[Ghost_Rider]

how often do you guys recommend i change my oil? im trying to figure out what would be my yearly maintenance cost on the cbr when i pick one up.

 

[onewheelpeel]

Whenever in doubt I would just follow the manufacturers recommended intervals. They obviously know what their doing.

 

[CBR-guy]

I wouldn't exactly use the factory recommendation. But instead use it just as a guide. Basically the harder you push your engine the sooner you should do the oil change

 

[CBRad]

Me - every 4,000 miles, but at least once a season and once at 600. Like CBR-guy says though, you have to make your own decisions based on your riding and conditions. Of course, you could also get into things like oil analysis, but I'm just going with what I have stated here. Might change after I have a talk with a trusted guy I know who wrenches Hondas for a living.

 

[Ghost_Rider]

thanks guys!!! ill definitely take those into consideration!! now all i need to do is learn how to do the oil changes myself. lol

 

[jkv357]

It depends on the conditions and especially how long you ride.

Starting and riding for a short distance requires more frequent oil changes than extended trips. The main thing you are fighting is contaminants and the degradation of the additive package in the oil. When you start-up an engine you are adding moisture, acids, and unburned fuel to the oil. Most of it burns-off when the oil reaches a high enough temp for a long enough period. Water temp (aka engine temp) and oil temp are not the same thing. It takes significantly more time for the oil to come up to its operating temp than it does for the coolant to come up to its operating temp. It's when you don't allow the oil to get up to that temp (short trips) that the contaminants build-up. Cold temps make it worse.

I'm a believer that synthetic oil is a really good idea, especially when the engine only holds a couple of quarts or so. Some people feel they can run synthetic for an extended period compared to conventional oil, but I feel the real factor is build-up of contaminants, not miles. A taxi or over-the-road truck can safely run oil many times longer than someone that just runs to the store and back.

I change the oil before storage on all of my cycles, no matter if it only ran 1000 mi. Dirty oil during storage is worse than dirty oil during regular riding IMO.

So it really depends, but I personally never go as long as the Owner's Manual recommends unless I've done a large amount of extended highway cruising.


Jay

 

[BBRMotosports]

I forget what honda says but it's somthing stupid like 6-8000 miles. I disagree with it and do it just like a car. every season or every 3000.

 

[Wynne G Oldman]

Do what Honda recommends, and you won't go far wrong.

 

[feliz]

Honda produces more engines than anyone else in the world, I'll do as they suggest.
The people who continually advocate ridiculously frequent oil changes are the oil companies.

 

[lenbrinke]

i'm doing 8ooo before i change mine,maybe alittle longer because
using a good synthetic oil.at 4500 now-oil looks new still.
i also ride a few times a week with no storage for winter.

my ranger o6 sport with the 3.o has 5000 on
it's oil right now and it looks like i just changed it.
but it almost never gets past 2500rpms.i'm a slowpoke
crusin at 45-50 it's only hitting 1700rpms.(automatic)
sticker said 23 hwy,i get 26-28mpg every fill up after trying
to keep it under 2ooo rpms.

 

[qlred]

I changed mine whenever the transmission felt a little stiff or sticky, and each time it felt smoother afterwards. I changed it 4 times in the first 8k miles.

 

[jkv357]

Honda produces more engines than anyone else in the world, I'll do as they suggest.
The people who continually advocate ridiculously frequent oil changes are the oil companies.

As with most manufacturers, Honda doesn't want its motorcycles to be seen as "maintenance intensive".

Following their oil change guidelines is fine, in some instances, but it all depends. If you are in warm temps and ride 30 miles to work each way, you will be fine with their numbers. If you ride in cold temps and go 3 mi each way, your oil will not be in the same condition after 1000, 3000, 5000 mi or whatever.

You can't have one number that will work for all conditions, but that's what everyone wants.


Jay

 

[feliz]

As with most manufacturers, Honda doesn't want its motorcycles to be seen as "maintenance intensive".

Jay

They also don't want their motors failing before a reasonably expected time!!! If people know more than the manufacturer let them line the oil companies pockets..........they need the money. I read on some forums were owners are using synthetic oil and changing it every 1,000m.

Obviously people have to use common sense, if they're racing, riding a mile each way to work or in -40 degree temperatures they should change their oil accordingly. All auto and bike manufactures are extending oil change intervals but the oil companies have stuck to their 3,000m changes for decades. Gee, I wonder why?

 

[lenbrinke]

i agree the oil companies want you to change more to make more money.
remember these cans
found this a few months back doing a remodel job turning a garage
into a room.was tucked way back in a little wall space.unopened
i still have an old oil spout that punches in the top from years.....ago.

 

[feliz]

Hey, I remember those!!

Yup! I've been involved in motorcycles a long time, worked in the industry and I've never heard of an engine failure due to the oil being changed at the factory recommended intervals. My frame will rust out before my engine stops that's the reality of it. Being a M/C forum someone will prove me wrong though.

I'll admit that with an engine holding 1.6 litres of oil it's not a big effort or expense to change it more frequently.

 

[Michael]

They also don't want their motors failing before a reasonably expected time!!! If people know more than the manufacturer let them line the oil companies pockets..........they need the money. I read on some forums were owners are using synthetic oil and changing it every 1,000m.

Obviously people have to use common sense, if they're racing, riding a mile each way to work or in -40 degree temperatures they should change their oil accordingly. All auto and bike manufactures are extending oil change intervals but the oil companies have stuck to their 3,000m changes for decades. Gee, I wonder why?

Old habits, maybe.

The dino-oil they used in days of yore broke down quicker than today's products. If multi-grade oil was not used, a different grade was recommended for different seasons. Small and medium sized motorcycles didn't have oil filters. Frequent oil changes were the way to go.

The CB125 of the 70's needed an oil change every 600 miles to prevent failure of the camshaft, which ran in a plain bearing. For a Chinese knock off, which had a more robust head design, the oil change interval could be extended.

Modern synthetic and semi-synthetic oils have a longer service life. Add a filter into the lubrication system, to remove nasty solids, and a much longer oil change intervals can be scheduled for normal operating conditions.

Even for bikes that don't have a filter, such as the current Honda Wave, the scheduled oil change now is 4000 km / 2,500 miles for its 0.7 litres of the slippery stuff.

Of course, as has been suggested, under more extreme conditions more frequent changes than scheduled may be the common sense way to go.

 

[hondafan]

You can usually tell when oil starts to break down by the feel of the gear shifter. The transmission will start getting stiff and notchy, and you may have problems finding neutral. When this happens before my planned change interval, I change the oil early. The 8000 mile change interval in the owners manual seems terribly optimistic to me.

 

[250 Tom]

Oil is the life blood of the engine and it holds less than two quarts. Its not that expensive and its easy to change. Why push it? Going 8000 miles on the same oil in that little motor is crazy. I also use synthetic oil as its much better.

 

[Wynne G Oldman]

Some cars have 20,000 mile oil change intervals now.

 

[jkv357]

Some cars have 20,000 mile oil change intervals now.

There's a guy on a fuel economy site that never changes his oil in his TDI, just adds some occasionally. Oil itself doesn't wear out, it's the additives that wear out. That and the increasing amounts of contaminants signal when the oil needs to be changed.

In my mind, high revving engine + small oil capacity + extended change intervals = fail. Poor maintenance is just laziness IMO.

My yard tools get better maintenance.


Jay