybe earlier. stock irc s are long life tires really.

chain is ok. mine is still fine at 20 k. sprockets are still ok too. no probs.

i had no probs with spark plug or anything else.

overall, cool little bike with very very less maintenance expenses. nearly same as a scooter!

Edited June 23, 2013 by loserlazer

[macknife]

3000B for each service! he was definitely ripped off.

[Salapoo]

3000B for each service! he was definitely ripped off.

Depends.

See post 5.

[dictater]

An extension to the original post, been having some engine noise, took it to the Honda dealer last week, two of the mechanics listened to it and told me there was no problem, I knew they were wrong, drove it for a few more days the noise got worse, mostly when engine was still cold, I thought it might be timing chain related, took it in this morning to original shop where the bike was purchased, shop discussed above where things seem to be abnormally expensive. They just got back to me and told me it's the crank shaft comp. the replacement part is 5,500 plus other parts and labor. I've had a lot of CBR 150's and never had a problem with any of them. This bike has just 20k k's on it, most of which were light use (before I got it) . Does this strike anyone else as exceptional, that the crank shaft would have to be replaced?

[Shurup]

Not really, if it was running low on oil the crank shaft could have went. If it needs to be replaced, there could be some bad internal damage to the engine (again due to lack of lubrication), you could change the oil yourself and look for metal particles in used oil, you can also take it to another shop and get a second (3rd, 4th) opinion.

[ThunderDuck]

An extension to the original post, been having some engine noise, took it to the Honda dealer last week, two of the mechanics listened to it and told me there was no problem, I knew they were wrong, drove it for a few more days the noise got worse, mostly when engine was still cold, I thought it might be timing chain related, took it in this morning to original shop where the bike was purchased, shop discussed above where things seem to be abnormally expensive. They just got back to me and told me it's the crank shaft comp. the replacement part is 5,500 plus other parts and labor. I've had a lot of CBR 150's and never had a problem with any of them. This bike has just 20k k's on it, most of which were light use (before I got it) . Does this strike anyone else as exceptional, that the crank shaft would have to be replaced?

I would say that its definitely suspect .... and <deleted> is a "crank shaft comp"

Get more opinions.

[dictater]

Further on,

Took the bike to two more Honda shops, where they both told me its normal for a CBR 250 to sound that way, course it didn't sound that way a week ago so I know that's not true. I realize there is some engine noise and I understand what that sounds like, it doesn't sound like this. The bike has been serviced on all regular services dates according to the book with engine oil changed, last changed 17,5xx and now 20,3xx. 'Crank shaft comp.' I take it to mean crank shaft and then composite drawing as the mechanic was reading it straight from the manual. So after eight hours and four different shops and one of the rudest business owners I ever met, thanks for the chewed up egg sputtered all over my chest Kuhn O, I come to the conclusion that the first guy was overzealous and didn't know what he was talking about, the next two were living by that old Thai adage it cant need to be fixed as your still driving it. So back to the same problem I have found with motorcycles here for the last ten years; its all good as long you need nothing more than a tire change.

[ThunderDuck]

Describe the sound .... is it a knock / scrape / rattle?

Where does it come from ... bottom end / cylinder / top end?

How long does it take to dissipate on warm up?

Trust your instincts.

[Salapoo]

An extension to the original post, been having some engine noise, took it to the Honda dealer last week, two of the mechanics listened to it and told me there was no problem, I knew they were wrong, drove it for a few more days the noise got worse, mostly when engine was still cold, I thought it might be timing chain related, took it in this morning to original shop where the bike was purchased, shop discussed above where things seem to be abnormally expensive. They just got back to me and told me it's the crank shaft comp. the replacement part is 5,500 plus other parts and labor. I've had a lot of CBR 150's and never had a problem with any of them. This bike has just 20k k's on it, most of which were light use (before I got it) . Does this strike anyone else as exceptional, that the crank shaft would have to be replaced?

I've needed two camshaft tensioners, or something along those lines, Camshaft Tensioner Adjuster maybe.

Symptoms are a clicking or tapping in the engine, that you can also feel through the bars, when the bike is cold.

The price is around 600-700b.

Hope that helps.

PS, get back onto that shop and the name and number of the part needed, and try to get a written quote for the price, I presume it is an official Honda dealership, let us know what part it is and the price they quote and we'll help you out with getting the real price of it, then you can forward all the info to AP Honda (not that they'll care as they are Thais too and you're just a farang).

Edited July 8, 2013 by Salapoo

[dictater]

The sound is a knocking, seems more bottom end then top, right hand side of the engine when siting on the bike, varies when revving the still cold engine and dissipates after maybe 15 minutes or so, hard to tell when riding. After the engine is warm its still detectable just not blatant, but when cold it sounds serious. As of yet the performance of the bike doesn't seem to have been affected. Ive read about people having their tappats and shims adjusted at regular intervals during the first couple thousand K's and Im sure it hasn't happened with this bike, but the noise seems too low to be coming from the valves. As per usual Kanchanaburi shows its self as the black hole of motorcycle mechanics. Oh yeah, all four shops are Honda dealerships.

[ThunderDuck]

Problems with the crankshaft and bottom end bearings tend to occur if the bike

has been poorly maintained and or thrashed mercilessly ,,, which does not seem

to fit with your description.

A quick google search revealed a significant number of owners have experienced

premature failure of the cam chain tensioner, with symptoms as described by Salapoo.

At 600 - 700 baht (which I assume includes installation) you have removed one

probable cause. I would be inclined to start there and have it replaced.

