I'm planning on doing the first service on my new '03 650 myself. I plan on doing the following:

oil change (w/filter)
front diff. oil change
rear diff. oil change
clean/oil air filter
check all cables and fasteners

Is there anything else I should be doing? There are no strange squeaks, whines, or rattles.

Thanks,
-Matt

 

Check and tighten all Nuts and Bolts. Torque where required. Like wheels, axle nuts, stuff like that.
Do fuel system cleanliness test......Drain carb. fuel bowls and look for foreign materal.(Dirt, crap, varnish, anything). If you find something, then clean carb completely, clean fuel tank, replace fuel filter and lines. This is in service manual. Keep all records for warranty !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

That's fine. The dealer won't do that much(usually). Change all the lubricants.
Do keep ALL your parts receipts, as mentioned earlier. ENJOY the ride!

 

Thanks for the info guys. Are there any lubricants that need to be changed other than the engine oil and front & rear diff. oils?

Thanks,
-Matt

 

Not at the 1st service. The brake fluid needs to be changed annually, IMO. The factory says every OTHER year, I think.

 

Since I'm sure you missed it the first time, here's a few tips from my brother. I won't get into the details of the full story, it's just a little humor to keep you going when you bust a knuckle:

What I learned about the Prairie 650 today:

If your going to grab full throttle from a dead stop on asphault with low tires you had better be prepared for what is going to happen. Nothing major but it does give an odd sensation when you have gone about 30' and you feel the front end set down .
Prarie 650 and Vulcan 1500 Classic use the exact same oil filter... let me know if you want to go in on a dozen.
Big mother f'ing silver back gorillias work at Kawi putting oil filters on. Thing was so damn tight I had to pound a screwdriver through it to get it removed.
Skid plates are a grand idea until you actualy need to work on something
That synthetic oil crap stuff pours about the speed of oatmeal when pouring it through a funnel.
The book says 1.75qt for a filter change and it is actually about 2.1qt.
Oil looked pretty and brand new (the old oil that is....of course the oil coming out of the new bottles looked brand new...sheesh)
Dog enjoys licking your face when your on the ground until he hits a spot of 20w/50...then he stops and leaves to get a drink.
I really need a drop hitch for my truck. Had to do the jack and wood block shuffle to get the trailer hooked and unhooked.
Burgers always taste better when there is a little motor oil on your hands.

I'll give you another update as I make more progress.

then later:

What I learned about the Prairie 650 Part Deux:

Regardless of what you call it, how much you pay for it, or how fresh it is... gear oil still smells like a bucket of *** holes.
A marinade injector is your best friend for filling diffs.
I need a new marinade injector
You now have your own personal custom crafted tool for filling your diffs...it's either give it to you or make Turkey ala Mobil
I thought the dog hated the taste of 20w/50.... you should see the way he shakes his head after tasting gear lube.
The same fawking silver back must have put the oil filter on both bikes.
A few brief minutes in hot water and the 20w/50 pours much better... I contemplated the microwave but ultimatly decided against it.
Diff fluid was pretty and clean
Those POS metaltek skid plates you have are a serious PITA to get off of the front
Got looking at the old frame and I think the top rails are bent worse than the bottom rails.
Don't ever buy anymore skid plates. I think the dog is going to get me a plasma cutter for christmas ; )



Man, still makes me laugh when I read this. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

haha bigtree.. that was pretty interesting and entertaining...

you are right about the oil filter and the drain plugs are the same way. I found it really simple to get the oil filter off if you buy a 3/8" socket attached oil filter cap remover. Cost about $3 from autozone or walmart. It fits perfectly onto the filter and doesn't slip one bit. Just a quick easy turn of the rachet and it comes off real easy.

A flexibe hose or long flexible funnel works wonders for filling differentials also, you can get either at any auto store or walmart.

 

BigTree----- VERY GOOD, I forgot about that post! Yes, I CAN relate! You didn't mention using the dog's fur as a shop towel, though. LOL Thanx, Mike.