[haawg]

This may be a stupid question, but I was just wondering. I see a lot of posts about changing the oil every 3,000 - 6,000 miles or once a year. So, the question is; why do an oil change once a year? Does oil have a shelf-life? If a person put 1,500 miles a year on his bike, won't the oil hold up for two years?
Again, forgive my ignorance, just asking.....

 

[copperstatetour]

:corn:

Time to kick back and watch the show...

 

[copperstatetour]

In all seriousness I think the main reason to change oil based on a time interval is because of the potential for condensation to develop in the reservoir. Move to AZ where we have an RH level of 2 and never change your oil again! :stir:

 

[Newbuellertoo]

For what it is worth, I change mine every 3,000 miles.
I use whatever appropriately graded Dino oil is on sale. It doesn't take very long, is an easy job and gives me peace of mind.
Other opinions will probably vary. :histerica

 

[johnbaker15]

This may be a stupid question, but I was just wondering. I see a lot of posts about changing the oil every 3,000 - 6,000 miles or once a year. So, the question is; why do an oil change once a year? Does oil have a shelf-life? If a person put 1,500 miles a year on his bike, won't the oil hold up for two years?
Again, forgive my ignorance, just asking.....

If you don't know something, there are no stupid questions. That said, scroll down a liittle and follow a few of the Similar threads. You will find lots of answers.

 

[deputy5211]

:corn:

Time to kick back and watch the show...

You just had to :stir: didn't you...

 

[petevandyke]

you guys CHANGE your oil?

 

[deputy5211]

If you don't know something, there are no stupid questions. That said, scroll down a liittle and follow a few of the Similar threads. You will find lots of answers.

... and you may even find a few answers that agree with one another!

If it makes you feel any better, it could have been worse, you could have started another tyre thread!

FWIW, I have my flame suit on and so I can say that I change my oil, trans lube, and FD lube every 3,00 or so. Is easy to do, gives me some quiet time with the big girl, and gives me peace of mind. If I am not riding it much due to snow/ice (which we had none of this year in D/FW), I change it at no greater than six month intervals.

Cheap insurance and I actually enjoy it.

Oh, be sure to rotate your tires at least every other oil change. I do mine every time I change lubricants so I do not have to remember if I did it last time. While they are off, it makes it easier to get the ArmorAll evenly spread all over the tread, too. :historic (I hope you know this last paragraph is NOT TRUE and can be fatal or even dangerous)

 

[deputy5211]

you guys CHANGE your oil?

Yeah, we even ride our LTs instead of spending all day washing them! [bazinga!]

 

[K100Dennis]

Yeah, every 5000Kms (3,000 miles) for me. There's just something about that clean oil that does it for me. I sell my old oil to my HD mates, fitting for the technology.

 

[Voyager]

... and you may even find a few answers that agree with one another!

If it makes you feel any better, it could have been worse, you could have started another tyre thread!

FWIW, I have my flame suit on and so I can say that I change my oil, trans lube, and FD lube every 3,00 or so. Is easy to do, gives me some quiet time with the big girl, and gives me peace of mind. If I am not riding it much due to snow/ice (which we had none of this year in D/FW), I change it at no greater than six month intervals.

Cheap insurance and I actually enjoy it.

Oh, be sure to rotate your tires at least every other oil change. I do mine every time I change lubricants so I do not have to remember if I did it last time. While they are off, it makes it easier to get the ArmorAll evenly spread all over the tread, too. :historic (I hope you know this last paragraph is NOT TRUE and can be fatal or even dangerous)

My tires rotate every time I ride.

 

[copperstatetour]

You just had to :stir: didn't you...

Sorry, just my sick fun. This is the kind of question that 5 people will have 10 opinions. As for me, I change every 3k...

...Okay, I like to think I do, but right now my daily drive (R1200C) is running darn close to 5k on the oil in it, but I am using synthetic to make myself feel better about it.

 

[14wntr]

Which oil is the best to use?....... Just kidding! Dont answer that!! :rotf:

 

[saddleman]

Why don't you just do it at the miles recommended (6,000) by BMW. It's just :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: to do it at any less miles.

 

[Beemerick]

FWIW, I have my flame suit on and so I can say that I change my oil, trans lube, and FD lube every 3,00 or so. Is easy to do, gives me some quiet time with the big girl, and gives me peace of mind. If I am not riding it much due to snow/ice (which we had none of this year in D/FW), I change it at no greater than six month intervals.

Since the flame suit is on, two observations: 1) if every 3,000 miles gives you peace of mind, wouldn't every 1,500 miles give you twice as much peace, and 2) changing out perfectly good motor oil likely gives oil companies much peace of mind as well.

 

[deputy5211]

Since the flame suit is on, two observations: 1) if every 3,000 miles gives you peace of mind, wouldn't every 1,500 miles give you twice as much peace, and 2) changing out perfectly good motor oil likely gives oil companies much peace of mind as well.

Absolutely Rick... As a matter of fact, I think I am going to go outside and change 'em all again right now. I did it Friday, but we rode about 500 miles on the bike on Saturday. I am going to go for a piece... Would that be 6x? [bad puns]

I am also going to lube the muffler bearing and adjust the kniffler valves.

 

[rattler50]

I change my oil every Saturday. After all, it's bath day................

 

[sully2028]

I change the LTs oil every 6K miles, along with the filter. I use regular motor oil (usually Quaker State) - 10W30 in the winter and 20W50 in the summer. Usually do about 18 to 22K a year. I have never changed the oil on an annual basis. I have 111K on my 01LT and 64K on my 99LT.

 

[Centaurious]

Absolutely Rick... As a matter of fact, I think I am going to go outside and change 'em all again right now. I did it Friday, but we rode about 500 miles on the bike on Saturday. I am going to go for a piece... Would that be 6x? [bad puns]

I am also going to lube the muffler bearing and adjust the kniffler valves.

I know about those muffler bearings, had one go out on my Triumph, (Wow what a squeal as the muffler tried to rotate). Anyone know why Harley Davidson specs such a heavy grease in their muffler bearings? It sure makes the exhaust slow. Our bikes go thub, thub, thub, thub, and theirs go poot,...poot,...poot. And what about these kniffler valves? Did I miss seeing them in the manual? Gaah! It's so hard keeping up with all this new technology.

 

[pauleknight]

In FL we get to ride year round and change our oil every 5K miles.

5K
10K
15K
20K
etc

Round numbers make it easy on those of us that live near Dismal World...

Oh and 10w-40 or 20w-50?

WTF is the real difference?