Oil Change On A Low Mileage Bike Necessary?
May our Moderator Rest in Peace
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,386
Likes: 35
From: Rochester, NY
Many of the guys here know I'm a bit **** about basic maintenance so don't take this personal.
But this "almost" qualifies as a stupid question, its always been my opinion that if it moves change the oil.
I ALWAYS change the oil and filters ANYTIME I even THINK it might be needed. In fact if it has only been changed once since it left the dealers show room its about 4 changes behind, regardless of the mileage on the clock.
My bike doesn't get all that much mileage so what it does get is of the shorter trip type. So I change the oil at the beginning of the riding season and again when it gets 'put away' for hibernation.
I got my Custom in August of 06 changed to synthetics at 500 and again at 1000 just before it got stuck in the garage for that winter. Since then I have changed it every spring and fall (total of 4 more times) even though its only got 5800 on the speedo.
The thing is that even if there isn't much mileage. Its still exposed to the fuel and air (with its water vapors) and both will degrade its effectiveness over the course of several months. The stuff in that engine has been in there for how many years?
PS If that were my bike I would change it, run it down the highway at 60/65mph for 50 to 100 miles and do it again.
But this "almost" qualifies as a stupid question, its always been my opinion that if it moves change the oil.
I ALWAYS change the oil and filters ANYTIME I even THINK it might be needed. In fact if it has only been changed once since it left the dealers show room its about 4 changes behind, regardless of the mileage on the clock.
My bike doesn't get all that much mileage so what it does get is of the shorter trip type. So I change the oil at the beginning of the riding season and again when it gets 'put away' for hibernation.
I got my Custom in August of 06 changed to synthetics at 500 and again at 1000 just before it got stuck in the garage for that winter. Since then I have changed it every spring and fall (total of 4 more times) even though its only got 5800 on the speedo.
The thing is that even if there isn't much mileage. Its still exposed to the fuel and air (with its water vapors) and both will degrade its effectiveness over the course of several months. The stuff in that engine has been in there for how many years?
PS If that were my bike I would change it, run it down the highway at 60/65mph for 50 to 100 miles and do it again.
Last edited by In Memoriam Citoriplus; Jan 8, 2009 at 08:48 PM.
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May our Moderator Rest in Peace
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,386
Likes: 35
From: Rochester, NY
Why would you want to do that, its only another couple of quarts of oil to change them.