Servicing motorbike

Go to a Honda dealer, its dirt cheap, around 80k for an oil change. You can sit there and watch them do what you need. If you dont have a local mechanic you can trust, the dealer is your best bet.

The Honda dealer is the best idea as they'll have genuine parts and charge the genuine price for the work.

As for when, if you don't know when it was last serviced, it's now.

colinoscapee wrote:

Go to a Honda dealer, its dirt cheap, around 80k for an oil change. You can sit there and watch them do what you need. If you dont have a local mechanic you can trust, the dealer is your best bet.

Great advice.

One more point, I have lived in many foreign countries (I'm from New York).  One thing they ALL have in common, many people, expats, locals, warn you of this and that, don't drink the water, don't go there, do that, ad infinitum.
But I decided early on I could not live afraid or not-trusting.
That worked for me.
in over 30 years and thousands of transactions, I can count on one hand the number of times I was cheated.
I stay away from tourist areas, I'm not into the tourism thing and even on the up and up, prices are significantly higher in every country.

People rise to your expectations. Expect the best and that's what you'll get.

Thanks for listening.
Your motorcycle will be fine.

Wxx3 wrote:

colinoscapee wrote:

Go to a Honda dealer, its dirt cheap, around 80k for an oil change. You can sit there and watch them do what you need. If you dont have a local mechanic you can trust, the dealer is your best bet.

Great advice.

One more point, I have lived in many foreign countries (I'm from New York).  One thing they ALL have in common, many people, expats, locals, warn you of this and that, don't drink the water, don't go there, do that, ad infinitum.
But I decided early on I could not live afraid or not-trusting.
That worked for me.
in over 30 years and thousands of transactions, I can count on one hand the number of times I was cheated.
I stay away from tourist areas, I'm not into the tourism thing and even on the up and up, prices are significantly higher in every country.

People rise to your expectations. Expect the best and that's what you'll get.

Thanks for listening.
Your motorcycle will be fine.

Sure. I hear what you're saying. I usually approach business transactions and day-to-day dealings with an open heart. However, there is that and then there is being plain gullible (or not doing your research).

If you've just arrived in a foreign country and not familiar with how things are done, it's best to ask from those who've eaten, drunk, and worn the t-shirt (on how to service a motorbike). It just prevents disspointment afterwards 

I'm generally a trusting person, but I don't think I'm that trusting (you could say to the point of recklessness/carelessness) that I would leave the bike at a local mechanic I've never met before (or been recommended by a trusted source). If you'd just arrived in Vietnam, Would you?

1000-2000km?? You can.. but just wasting money. And looking color? Forget it. For my bike I change every 5-6000km and car every 10.000km but this also depens if you are using mineral oil or fully synthetic oils.

@Waldo: Ok thanks. re. mileage before oil change, does it depend on the kind (make/model) of bike? (Maybe you have a big bike)

Also how often do you change air filter and spark plug.

I have a big bike and small. Modern oils are really good.  Honda wave is 4000km as it is vespa lx also, but if you want to change oil i would wait until 3000km.. but! If you use really cheap oil and what is not recommended then yes.. change earlier.

Sparkplugs last long, airfilter, I would change it maybe once a year.