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Sorry not as spanner minded as most on here so apart from High level pipes, tail tidy and side stand conversion my bike is standard.
So anyway my question is how can I tell that "they" have actually checked my valve clearances at a full service? Is there an obvious way or do I just trust them, which to a certain extent I do its just I like to be sure that I get what I've paid for.

Well it's sad you need to suspect they won't but you can't check them without taking the cam covers off.
You could just use a small amount of tipex or paint and put a little across the join between the cylinder head and covers, just enough to tell if it has been broken, don't make it to obvious.
You can also ask them to record the valve clearances when you drop it in for service, at least they will know you're interested.

It's worth remembering they can't check them with a warm engine so if you drop it off at 9 am and they phone you 3 hours later to pick it up, no way could they have done a proper job.

Yep, I remember Thumper gave me the same advice when my Falco went for its first service.
The tippex marks came back broken so they had at least undone the bolts.
I think there's a fair chance they did this properly as it would be quite a faff to go to the trouble of slackening them all off and not bothering to check the clearances.
I also had to leave the bike with them the night before so that it had time to cool properly before the valve check.

Thanks Thumper - good advice as always.

Thanks for that I do kind of trust them it's just that I have had bad experiencies with Cars and mechanics and a service that was once not done at all on my wifes bike. I know I should let it go, the therapy is helping.

good advice from Thumper, but as he said do'nt make it to easy to spot,i spot it regular on things like wheel nut's when serviceing.

I have worked in the Garage trade and their are some good guys out there but what I have seen and witnessed from time to time you would not believe.
I ran a fleet of cars in the past and one had an automatic transmissions fault. It would not change up and was making a buzzing sound. It went into a auto transmission shop for investigation, word came back it would need a complete new transmission at the cost of over £1700 + labour, now this was some time ago.
I decided to investigate it myself and found a leaking rubber vacuum hose from engine to transmission modulator valve, it cost £5 to fix.
It's not the guys on the spanners it's the system many shops work under, quantity not quality but it applies to most services these days. Personally if I'm paying £50-£80 an hour they better do it right or else.

one local aprilia company serviced a chaps mille reguarly from new

for the 4h service, he needed it doing before he went touring, and the regular place could not fit it in, so he took it elsewhere

he had been charged a lot of money each service for new plugs - he was very surprised to be given the original aprilia branded plugs when he collected it - they had never been changed!

I just have to confirm all that others have said. I always shake, shiver and sweat when I hand my bike over to servicemen. I have been ripped 50% of times. Still don't know how to avoid that.

sabestian wrote: Still don't know how to avoid that.

By going to a place similare to here

http://www.edc.ac.uk/index.php?keyword= ... miter=name

I was doing a C&G course here in 89/90 (seems like they have changed the format now)

One of the best year of my life. 40 bikers all doing the same thing....Learning by day and partying by night..I am suprised I can even remember the year.... Grown up now.

how do you ensure that you get what you pay for - by asking for the service team to keep all parts replaced

by marking some stuff

and lastly - by asking the erk when you book it in - that very same question..... and then asking him again when you collect it

They always get you with the warranty crap, if your books not up to date bla bla, thing is I don't think that's valid anymore.
You can take your bike to any Vat reg bike servicing dealer for service, thats if you can't or don't want to do it yourself.
I have biker friends who are mustard at what they do but spanners forget it ! They would probably kill themselves screwing up their bikes mechanics, most of them are well paid so they just pay.
Main dealers just love em they make them tea sit them down and give them a newspaper.
A guy I know with a new Triumph Sprint got ripped off for nearly £600 for a service no that's disgusting

Bottom line is you do what you can do, leave what you can't to someone who can.
I am lucky having had some experience and training with tools etc, but I don't know it all and I never will, if I screw up I pay and put it down to experience, If they screw up I pay so whats the difference.