drain it anyway?
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Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Vermont
drain it anyway?
Looking for a few opinions please. I had intended on trying to get in a few more rides on my new bike, and then on that last one for the season, pull in the garage and drop all fluids while nice and hot. Unfortunately, we have now had snow, and there has been salt laid on the roads. Thats when my riding ends for the season. I never got that last ride in. I was wondering if folks think its better to just drain all fluids cold and change it out, or run it high idle to at least warm the fluids and then drain and change them? I'm thinking that if I can't run it up good and hot with a ride, I'm better off just draining and changing it cold, rather then just warming it and possibly causing a condensation issue? Thoughts?
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From: Central Illinois, Between I-80 and I-74
Let it idle for 5 minutes or so to thin the oil. You can rev it a few of times to get the oil flowing. If possible take a short ride (even if just a mile or two) to get the trans and primary mixed up.
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From: Maine
It is bound to rain some before the snow sets in for the season. A couple of good rain storms ought to wash away the salt, no?
I just have a feeling that it will hit 70 anyday now. Whatyathink?
I just have a feeling that it will hit 70 anyday now. Whatyathink?
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From: Pittsburgh, PA
Run bike for a bit to suspend any contaminants in the oil, then drain. If you do not, any particles will have settled to the bottom of the oil tank and not drain the bad stuff out.
I would consider my riding season done after salt was dumped on the roads. You will have salt film on all your chrome if you ride it now.
I would consider my riding season done after salt was dumped on the roads. You will have salt film on all your chrome if you ride it now.
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From: MA
Look at it this way.....when people have the oil changed at the dealer do you think the tech takes the bike out for a 20 minute ride to warm the oil up? Nope, they just wheel it in cold and dump the oil. Personally I always do a good 20 minute ride before I dump the oil but I don't think doing it cold will hurt.
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I changed all the fluids on my bikes a few weeks back and did them cold. The oil took awhile to drain out, but it go there and I did not have any burns on my hands and arms. Cols will be fine or let it run for like 5 mins and that will be good to this it all out.
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From: Vermont
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Wow, thanks for all of the replies. Split decision 50/50....I guess in the end any oil change is better than none! 
The bike is still so new that I don't think there is much in the way of contaminants except for some fine metal particles from the breaking in process, which should be stuck to the drain plugs. This is actually my Synthetic switch over. The last oil change I ran one more fill of Dino.
The bike is still so new that I don't think there is much in the way of contaminants except for some fine metal particles from the breaking in process, which should be stuck to the drain plugs. This is actually my Synthetic switch over. The last oil change I ran one more fill of Dino.