Another oil change by time or mileage question

[uzun]

Hi guys,

Hope you don't mind another thread on changing the oil by time or mileage.

I own a 2015 KTM 1290 Super Duke R that gets ridden only on the weekends when the weather is nice. My last oil and filter change was exactly one year ago. I am using Motul 300V 4T 15W-50 in this bike. I currently have only 1200 miles on this oil. I ride the bike at least 60-70 miles every time I take it out, so the oil always reaches the full operating temperature. Now, the owner's manual says to change the oil at least once a year. But, based on my special circumstances, would it be OK to leave the oil in there for two years?

 

[Bonz]

I would not hesitate to leave the oil in there. It's been shown if a bike or car is ridden/driven and fully warmed up the oil is fine in the crankcase under those conditions. Otherwise it's just disposing of good oil.

 

[BISCUT]

That oil can probably run for the 2 years your looking for with no issues under the circumstances you described. Sounds like a risk to cost analysis is needed. I'm a little crazy so I wouldn't sleep well with a 2 year OCI on that ride. Doesn't mean I'm correct just me. I would do yearly. Enjoy it! Nice ride.

 

[Bonz]

True that, it does come down to personal preference. The reality is the way we baby our machines with oil changes doesn't do anything to help the machine, it's all about sleeping well at night ourselves lol.

 

[wagsrk08]

I would go with what the owners manual says, change oil at least once a year. It's cheap insurance. My 2016 Harley Davidson FLHTK Limited oil was change almost a year ago according to my records. I usually go 4 - 5,000mi between oil changes. 2020 and covid-19 has put a damper on my riding this year (along with another new car in stable) so I'm just now creeping up on 2,000mi on this oil change. I'll probably wait until late October early November when I put it up for the winter. Once a year is my thoughts....

 

[alarmguy]

^^ Agree, change every year and right before winter.

 

[Panos]

2 years should be perfectly fine as hundreds of UOAs have proven. That's what I also do since a BITOGer and nothing bad happened.2 to 3 years is what I follow if the miles I have decided that the oil is capable of need this amount of time in my engine considering that the journeys are long bringing the oil temperature to high temperature every (most of the) time.

 

[FordMan59]

I change the oil in all my vehicles strictly by mileage whether it's been 6 months or 5 years. Majority of the time when I drive a vehicle it's being driven 15+ miles, plenty of time for the engine to reach full operating temperature. The oil I'm currently using in my cars has been in my garage 15+ years. I look at it this way, if the vehicle isn't being driven what's the difference in the oil sitting in the oil pan and sitting in the plastic bottles on a shelf in my garage? One of my cars is a '97 Ford Escort that I bought new in Feb. '98 it currently has 41,xxx miles, sits in the garage 95+% of the time and often goes several years between changes.

 

[ulflyer]

I'd leave it in for more than a year or two or three.................

 

[02SE]

Hi guys,

Hope you don't mind another thread on changing the oil by time or mileage.

I own a 2015 KTM 1290 Super Duke R that gets ridden only on the weekends when the weather is nice. My last oil and filter change was exactly one year ago. I am using Motul 300V 4T 15W-50 in this bike. I currently have only 1200 miles on this oil. I ride the bike at least 60-70 miles every time I take it out, so the oil always reaches the full operating temperature. Now, the owner's manual says to change the oil at least once a year. But, based on my special circumstances, would it be OK to leave the oil in there for two years?

I use this oil in three of our Sportbikes, and probably will move the fourth to the 15w50 too (currently using the 10w40 in it). I think your bike would be fine going to a longer OCI. I know I could go longer, but I usually change it at 5k or annually (whichever occurs first) just to satisfy my OCD.

Nice bike.

 

[Ride_Red]

Both my bikes have 8K mile OCI listed in the owner's manual. I change oil in the fall before putting the bikes away for the winter, and never hit the 8K. If I only have 1-2K miles on the oil, I have left it in and run it for another season. Oil still looks new at that point. No harm in leaving it in there other than fighting my OCD urge to change it anyway.

 

[toneydoc]

Leave it in
Otherwise you are wasting a great and expensive oil

 

[Bonz]

Both my bikes have 8K mile OCI listed in the owner's manual. I change oil in the fall before putting the bikes away for the winter, and never hit the 8K. If I only have 1-2K miles on the oil, I have left it in and run it for another season. Oil still looks new at that point. No harm in leaving it in there other than fighting my OCD urge to change it anyway.

Yes, we are OCD owners itching to do something that will not benefit the BIKE one bit, but make US feel better. Other than an extreme situation, which this is NOT, overwhelming evidence on this forum with respect to multi-year OCI’s shows no downside to this scenario.

Leave it in
Otherwise you are wasting a great and expensive oil

^^Ditto that thought^^

 

[FordMan59]

Yes, we are OCD owners itching to do something that will not benefit the BIKE one bit, but make US feel better.
^^Ditto that thought^^

I've done the same thing with spark plugs. I've had several sets of Botch Platinum's with 100-125K miles on them that I changed simply because I felt guilty they'd been in the car so long. Put a new set in and didn't see any difference in the way the car ran or mpg. I used to be a firm believer in 3K mile OCI's. Last oil change on my Versa I did a 7500 mile OCI on 15-20 year old conventional 10w40. I did an oil blot test every 500-1K miles and when I changed the oil at 7500 miles the blot test looked like "oil from a properly functioning ICE with short run period" in this article. https://atomium.eu/home/articles/condition-based-lubricating-oil-change/ I truly believe the oil would have been fine to run 10K+ miles but, I wasn't going to chance it. I rubbed some of the oil between my fingers and it felt about like oil straight out of a freshly opened bottle. If I'd have gone strictly by the blot test as to when to change oil I would have probably been good for 15K miles or more. There was very little difference in the blot test between 5K miles that Nissan recommends and the 7500 miles I went. I'm using Parts Plus filters made by Premium Gaurd that I bought from Rock Auto on a closeout deal, final cost was $2. each including shipping and they seem to be doing their job. When I bought the car I ordered a dozen of them, at this rate I won't need filters again until after the car reaches about 100K miles.

 

[uzun]

I appreciate all the responses. I think I will leave the oil in there for another year!

 

[DGXR]

I would go by mileage, up to a certain point. I would not double the time interval, but I think it's OK to extend it maybe 6 months based on your usage (which is very kind to the oil). As always, YMMV. Modify the manual's instructions with caution.

 

[Degreaser]

I would change your bike oil at minimum once a year if you ride less than mileage limit, I change out my oil every Spring to start off the riding season but I don't ride more then 2,000 km a year

 

[alarmguy]

I would change your bike oil at minimum once a year if you ride less than mileage limit, I change out my oil every Spring to start off the riding season but I don't ride more then 2,000 km a year

I agree, once per year. ^^^

As far as the OP question.
Best for the bike = once per year which is in the manual I am sure.

Looking to save money?
Such low mileage every two years is fine but its not best.

I would rather use cheap oil and change it every year then expensive oil every two years.

 

[DuckRyder]

Absolutely no reason (other than you want to) to dump oil at a year unless it is a warranty requirement.

 

[Kira]

My 16 year old vehicle has had cheap oil and filter service every 3,000 miles or less and had NEVER gone over a year without an oil change.
It's had good oil* in it's belly for the year I've owned it. It's only seen long highway trips and is halfway through the 5K OCI I decided on.
It'll get it's next oil change* come Spring or if it reaches 5K before then.
The oil will be analysed at that time.
*= Castrol 0W-30, Fram Ultra