Oil change interval

[Supertee123]

Hi folks just wonder when you change the engine oil ? I like to change around the 6-7 KM mark and oil filter every 2nd oil change though I’ll remove it every oil change and leave upside down overnight.
I’m at 180000km and going strong
In Scotland at the moment,beautiful spot

 

[Boris]

Usually somewhere between 5-6k miles, oil filter changed every time I change the oil. The handbook does however, suggest oil filter change every other oil change.

7k KMs is well inside the recommended interval.

 

[bimota]

i change mine every 12 months with filter at around 4000

rob

 

[RCinNC]

The owners' manual says to change it every 4000 miles (7000 km), and to change the filter every other oil change. I don't think you can go wrong with following that guideline. I've stuck with that oil change routine for the past almost 104,000 miles, and the last oil analysis I did at 88,000 miles showed all is well with the engine internals. I do, however, usually change the filter with every oil change, but not every time.

Bear in mind that I've always used regular oil (though more often than not I haven't used motorcycle specific oil). I know that some synthetics have a much higher suggested oil change interval, so I might be inclined to follow the oil manufacturer's recommendation in cases like that rather than Yamaha's.

 

[EricV]

The US owner's manual suggests 4000 mile intervals.... but the EU owner's manual suggests 10,000 km oil change intervals, (6200 miles). It's about a nice even number. I split the difference and change mine at 5000 mile intervals. I'm a filter every time guy. But I used to ride 25-40k miles a year, so it wasn't something I could just do once a year.

@Supertee123 - You're changing it more often than suggested by Yamaha for the EU, but it's not harming anything. Some riders like seasonal changes or annual changes as it fits their riding parameters. If it works for you, go with it. The oil doesn't 'break down' from just sitting in the bike. And unless you're going to park it for years, you don't really need to worry about combustion wastes in the oil hurting anything over winter. IMHO, the small amount of dirty oil in the filter after a drain isn't going to impact the oil performance or lubricity if you're going to do every other filter changes.

 

[Cycledude]

Unfortunately oil company sales people have many folks wasting a LOT of oil by simply changing way more often than necessary, believe it or not changing the filter every other oil change like Yamaha recommends will actually filter the oil better than a brand new filter.

 

[SkunkWorks]

I usually change the oil around 4,000 miles, unless I'm on a trip or it lines up with my down-time between trips.
I will put it off sometimes to around 5,000 if it's more convenient for me.
I usually change the filter at every oil change, but I may start leaving it on there until the second..................

 

[Mad_Matt]

Very timely thread; based on what I am hearing here, I will aim for every 5k (+/-1k) for my oil changes.

 

[OldRider]

I think how you ride really makes a difference on how dirty the oil gets . I wanted to go see some family on the west coast and the weather was perfect so I jumped on the Goldwing and took off. Three days out, three days back and 4500 miles on the bike and the oil still looked as clean as when I left. If I had done the same mileage riding locally over a 6 month period, starting the engine hundreds of times, the oil would have been very dirty. JMO