Oil change intervals motorcycle vs car

Bonz said:
Good stuff. To say it held up well, did you do an analysis that could be posted?
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Yeah, it’s in one of my posts in the motorcycle oil sub thread. Likely findable using the terms “HPL, Limited”. You’ll see break in wear because this went in right after the first factory fill. The metals are on par for the HD 114” analyses I’ve seen during break in.
 
Bonz said:
200 X 3.5 qts =700. 700 ÷4 = 175.

175 × 50 = 8,750 miles

I don't mind stretching an oil change but that's getting a bit much, imo.

From a math perspective, the formula that you wrote would be 200 x 3.5 in the numerator, then divide that by the product of 4 x mpg in the denominator. Which is 700/200 or 700÷200 = 3.5.
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If you're truly averaging 50mpg the whole OCI, I'd say you're safer than you might realize think. This corroborates with your ending TBNs you share. jm2c
 
Yes agreed. TBN aside, viscosity has held up more or less at the 5000 mile mark regardless of the grade that it started. That mileage seems to be the happy point for an oci with my bike. Don't know if viscosity drops in the first 1000, 2000 miles, etc or if it is a steadily declining situation, however it is what it is and I'm happy with it.

I adapted zx11/zzr1200 carburetors onto the ZRX. They are a newer design than the stock carbs. On top of adding horsepower and torque, they get 50 to 52 MPG in back roads and mountain riding. Get out on the interstate with sustained 75 to 85 mph speeds and that drops.
 
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Panda87 said:
I did 20,000mi on HPL in my HD 114” engine which holds 4qts. Running it for 30,000mi this go around. Filter changes every 10,000mi. It held up well enough to encourage the 30,000mi run.
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Bike type and riding style have a HUGE part to play in this too. Panda gets 20k out of HPL, I’m struggling to get 2500 miles out of 10w-40 HPL! Low-revving cruiser, high strung little 250, big difference.

Very nice OCI by the way panda!
 
thetricky said:
Bike type and riding style have a HUGE part to play in this too. Panda gets 20k out of HPL, I’m struggling to get 2500 miles out of 10w-40 HPL! Low-revving cruiser, high strung little 250, big difference.

Very nice OCI by the way panda!
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Thanks man. 😊

Redline on my bike is 6k I believe, lol.
What bike are you using it in? I love 250s.
Have you analyzed the HPL or is something behaving differently in the bike over the course of the OCI?
 
Panda87 said:
Thanks man. 😊

Redline on my bike is 6k I believe, lol.
What bike are you using it in? I love 250s.
Have you analyzed the HPL or is something behaving differently in the bike over the course of the OCI?
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Holy hell that’s quite the difference in OCI!
2007 Kawasaki Ninja 250, mostly just a commuter, 20 miles total per workday. I do ride it like it I'm on the track though! I did do a used oil analysis, found here:
T

Thread '2007 Kawasaki Ninja 250R; HPL MC 10w-40 2.8k mi'

Looks like this engine and my right hand tear up oil! Bit surprised, however, now I know what OCI should be so that's good. Have 5gals of HPL 15w40 HDEO sitting here so may experiment with that later on. Enjoy!
250r 7-2025_001.webp
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  • Wow

Messaged HPL and they were a bit concerned so next change they may custom-blend an oil to see if I can stretch the change interval. Those guys are so awesome. We will see what happens!
 
thetricky said:
Holy hell that’s quite the difference in OCI!
2007 Kawasaki Ninja 250, mostly just a commuter, 20 miles total per workday. I do ride it like it I'm on the track though! I did do a used oil analysis, found here:
T

Thread '2007 Kawasaki Ninja 250R; HPL MC 10w-40 2.8k mi'

Looks like this engine and my right hand tear up oil! Bit surprised, however, now I know what OCI should be so that's good. Have 5gals of HPL 15w40 HDEO sitting here so may experiment with that later on. Enjoy!
250r 7-2025_001.webp
  • Like
  • Wow

Messaged HPL and they were a bit concerned so next change they may custom-blend an oil to see if I can stretch the change interval. Those guys are so awesome. We will see what happens!
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Holy moley! That’s absolutely wild that your 250 is beating an oil of that caliber up! HPL and Amsoil are the only lubricant companies that get my business for reasons just like yours.

Sounds like an amazingly fun commuter bike. That shear is crazy! What’s the redline on that one?
 
thetricky said:
Messaged HPL and they were a bit concerned so next change they may custom-blend an oil to see if I can stretch the change interval. Those guys are so awesome. We will see what happens!
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You can ask them to blend a no-VII oil (assuming you're not riding through a cold winter), then it won't shear at all and oil life would be limited by TBN rather than viscosity loss due to shearing.
 
jeff78 said:
You can ask them to blend a no-VII oil (assuming you're not riding through a cold winter), then it won't shear at all and oil life would be limited by TBN rather than viscosity loss due to shearing.
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I'm going to let them make the calls, they know FAR more than I do on what needs to be done. He did say if it continues to destroy oil that they would blend up some 10w-40 with more mPAO. I'm not familiar with that so still need to do my research. It was interesting, he also said when they developed their motorcycle oil that they looked really hard into Amsoil's offerings.

I also think a contributing factor is the short runs. I ride 10 miles each way every work day so while the oil does get hot it doesn't get run for long before a full cooldown.
 
