Bike General Service Checklist: What Is Actually Included

A “general service” is the job most riders book two or three times a year, and it is the one most often misunderstood. People assume it is an oil change. It is not — an oil change is one line on a much longer list, and most of that list is inspection rather than replacement.

Here is what a proper general service actually covers, based on the checklists we run on our own doorstep services, and how to tell whether the service you paid for was thorough or cursory.

The critical distinction: inspection vs replacement

This is the single thing that causes most billing disputes. A service checklist is largely a list of things a mechanic checks. If a check finds a worn part, replacing that part is additional — the part costs extra, and often so does the labour.

So “brake inspection” being included does not mean new brake pads are included. A good mechanic tells you what the inspection found and what it would cost to fix, before touching anything. Ask for that conversation if it is not offered.

Engine and consumables

• Engine oil replacement, and oil filter where the model has a replaceable one (see which engine oil your bike needs)
• Air filter cleaning or replacement, depending on condition
• Spark plug inspection and cleaning, replacement if the electrode is worn
• Tappet noise inspection — a cheap check that catches expensive problems early
• Fuel injector inspection on fuel-injected models
• Cooling and engine temperature inspection on liquid-cooled bikes
• Basic greasing of pivots and levers

Brakes and safety

• Brake pad and shoe condition, lever and pedal free play
• Brake fluid level and condition on disc setups
• Tyre air pressure check and visual tread inspection
• Lights, indicators, brake light and horn

Drivetrain

• Drive chain wear inspection, cleaning, lubrication and slack adjustment
• Sprocket condition
• Clutch system inspection and clutch cable adjustment
• Throttle cable free play and return

Electrical

• Battery terminals, charge condition and mounting
• Wiring harness inspection for chafing or loose connectors
• ECU diagnostic, on models that support it

Chassis and running gear

• Front fork and suspension inspection, including oil weeping
• Swingarm bush inspection
• Wheel bearing inspection
• Cone set (steering head bearing) inspection
• Nuts, bolts and torque tightening
• Chassis vibration inspection
• Exhaust mounting inspection

Larger and twin-cylinder machines add items — twin-cylinder synchronization checks, for instance — which is part of why service cost scales with engine size.

How to tell a thorough service from a quick one

1. Ask for the checklist. A workshop that cannot show you what it checked probably did not check much.
2. Ask for the old parts back. Any replaced consumable — filter, plug, pads — should be available for you to see. This is the simplest anti-overcharging test there is.
3. Ask what was found, not just what was done. A service where nothing at all was flagged on a bike with 20,000 km on it deserves a second look.
4. Check the chain slack afterwards against your manual’s figure. It takes thirty seconds and tells you whether the drivetrain items were genuinely done. Here is how to measure chain slack.

What we do not cover

To be direct about scope: we do not do puncture repair, tyre replacement, tube replacement or wheel alignment. Tyre condition and pressure are inspected as part of the service, but tyre work itself needs a specialist outlet.

Related reading

If you are weighing where to get this done, two things are worth reading first: what drives the price, in bike service cost in India, and whether servicing outside the brand network affects your cover, in does doorstep service void your warranty.

You can see what each of our packages includes, and book a slot, on the services page. General service packages are priced by engine size, from up to 110 cc to up to 300 cc. For how often a service is due, see bike service intervals: after how many km. And if fuel economy has dropped, see bike mileage dropping.