Your Oil Change Intervals

[David Thompson]

i change the oil once a year whether it needs it or not

 

[ChevyFazer]

i change the oil once a year whether it needs it or not

How many miles do you do a year?

 

[Downs]

The US manual calls for 4k intervals the European manual calls for what amounts to 6k intervals. (I'm talking miles here).

I split the difference to 5k and call it a day. If you look at all the service intervals and compare them US vs EU all the US intervals are shorter than EU intervals.

I pick and choose between the two schedules and split the difference on others and program them into a maintenance schedule app on my phone.

 

[mave2911]

Interesting thread guys - I just got my FZ6 (23000kms) and was wondering about oil change intervals.

I used to change my bike oils every 5000kms, but with the FZ6, I'll be using Motul 7100 fully synthetic and a PureOne filter (ordered from the States!)

I ride a minimum of 500kms a week, to and from work. (minimum as it's quite likely to be higher)

So, what say ye edumacated ones?

Motul 7100 is $90, so that means it'll cost me $90/month for oil!

Any recommendations?

Cheers,
Rick

EDIT: As for the 'specified' oil change intervals, I'm using a much better oil than the Yamalube crap - so?

 

[Dave.TX]

Everyone has a different opinion other than the oil needs to be changed.

When I got mine it had 6400 miles, unknown oil and a Napa filter.

I changed the oil 1,900 miles ago (at about 9,000 miles ODO) and it looks as clean as the day I put it in. Used Mobil1 oil and filter. No problems so far. Don't know if I'll do the 5,000 mile (8,000 kilometers) range I do with my truck or not. I've only had the bike 4 1/2 months and have put on about 1,000 miles per month.

I thought Yamalube was good stuff, no? I've been using Mobil1 for over a decade in all my vehicles.

 

[TaiwanTony]

Change mine every 3000km max. Mainly due to a lot of town riding in stop go traffic (I use my bike nearly every day) and the elevated ambient temperatures here in Taiwan.

 

[mave2911]

I'm thinking if I use a good quality filter (PureOne) and good fully synthetic oil (Motul 7100) I should get 10 000kms (6000mi) per oil change.

Since I do so many kms, 500kms per week minimum, that'll mean I'll have to change the oil/filter every three months or so. ($120 per change!)

Any thoughts on this?

Cheers,
Rick

 

[Downs]

I'm thinking if I use a good quality filter (PureOne) and good fully synthetic oil (Motul 7100) I should get 10 000kms (6000mi) per oil change.

Since I do so many kms, 500kms per week minimum, that'll mean I'll have to change the oil/filter every three months or so. ($120 per change!)

Any thoughts on this?

Cheers,
Rick

I ran a supertech filter and rotella T synthetic and run the same 5k mile interval.
Did the same interval filter and oil on my FJR 1300 when I crashed it she had over 75thousand miles on the clock and was still running strong.

I think that oil and filter in the states enough to do the bike with anyway runs me less than 30 bucks.


Sent from my iPhone

 

[hazy]

I change my oil and filter every 6000km.

 

[novaks47]

I'm thinking if I use a good quality filter (PureOne) and good fully synthetic oil (Motul 7100) I should get 10 000kms (6000mi) per oil change.

Since I do so many kms, 500kms per week minimum, that'll mean I'll have to change the oil/filter every three months or so. ($120 per change!)

Any thoughts on this?

Cheers,
Rick

Sorry, I took a break from forums for a while, so I just now saw your question.

I recommend have a UOA(used oil analysis) done. A UOA is where you start with a fresh oil change, ride it until it's time to change, and grab a sample of the used oil, and send it off to be analyzed. The company that does the analysis then sends you a report of what they see, and can recommend whether you should go longer, shorter, or keep the same oil change intervals. Now the hard part is, I have no idea where you can have it done in Australia. It's usually done via mail/post anyways, but I don't know of any labs over there. I'm sure there's someone that'll do it over there, just a matter of finding them. Ask around on Bob Is The Oil Guy - Forums powered by UBB.threads™

That's the best way to know for sure.

Is there a cheaper oil you could go with? $120 is a lot for an oil change, especially on a motorcycle!

 

[mave2911]

Is there a cheaper oil you could go with? $120 is a lot for an oil change, especially on a motorcycle!