With the RPM range of 9,000 to 13,000 that oil's getting thrashed. As well, 10 miles each way on a commute is more than enough to warm it up with those engine speeds, IMO.

Are you running mostly highway on the commute? You say you usually run it in that RPM range which would say to me that is the majority of the time the bike is being ridden. To keep the engine at that rpm level in a commute would suggest at lower speed limits the bike is operating in a much lower gear than necessary.

Small bikes are fun. Always fun to run a slow bike fast than to ride a fast bike slow.

Running that engine speed in order to thrash this oil like it's being thrashed, have you pondered switching up the gearing with sprockets or shifting to a taller gear? Wringing that little things neck in the upper 25% of its RPM range continually I don't think you're going to find an oil that is going to do what you're looking for. You're basically doing a 20 mile track day in two 10 mile segments everyday you ride running those engine speeds on your commute.
 
Bonz said:
With the RPM range of 9,000 to 13,000 that oil's getting thrashed. As well, 10 miles each way on a commute is more than enough to warm it up with those engine speeds, IMO.

Are you running mostly highway on the commute? You say you usually run it in that RPM range which would say to me that is the majority of the time the bike is being ridden. To keep the engine at that rpm level in a commute would suggest at lower speed limits the bike is operating in a much lower gear than necessary.

Small bikes are fun. Always fun to run a slow bike fast than to ride a fast bike slow.

Running that engine speed in order to thrash this oil like it's being thrashed, have you pondered switching up the gearing with sprockets or shifting to a taller gear? Wringing that little things neck in the upper 25% of its RPM range continually I don't think you're going to find an oil that is going to do what you're looking for. You're basically doing a 20 mile track day in two 10 mile segments everyday you ride running those engine speeds on your commute.
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Haha! I sure am “tracking” it! To work is through town, though very little red lights in the morning. Going home is mainly open road to a section of highway.

With this small amount of power and myself at 200lbs it just isn’t fun nor safe being too far out of the power range, like 5-6k rpm.

Like I’ve said before, I’m cool with whatever the OCI needs to be for this oil, 1500, 2k, etc. it doesn’t bother me, it also takes awhile to put miles on it. Just like most of us on here I’ve got to try to push it! When this HPL batch is up I am going to explore other oils for the fun of it: Mobil 1, maxima extra, and motul 300v are top of my experiment list.

Stock gearingbis 14/45, I run 14/44, I like the pep around town. I do have a 15 front sprocket for longer freeway rips, it just really sucks in town/stop-n-go.
 
250 CC and 200 lb, it'll get the job done but you're right it takes close to what the bike has.

A 44T in the rear is obviously one tooth smaller based on what you said, is a bit taller on gearing. I mention that as you mentioned pep around town. That would take a bit away. When you run a 15T up front, I gather stock is 14T as you're trying to lower the RPM for freeway use. Bigger up front is taller, smaller in back is taller.

Yeah I'm curious when you run a different oil to hear what you experience. If I could vote, Mobil 1 10w40 4T is next. And be able to make a comparison if HPL is worth a try to make a custom brew for the Nasty Ninja, lol.
 
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Yeah stock is 14/45. I didn’t want as dramatic a change so went lower in the back. The 15 up front really is a dog in town, however it turns 6th gear into a true overdrive which is nice on the highway.

I know you really like the Mobil so I’ll have to give it a try!
 
thetricky said:
Haha! I sure am “tracking” it! To work is through town, though very little red lights in the morning. Going home is mainly open road to a section of highway.

With this small amount of power and myself at 200lbs it just isn’t fun nor safe being too far out of the power range, like 5-6k rpm.

Like I’ve said before, I’m cool with whatever the OCI needs to be for this oil, 1500, 2k, etc. it doesn’t bother me, it also takes awhile to put miles on it. Just like most of us on here I’ve got to try to push it! When this HPL batch is up I am going to explore other oils for the fun of it: Mobil 1, maxima extra, and motul 300v are top of my experiment list.

Stock gearingbis 14/45, I run 14/44, I like the pep around town. I do have a 15 front sprocket for longer freeway rips, it just really sucks in town/stop-n-go.
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FWIW, I'm using Motul 300V 4T 15w50 in our Sportbikes. The bikes run and shift great throughout the OCI. Subjectively better than all of the other oils I've tried.
 
thetricky said:
What kind of bikes? OCI?
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2002 Hayabusa heavily modified and lightened big-bore stroker. Built to go, stop, and turn like most would think a big roadburner never could. It's my favorite bike of all time.
2015 BMW S1000RR, modified to Superstock spec. it has 212 rwhp, and about 50 lbs lighter than stock. It's the bike I use primarily on the track.
2018 Ducati Panigale V4 Speciale which has the Akrapovic Ti exhaust and ECU installed (which it came with).
2020 S1000RR M mostly stock, with an Akrapovic Ti exhaust system. The wife mainly rides this.
2023 Hayabusa which is completely stock.

OCI depends on how the bikes are ridden. On the track I'll change the oil (and brake fluid) more frequently. For street riding I'll usually go with 5k miles, or once per year.

Dirtbikes are KTM550 MXC (mine), and a Honda CR250 (wifes)
 
With cars now having small turbo DI engines 5k miles or less OCI.
My bike only takes 3 qts of oil, is air cooled, carbed, I'll go 4k miles OCI or less.
No mater how good the oil supposedly is.
 
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