The dealer de-skilling is a bit of an advantage to us if they change the designs to match. If their YTS McDonalds reject can get the oil out without burning himself or destroying either your bike or the workshop, doing the same in a layby isn't going to be impossible. If they seal the engine and we work out they've done it (they'll hide behind inspecting filters and other non-jobs) we can ignore the service intervals so long as we are prepared to walk away from the warranty.

The risk is rubbish like having the "safety" light disable the ignition every 2500 miles unless a dealer is called in to inspect and reset it. None have dared do this yet. Their attempts at special tools go back to the Victorians and always fail in the end. If they can make an 69/93rds bolt, we can make an 18.8 mm socket. Same goes for electronics, some teenager will break the code and sell you a phone app to reset the light.

Suzuki BTW are getting lower in my opinion. The Wee-strom is fine with 5000 mile oil changes. The threat of a cancelled warranty if I don't let their grease monkey inspect my air filter (how do you do that BTW, open the lid and should "oi, boss, is this it?") every 3500 miles drives me towards Moto Guzzi who don't seem to care less so long as someone drops the oil once a year. Suzuki policy is to double the dealer visits and cost by taking the tank off at 4000 to inspect the air filter then again at 7500 to change the plugs. I changed both at 5000 and will again at 15000. Putting new oil in a dirty filter is stupid. Our local dealer seems to be able to change the plugs with the tank still on according to the paint marks on peoples bolts, stamps in their service books and £400 invoices. I bet he uses X-ray vision to inspect the air filters too. That or the invoices just buy more warranty?

Andy