How often do you change your oil?

[min200]

How often does everyone change their oil?

Looking for a general census mine was supposedly done just before I bought it (GSX600F) but it never came with a manual and the manual I ordered has mysteriously not arrived off of Ebay.

So folks how often do you and is it an easy enough job ie do the filters get stick on like on cars? (I've had more hours fight those bloody things than I care to remember!)

[Guest Hodgy]

I've got a 2004 GSX600f, in the handbook it recommends every 4000 miles, and I always use a new filter too.

It's easy enough to do without removing the fairing, if you use K & N oil filters they have a 17mm nut built into the end, the same size as the sump plug, so there's no problem with them getting stuck

If there's anything else you're unsure of, just yell, I've got the owners manual and a workshop one too

[Voodoo]

I change the oil in mine every 50,000 miles no matter if it needs it or not

[min200]

I've got a 2004 GSX600f, in the handbook it recommends every 4000 miles, and I always use a new filter too.

It's easy enough to do without removing the fairing, if you use K & N oil filters they have a 17mm nut built into the end, the same size as the sump plug, so there's no problem with them getting stuck

If there's anything else you're unsure of, just yell, I've got the owners manual and a workshop one too

 

K&N sounds the way to go to me! How do you drain the oil with the fairings on? Is the sump plug uncovered underneath then?

 

I change the oil in mine every 50,000 miles no matter if it needs it or not

 

Quite right too! Best to keep on top of these things

[Voodoo]

Quite right too! Best to keep on top of these things

 

Exactly, I even do it if the bike hasn't finished drinking the last lot of oil.

[mealexme]

when ever I get round to it. I have probably done it 2 times in the last year. Rode about 6k and I have been thinking about doing it again. So about every 3k

[Fozzie]

Bike manual says 8000 miles

I do it every 6000 miles

It deserves a bit of love now doesnt it?

[Stu]

I change the oil in mine every 50,000 miles no matter if it needs it or not

 

Surely you mean every 5k

[Voodoo]

I change the oil in mine every 50,000 miles no matter if it needs it or not

 

Surely you mean every 5k

 

Nope, definitely mean 50k, but to be fair I often change the oil filter at the same time too.

[Stu]

50k for an oil change!! Rather you then me!

The service interval on mine is 4k and it gets changed every year or at 4k whichever comes first

[Tiggie]

probably more often than needed, but mine only needs 2 litres

and before its asked I use regular castrol 10/40 non bike specific oil

[techno]

Mine gets it every year, never know how many miles I've done.

[cyberwolf]

i use to change the oil every 4k on the bike. i never change the oil on the car dont need to all i do is add more oil

[priest]

I change the oil in mine every 50,000 miles no matter if it needs it or not

 

Surely you mean every 5k

 

Nope, definitely mean 50k, but to be fair I often change the oil filter at the same time too.

 

I though that was a joke...

[Guest Hodgy]

I've got a 2004 GSX600f, in the handbook it recommends every 4000 miles, and I always use a new filter too.

It's easy enough to do without removing the fairing, if you use K & N oil filters they have a 17mm nut built into the end, the same size as the sump plug, so there's no problem with them getting stuck

If there's anything else you're unsure of, just yell, I've got the owners manual and a workshop one too

 

K&N sounds the way to go to me! How do you drain the oil with the fairings on? Is the sump plug uncovered underneath then?

 

 

Yep sump plug is right underneath and not covered by the belly pan, so easy to do

[Revvin Kevin]

Kawasaki recommend oil changes roughly every 3.5k - 4k miles. I've started to change mine every 10k instead. Just consider how many bikes you find with high mileage, worn out engines, not many. Most are written off way before the engine wears out from extended oil changes. If you like trackdays however, use good quality oil and change as often as you can afford to.

[rennie]

I never change mine !

Occasionally I pay someone else to do it for me

[Voodoo]

50k for an oil change!! Rather you then me!

 

Out of all the problems I've ever had with cars or bikes its never been because of engine wear, its either been electrical or wheel bearings or fuel pumps etc.... but never have I had to replace anything in the engine with the exception of clutch plates in an RD350 which only had 5k on the clock anyway.

Many years ago when Performance Bikes was the best bike mag they took an old CBR600 which hadn't had the oil changed for the previous 30-40K miles and opened up the engine and measured all the internals for wear. Considering how many miles it had done they found it was in perfect condition.

[min200]

I will do it at the next MOT then...maybe before

[Phill]

i have an YBR125 and the manual says that the oil change should be done every 3500 miles, since is my main machine to commute to work and back(30 miles round trip per day) on A roads(speeds of 50+), isn't that interval to far apart from each other? Should i change the oil sooner? like every 2000 miles?

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

The thing with oil is that the detergent properties wear out long before the ability to lubricate. I change my car oil every 5k and bike every 2k. My last car had new timing chains fitted at 125k as routine maintenance, the interior of the engine was crystal clean.

By contrast I've worked on the same engines which have had 10k oil changes and suffered timing chain failure at under 40k due to blocked oil feeds.

A lot depends on the kind of journeys you do whether the oil evaporates off combustion byproducts. But I've never regretted doing more frequent changes.

[Westbeef]

As my bikes getting on a bit I change the oil every 6 months which is roughly 2000 Miles. I was doing the filter each time but I’ve recently been advised to do the filter yearly instead as they last at least 4000 Miles.

[Phill]

I think i will change the oil every 2000 miles, just for my peace of mind, and it's only 1 litre of oil so it's not that expensive!

Now the question is, 10W-40 semi-synthehic or syntethic motorcycle oil? Castrol Power 1(synthetic) has good reviews, or should i stick with semi-synthetics?

[Stu]

Holy thread resurrection!!

Stick to what the manual states for oil grade

[Arwen]

My MSX gets an oil change every 6 months or so, it only takes a litre and has no filter, so it's simple and quick. Normally April and October, as over the winter the oil goes all icky and white from crap temperatures (it's a "feature" of this little bike).

The BMW gets done once a year at it's service (or it will do).