Oil change frequency

[JimP]

When I had my first oil change and switched to synthetic the tech at the dealer said the frequency doesn't change. With my car I can change it's now after every 6000 miles or so. So why does my bike not go longer on synthetic? How often do y'all change your's?

[Ironhead]

if they are telling you the frequency is 3000 miles, I would say either 1, they just want the $$$ for changing your oil every 3000 miles, or it could be 2, if not changed as frequently as the manufacturer suggests, it could void your warantee

[vlade]

its no longer a problem with the oil but you still get contaminants in the oil, metal chips and what not. your filter can clog up and go into bypass.

[BigWorm]

i change my oil every 5000 or before a race season which ever comes first. i only use amsoil 20/50 synthetic, mobil 1 is good oil too. the reason i use amsoil is my buddy is a dealer and i get it el-cheapo. bout 7$ a quart .

[RubberDown]

On the bike I run Mobil 1 full synthetic and change every 5000. On my wife's Edge it get synthetic blend and changes every 5000. Even the owner's manual on both vehicles say's every 5000. If they told you every 3, then they're just trying to take that money........

[Rainrider]

Harley-Davidson recommends every 5000 miles, but I change every 2500. I run convnentional.

New filter and conventional every 2500 is cheaper than new filter and synthetic every 5000. I'd rather have clean conventional as dirty synthetic.

[JimP]

Thanks for the feedback. I guess you just need to make sure that it's clean and not getting funky.

[DevilDog]

I run Mobil 1 full syn 20/50 at about 3000 miles I will start to look real close at my oil, and what type of riding I did on that 3000. If I rode it hard or I was in a lot of stop and go where the temp was up I will opt to change at 3000. If it was easy riding or cool temps for that 3000 I will stretch it to 5K. Or if its at 3000 and I have a trip coming up, I will do a filter and oil change.

[Crocodile56]

I change my own oil, just keep checking it until dirty than change it..................if you ride hard......you change more often than if you just putt around! Just my 2 cents!

Oh.....I still use OIL...........real OIL!!!!

[72trav72]

I run mobil 1 thats whats been in since it was new.. every 5000 or if it starts lookin dirty.. Only looks dirty when i do solo riding.. wonder why??? :)

[B-Man]

Change mine every 3000 miles in the pickup and wifee's car! change every 3000 in the bikes also! Dad always said it was preventive maintenance keeping clean oil in your vehicle!! I use HD Synthetic!

[Dan]

OK this is from amsoil's site directly SERVICE LIFE Recommended for use up to twice the motorcycle manufacturer change interval (miles/hours) or one year, whichever comes first, in engines, transmissions and primary chaincases. It is recommended that if you don't use the amsoil filter that you change your filter at the scheduled interval of the manufacturer

So with the recommended intervals of 2500 miles on my sporty and every other interval is just an oil change I could eliminate the oil change interval and only do the main service intervals that include much more than an oil change, thus saving $88 every 5000 miles.

Hope this helps clear that up if you go with amsoil.

Now at work and I know this is slightly different because its a truck, we recently switched to Mobile1 synthetic in all of our trucks and the oil change intervals were changed from 15,000 miles to 50,000 miles

[vlade]

key word is filter use theirs or replace the stock at regular intervals.. Again the big worry is oil contamination with syn not that it wont last longer

[wndchsr]

I dont let mine go over 3500 miles, even with full synthetic. The dealer and the book recomends 5000 but I dont feel comfortable letting it go that long. I know plenty of guys that change at 5K and just as many who change it at around 3K.

[B-Man]

I figure there is alot of vehicles especially Chevy that the oil change is calculated on the number of revolutions the engine makes. That's alot of revolutions on a 2 cylinder V-twin in 5000 miles...........I'll spend the extra to have clean oil!!!