r/NewRiders • u/GreatQuestioner2 • 1d ago
When should I change my oil?
This bike was handed to me by my brother and he said something about changing my oil but I wasn't paying attention. We had it for about 1-2 years and it has over 9k km total on it. Should I change my oil now, or should I wait for it to be a specific number?
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u/Fancy_Strawberry7137 1d ago
Just change it man, takes 20 minutes.
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u/FourRandomLetters 1d ago
That. It's fairly cheap as far as motorcycle stuff goes, easy to do, can't hurt anything even if it didn't need it, and you'll know 100% when it was done last and what oil was put in it.
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u/hilomania 1d ago
On a new used bike i change fluids upon taking ownership. Then depending on the bike every 5000 miles or so.
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u/KardashevZero 1d ago
Wtf are these comments. Your bike isn’t the same as OP’s. OP, consult your owners manual or search it up for your precise model online. What works for one bike won’t necessarily work for another.
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u/Harrymoto1970 1d ago
Change it once a year. I do mind during the winter
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u/EnvironmentalGift257 1d ago
I do the cars twice a year and bikes on the spring rotation before riding season. The RV gets done on the fall rotation. That one sucks. 12 qts of expensive diesel oil.
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u/wascallyrabbit_69 1d ago
You could do blackstone oil tests to determine if the oil residue needs changing. Cheaper than 12qts good synthetic oil.
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u/EnvironmentalGift257 1d ago
Being an RV it doesn’t really get that many miles. I’ll probably skip it this fall mainly because it’s a pain in the dick.
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u/GreatQuestioner2 1d ago
I think my brother said he changed it last year, so can I change my oil later?
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u/Tsuyvtlv 1d ago
What's the bike, first of all. There's a vast difference between different models and even more between different types.
That said, changing oil early can not hurt it in any way.
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u/justplayedcards 1d ago
just buy your owners manual.. I know it's expensive but some engineer who gets paid a lot already figured this out. I change mine every 3 to 4k miles since I dont drive that much.
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u/SwiffleTitz 1d ago
Did he hand you a manual with the bike? It will tell you how often to change, but generally it’s around every 5k miles travelled.
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u/antilumin 1d ago
Times to change the oil:
- If you've been following the service manual, when it says to. After break in period, after every 3-5k miles, stuff like that
- When the oil looks bad/dark and you suspect it needs to be changed
- You need to do some mechanical work and the oil is in the way, otherwise you'll just make a mess
- Some sort of work or change warrants making sure the oil isn't carrying contaminants
- You can't remember the last time you changed it and suspect it's been way too long
The gist: it's usually pretty cheap, so better safe than sorry.
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u/LowDirection4104 1d ago
You should change oil at least one a year regardless of how many km you have put on the clock, because oil will oxidase even just sitting around.
Since you don't know when the oil was changed last I would change it ass soon as possible.
I would also find out what the service intervals are for your bike, different models are different. Some bikes need their oil changed every 1200 km others can go for thousands, really depends on the model and the specifics of the engine design.
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u/gofl-zimbard-37 1d ago
You have a complete unknown. Oil is cheap. Change it right now, and regularly thereafter.
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u/ficskala 1d ago
he said something about changing my oil but I wasn't paying attention
call him and ask, no point in doing an oil change if he told you he just did it
Should I change my oil now, or should I wait for it to be a specific number?
Check the bikes manual, for example my old bike had an oil change schedule for either 6000km or 1 year, and my current bike has the oil change schedule for either 10000km or 1 year, and you do whatever comes first, that distance or that time, because oil degrades over time as well as with distance
Ofc when changing the oil, replace the oil filter, and check the air filter
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u/bigsad-bear 1d ago
I daily commute on my motorcycle because I do not own a car in Los Angeles. I change my oil and filter every 3-3.5k miles. I also use a heavier oil in summer versus winter months because sitting in 100+ heat while splitting standstill traffic sheers the fuck out of it.
Your manual will tell you how often to change your oil. If you only ride every once in a while - change it yearly, at season begin or right before a long trip. If you ride often, the more frequently, the better.
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u/MaxAdolphus 1d ago
The manual will tell you. Google to find the manual for your bike. But without that, at least every 6 months or 8,000km/5,000mi, whichever comes first (that’s generic, so find the manual and do what it says).
If you haven’t changed the oil in 1-2 years, how long has it been since you cleaned and lubed the chain?
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u/Robert_Hotwheel 1d ago
What kind of bike is it? You can Google what the factory recommended service intervals for your specific bike are. I would go ahead and change it now regardless, since you don’t know the last time it was changed.
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u/Chainsawsas70 1d ago
Minimum every year... If you don't ride it much,if you ride all the time then you should do it every 5K miles at least.
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u/w1zk1d 1d ago
Change now. I would even change it again after another 500-1000 miles since it hasn't been changed in awhile. Then every 3k miles, but that's up to you.
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u/GreatQuestioner2 1d ago
My brother mentioned that he changed it last year, maybe it could wait until like a month or two?
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u/w1zk1d 1d ago
Ok- since he changed last year, then you should be ok. If you put on over 3k miles since then, then I would change it now. If not, you can prolly wait until next season or when it goes over 3k miles.
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u/max-torque 1d ago
What's the mileage since the last oil change? And exactly 1 year or coming soon?
Change according to mileage or 1 year whichever comes first
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u/Electrical-Cup-5922 1d ago
I’d change it now to be safe and then do it once a year or about every 4-5k miles