I've adjusted valves many times on my pushrod and rocker arm BMW's but when I bought the 2010 Spyder RT I knew that I didn't have the technical ability or the resources to adjust valves on the Spyder's cup and shim system. That was one of the reasons that I bought a maintenance agreement with mine. While I still think that was the right decision for me, it may not be for everyone. For one thing, I just had mine in for service at 38,000 miles and the valves still needed no adjustment. Overhead cams with cup and shim valve adjustment simply needs much less maintenance than pushrods and rocker arms. I failed to consider that when I bought the maintenance agreement but I still feel better about having the valves checked at BRP recommended service intervals. It just gives me some peace of mind.
The other thing I want to mention is the $1,000.00 - $1,200.00 cost of valve service. As mentioned, I just had a full service at 38,000 miles which included valve adjustment, brake fluid replacement, radiator coolant replacement, spark plug replacement and all the adjustments and checks that BRP recommends at major service intervals. While the maintenance agreement picked up the tab, the price was $608.00. Obviously, service charges will vary at different dealerships but, it is what it is, and the higher service charges are, the more sense it makes to buy the maintenance agreement. As I said, I still think buying the service agreement was the right choice for me since we put quite a few miles on our Spyder but it may or may not be the right choice for you, depending on the cost of the agreement, the cost of service at your dealer and how many miles you ride.
Cotton