How often do you change your bike oil?

[Lolvoguy]

On the bike in my sig, the OP changed and filter it as well as had the valves adjusted last October (I have the receipt from the shop who did the work). Later this week I have it scheduled to put plates on my bike for three months. Should I change it's oil? Through the sight glass it seems pretty clean. I've been told that you should change bike oil once in the spring when getting it from storage, and once in the fall before storage, is there any truth to this? I really dont' wanna cause excess wear to the clutches in the transmission (bike has 15k miles) I plan on running Rotella T 15w40 thanks in advance

 

[alarmguy]

I change every 3000 miles give or take 500. If you only ride 3000 or 4000 miles a year (or less), change once before winter layup and you are good to go. No need what so ever to change it again in the spring. Doing it pre winter gets any nasty stuff out of the crankcase before sitting around for months at a time. I'm sure you will get many thoughts, I also did this on any boats I owned as it was required pre winter storage, not spring.

 

[Cardenio327]

Once a year in autumn is fine as long as you are using HDEO or synthetic. Just avoid the urge to start it periodically during the off season. If you feel the need to start it periodically in storage, it would be recommendable to change the oil twice.

 

[DoubleWasp]

I change out the VR1 syn in my Harleys at 5000 miles to be on the safe side, but my UOA'S are telling me that it's barely noticing it's been run in an engine.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: alarmguy

I change every 3000 miles give or take 500. If you only ride 3000 or 4000 miles a year (or less), change once before winter layup and you are good to go. No need what so ever to change it again in the spring. Doing it pre winter gets any nasty stuff out of the crankcase before sitting around for months at a time. I'm sure you will get many thoughts, I also did this on any boats I owned as it was required pre winter storage, not spring.

This is exactly what I do. I change my oil once a year because I only put about 3k a year...and I change it before winter...

 

[Lyman]

Harley E-Glide I do engine and primary every 5k and trans every 10k.

 

[Phishin]

My little 50cc Honda Ruckus (liquid cooled) only holds 0.7 quarts of oil. But it spends the majority of it's life at 9k-->10.5k RPM's. I change my oil every 500-600 miles.

 

[Robenstein]

The Triumph manual says 6k for my bike, but it usually gets dumped around 4k because you can feel it has sheared a bit by then from the shift quality.

 

[LoneRanger]

I do 1/2 the manufacturer's recommended span, which for my current mount will mean I'll do it every 4500 miles.

 

[hpb]

My Honda NC750 has 12,000km service intervals, but like LoneRanger, I halve that and change the oil and filter every 6,000km.

 

[Idahokid]

I go 4500-5000 on my Road King.

 

[Silk]

7,000km on the Airhead.

 

[dr2152]

5,000 in the HD and once a year in the Honda

 

[Jarlaxle]

3k, per the manual.

 

[AuthorEditor]

3-5k on a Ninja 500, or once a season if for some reason I don't make the mileage. Rotella T6 5W-40.

 

[jgm038]

5K on the HD.

 

[EdwardC]

Originally Posted By: alarmguy

I change every 3000 miles give or take 500. If you only ride 3000 or 4000 miles a year (or less), change once before winter layup and you are good to go. No need what so ever to change it again in the spring. Doing it pre winter gets any nasty stuff out of the crankcase before sitting around for months at a time. I'm sure you will get many thoughts, I also did this on any boats I owned as it was required pre winter storage, not spring.

I do the same. I only put on 2-3000 miles on it a year.

 

[29662]

every 3-4k. And the filter stays in for 2 oil changes.

 

[mlatour]

Every time the engine runs, it's a 2-stroke! Gearbox oil (type-F ATF) every 2-5 hours of operation. Yamaha YZ125 motocross

 

[sm00thpapa]

Every 2K with SRT 15W-40 and K&N oil filter.