How do you know when its time to change the oil? Mileage or something else?

 

well, i guess you don't have a owners manual or a service manual, so if you want to do any work on the bike yourself, get one. And I think Honda calls for 8000 mile oil changes, so every 8k, Honda wants you to change it, I do mine every 5k and use Mobil1 MX4T Synth Motorcycle Oil. Yes there is a difference between automobile oil and motorcycle oil. Which ever one you want to use is up to you, but I stick with what is ment for the bike.

 

I change mine every 2500ish. I started out changing every 3000 or so, and you can really hear a difference when the oil starts breaking down. I would never try to push 8k in one oil change but thats just me. Last time i changed it a little after 2k because i was bored, its winter, and the oil wasn't that bad. After a lot of oil changes and keeping track of how many miles are on it, i like to change mine at the 2500 mark or close to that.

 

Wow, that is WAY over kill. What motor oil are you using?

 

mobil 1 10w-40 full synthetic

after 3000 miles, drain the oil and look at it, i wouldn't put it back in for another 5k but thats just me. For what i costs to keep clean oil in my bike ill change it. My cars i let go longer... but not my bike.

 

I took Honda reccomendation and cut off 3k miles, so I feel pretty safe. I was also running MX4T in my Katana for 3500miles between changes and that bike is air/oil cooled and runs way hotter then my F4i, oil temp wise.

 

5k and good oil isn't too bad. I don't know why honda would recommend 8k. I think that's just pushing it.

 

i put motul 10w 40 in mine EVERY 3k miles. never go over...ever, usually its a couple hundred before.

 

I would trust Honda, I mean, they made the bikes, they know what they are talking about. I mean it also depends on how you ride the bike and just because the oil is not light colored does not mean it worn out, most oils turn dark with in a hundred miles or so. I have seen tests for automobiles in which Mobil 1 wasused in a LS1 Chevy motor for 18K miles before it was changed out and it still had life left on it. Granted it was a car, and every 3K they were draining a half quart to send for testing....they only had to change the oil filter once, but that is a pretty good amount of time on a motor oil.

 

I shoot for even numbers so every 2k for me. I did notice a big shifting difference on the first switch to Honda semi-synthetic from convenentional, but since there has been no diff. I guess I will stretch it 3k and see what happens. I do alot of city driving in the Florida heat, so I really don't wan't to go much past that I guess, although I don't see why not.