Maintenance

[jdp]

If mileage is around 70,000 and up what do they recommend for maintenance? Like timing belts and fluids, I was thinking of wheel bearings too, I want to make a cross country trip next spring and don't want anything to go wrong

[WintrSol]

The manual stops at 24,000; says 100,000 for the timing belts.
Every 8,000: replace oil + filter, spark plugs
Every 12,000: replace air cleaner, brake and clutch fluid*
Every 24,000: replace coolant, final drive oil.
Everything else should be inspected.

*Brake and clutch fluid should be replaced every 2 years.

If you don't know how long it's been, do it now, and inspect the belts.

[John97]

Unless you're planning on having the dealership change the belts, do it yourself. They aren't difficult to change and they'll probably look fine but your bike is 20+ years old. And it's an interference engine so it sucks if a belt breaks. You can get them from NAPA for much much cheaper than OE Honda. And if you don't know if they've been changed then view it as they haven't.

*8000 miles on plugs? I should be on my ninth set instead of my second! The ones I took out were hard to distinguish from the new ones but whatever.

[Hook#3287]

My feeling on the plug replacement is that it was conceived back in the mid 90's and plug tech has improved somewhat.

Idk if that's correct or not, just a theory.

I also go well over the suggested 8k and have not experienced any plug failures to date.

[Hook#3287]

Before I took a cross country trip on any vehicle, I'd inspect every moving part I could possibly inspect and swap out all fluids.  Swap out air filter if it's got mileage.

Maybe swap out the battery if it's got some time on it.

If your not swapping tires, you might consider doing a rear wheel, final drive inspection.

Wheel bearings are pretty bullet proof on a Valk, but inspection is a good thing.

Doing that work will get you intimate with your bike and you may find some unforeseen issues.

[h13man]

Great advice given above and whatever OEM Honda manual suggest as most have said. As for plug's, I've had two failures right at 10,000 mi. mark two different cylinders with standard NGK thus 8,000 mi. interval seems to apply to my bike. I went to NGK Iridium thus excellent cold starting and I'm @ 15,000 mi. on them. I use the choke only after winter layup and last year took two attempts to start but most years one attempts.    Maybe long sits thru the season but after 2wks., not yet so far. They are expensive but the cold starts are worth it to me in the "Nawth" climate.  They really helped my PITA VT1100C Spirit cold starting as both bikes use the same battery.