Good luck with it.

[Salapoo]

Sounds like the camshaft tensioner.

I'd get that changed, they have a short lifespan on the cbr250. I think mine first went around 20k km, then again at around 50k km.

Around 600-700b inc. installation.

Edited July 9, 2013 by Salapoo

[dictater]

Sounds like a good start, now if only I can convince the mechanics that there is indeed a problem maybe we can get to working on a solution. Thanks for all the input.

[Shurup]

Mate, if they're the same shops giving you these rip off quotes as the ones that were doing maintenance on that bike, I'd question their service quality... Get it to a Honda dealer in a different area (bigger city) if at all possible and try again.

[Kwasaki]

Mate, if they're the same shops giving you these rip off quotes as the ones that were doing maintenance on that bike, I'd question their service quality... Get it to a Honda dealer in a different area (bigger city) if at all possible and try again.

Spot on " Shurup ", OP JMO have a ride to Bangkok and get it sorted there where many on here will tell you of a good dealer to go to.

They are a good simple little bike to fix no problem all be it by competent mechanic.

[dictater]

Follow up question; After reading some other forums it seems that the cam chain tensioner is a likely prospect, after replacing this does the engine need to be re-timed? My guess this bike has never had the valves checked- reshimed, or the tappats adjusted, would be great to get it done in one go. Anyone have first hand experience dealing with a good shop in either Bangkok or Nakhon Pattom?

[dictater]

To follow up on this topic I finally got the CCT from Honda (680b) but didn't trust them to install, I know its a simple job but I have no faith in the shop at all, this is where they told me I needed a new crank shaft after all. I thought I would just do it myself since its seems like no problem. One question to anyone out there who may have done this already, I figure the bike needs to be manually set at TDC before replacing CCT, is it necessary to check that the cams be on the mark as well? I doubt the engine has ever been open on this bike and would rather leave it that way until I take it to one of the real shops in Bangkok and have a full check and service. It may seem like I'm being overly cynical but I have had too many bikes damaged by mechanics in this town not to be.

[edwinchester]

The sound is a knocking, seems more bottom end then top, right hand side of the engine when siting on the bike, varies when revving the still cold engine and dissipates after maybe 15 minutes or so, hard to tell when riding. After the engine is warm its still detectable just not blatant, but when cold it sounds serious. As of yet the performance of the bike doesn't seem to have been affected. Ive read about people having their tappats and shims adjusted at regular intervals during the first couple thousand K's and Im sure it hasn't happened with this bike, but the noise seems too low to be coming from the valves. As per usual Kanchanaburi shows its self as the black hole of motorcycle mechanics. Oh yeah, all four shops are Honda dealerships. 

Haha. I had to show the 'mechanic' in the Honda dealer nearest the bus station where the sump bolt was. Ended up doing it myself to get the warranty stamp in my book.

I don't trust any of the dealers in Kanchanaburi!

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[edwinchester]

The sound is a knocking, seems more bottom end then top, right hand side of the engine when siting on the bike, varies when revving the still cold engine and dissipates after maybe 15 minutes or so, hard to tell when riding. After the engine is warm its still detectable just not blatant, but when cold it sounds serious. As of yet the performance of the bike doesn't seem to have been affected. Ive read about people having their tappats and shims adjusted at regular intervals during the first couple thousand K's and Im sure it hasn't happened with this bike, but the noise seems too low to be coming from the valves. As per usual Kanchanaburi shows its self as the black hole of motorcycle mechanics. Oh yeah, all four shops are Honda dealerships. 

Haha. I had to show the 'mechanic' in the Honda dealer nearest the bus station where the sump bolt was. Ended up doing it myself to get the warranty stamp in my book.

I don't trust any of the dealers in Kanchanaburi!

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[dictater]

Yup, as I wrote went to all three 'big' Honda shops in town got three different answers, with the same over all 'it runs so what's the problem' attitude.

[KRS1]

To follow up on this topic I finally got the CCT from Honda (680b) but didn't trust them to install, I know its a simple job but I have no faith in the shop at all, this is where they told me I needed a new crank shaft after all. I thought I would just do it myself since its seems like no problem. One question to anyone out there who may have done this already, I figure the bike needs to be manually set at TDC before replacing CCT, is it necessary to check that the cams be on the mark as well? I doubt the engine has ever been open on this bike and would rather leave it that way until I take it to one of the real shops in Bangkok and have a full check and service. It may seem like I'm being overly cynical but I have had too many bikes damaged by mechanics in this town not to be.

you dont need to set the crank to TDC to change the CCT.

Its just a spring loaded device that applies pressure to the chain guide to keep tension on it.

I need to change mine too, and will do it myself in a couple of days with pics.

[dictater]

Okay, just to put a cap on this thread. Got the CCT as I wrote earlier took KRS1's advice about not having to bother with the cam positions and just changed it out. 5 minutes later started the bike and no more engine noise. Two things though I don't see any problem with the original CCT, pressure from the spring seems fine, its not seized so I don't know what the problem with it is. The replacement CCT seems a bit cheaper, its lighter and just a wee bit smaller, just wondering how long this one will last. Thanks to everyone who chipped in, and of course now I and all of you know Honda shops in Kan are good for oil and tire changes (maybe).

[KRS1]

Good job for taking matters into your own hands.

Can the spring be compressed?

[dictater]

On the old one? yes, I wound the spring back let it expand, seems fine, no noise, no hesitation but there was something wrong with it, cause the chain was in there rattling.