Umm - canola oil is about $3 a gallon...

But, I really want my bike to last for a while!

Cheers,
Rick

EDIT: Actually, the oil change cost me a bit less, as I bargained with the shop, the oil went from $96 retail to $76 (my price) for 4 litres, and the filter was about $10 (delivered from the States, via Amazon)

 

[fb40dash5]

I'm going for 5,000 miles on mine, with Rotella T6 and a K&N filter. I changed it about 1k ago, my first change since I bought the bike, and so far it's still nice and golden. If it starts getting nasty sooner, or god forbid I don't put another 4k on it over the summer, I guess I'll change it sooner.

Between the relatively large capacity, the need to use a good ($$$) oil, and the filter, it's a pretty expensive oil change regardless... though not $90 expensive.

 

[KingY]

mine only gets changed once a year by the dealer in its annual service. comute day in and day out and ride hard on thr weekends. never had any problems and i ride like this on every bike i owned in last 6 years. rides great with no loss of performance. all good

 

[djstrong]

My last oil change was Amsoil and changed at 6,500 Miles.

I figured this was before the 2 X 4000 mile interval recomended for full synthetics. All my previous chnages were at much less miles.

However, the bike shifted and ran better with fresh oil, So I won't go that long again. Maybe 5,000 miles for me from now on.

Note, I ride relatively conservatively. Mosty freeway, up to 7,000 RPM and only once a day or so to higher RPM. So this is easy on the oil. about 2000 of these miles were in our winter weather which is probably worse than warmer weather for the oil.

21K on the bike now and I really can't believe how great the FZ6 fits my needs. Reliable, easy to maintain and ride.

 

[ChevyFazer]

mine only gets changed once a year by the dealer in its annual service. comute day in and day out and ride hard on thr weekends. never had any problems and i ride like this on every bike i owned in last 6 years. rides great with no loss of performance. all good

Do you ride every day?, or just using day in and day out as a figure of speech? I ask because I do ride my bike everyday, and I end up changing my oil about every 3-4 months. My bike would have seized up by now if I only changed it once a year, maybe my commute is just longer than yours, after all I got the bike in june of last year with 10,000 on it and I'm about to hit 26,000 or 27,000, so ain't no grass growin' under these tires lol

 

[KingY]

i ride day in day out. my only form of transport. do about 15,000-18,000 miles a year. ! service a year and thats how i roll. My last FZ6 was going strong untill i was write off and i had that bike for nearly 3 years, did the same with my R6 and my now FZ6. I see it as an engine and a bloody good one. Dealer only ever compliments how tidy and well the engines are on both the FZ6's i had

No problems here, even though i know it is frowned upon

 

[ChevyFazer]

Wow, I change my oil between 5,000 to 8,000 depending on how hard I ride, and I use royal purple max cycle still no way I would go that long though...

It's your ride though...

 

[foracco]

I believe in frequent oil changes too, but oils now a days are much better and these synthetic ones don't break down as much. Will have to adapt....

I used to change oil for my cars myself but the oil changes are so far apart (>10K with topping every 5K) I have given up on that.

Just today I got stuff from local OZ/AAP and got the Mob1 20W50. I think I will go with Chevy Fazer on the oil and order online. The good oil hardly needs replacement before 5/8K depending on temperature and how you ride and the engine condition of course.

I am straight rider, I don't lean but yes I do occasionally test the limits of the bike, both in acceleration and speed.

Just learning the ropes of MPFI engine and this bigger engine. I am used to cleaning carburetors of 2 stroke engines, that should say something of my age. :rockon:

 

[mave2911]

I'm coming up on my second oil change since I bought the bike. (used)

The previous owner was almost as fastidious as I am, but put Shell Advance dino oil in every 3000-5000km.

With the first change, I put Motul 7100 full synthetic in, and the 'box is much nicer.

I'll probably change every 5000kms, which is an expensive proposition ($90+ per oil/filter change) and as I use the 'bike as a commuter, it'll be probably 10weeks between changes. (the oil is getting dark now, at about 4500kms)

Each to his own, and yes, I'm probably overdoing it - but, she's my baby, so a little more TLC is warranted.

Cheers,
Rick

 

[FZ6_Black]

Is it the same for a bike as in a car? You can go so many miles or so many months?