Oil change intervals
 

06 CBR f4I

I'm running castrol power rs racing 4t full synthetic oil 10-40
Should I still stick with the 3k miles per change or with synthetic on bikes can you run it longer before change? Or like run 6k miles change filter at 3k?

The 3,000 mile interval was a benchmark established long ago. Way before the engineering, machining, and refinement process that are used today. It was a good idea 20-30 years ago, but is almost completely irrelevant today. Stick with the oil weight and change interval that the manufacturer gives you. If you're paranoid about it, maybe next time you change your oil, by the recommended oil AND some cheap oil. Put the cheap oil in and ride it for a few days just to clean out any extra crud in your engine and then do a second oil change will the good stuff. I do this every 4-5 oil changes for no real reason other than it gives me peace of mind.

I've always wanted to do the extra oil change thing with my car and motorcycle but just never got around to it. Depending on how you ride the minimum you would want to go is 3 but Kiithsjet is correct...the 3,000 mile mark was set long ago. Check you users manual and it probably will tell you to change it maybe every 6,000 miles and to use regular oil. If you are using full synthetic and change it every 6,000 (or whatever your manual tell you) then you should be just fine. As for me, I will likely be changing my oil every 3 to 4K miles with Mobile 1 full synthetic "race oil"...less than 10 bucks a quart at WallyMart!!

I wouldn't necessarily trust what the manufacturer states in the manual. In order to appease the EPA and other tree loving hippies, manufacturers state "long" intervals so it seems like they're not using as much oil and polluting as much. Synthetic oil does in fact last longer than conventional (as in it doesn't break down as quickly), but what you're concerned about are the particles and contaminants that get suspended in the oil... regardless of whether your oil is good or not, running dirty oil is like rubbing liquid sand paper against your pistons and cylinder walls. I dunno about you guys, but 3000 miles and my oil looks like ****.

manurfacture reccomendation, or when you start shifting like ****/ hard nuetrals. whichever comes first.

im personallly planning on doing rotella T6 every 5k, easy number to remember. the rr does not seem to be a big fan of the regular rotella unlike the old F2.

no way in hell am i running oil for 8k miles..

Oil is cheap, motors are expensive.

Exactly.

Manufacturers have extended oil change intervals for all the reason listed here already- looks better for the EPA, looks better to the consumer, oil is made better, additives packages last longer, and lastly because they make things so much better today that they have to do something to make them wear out so you'll buy another eventually :) I don't really care what the owners manual states, I stick to the oil change interval that makes me feel good.

I change at 10K intervals and a new filter every time. 100,000 miles and counting says that isn't wrong.
Have more faith. Oil has come a long way and if you don't chuck cheap crap in it you'll get your moneys worth without destroying your engine. Technology and millions of dollars of research will only keep making it better.

3k is for conventional oils OR if you fall under the hard service schedule generally.

Somewhere around 5K is plenty safe with full synthetic oil. Or at least once a year depending on how much you ride.


IMO ;)

Intervals for motorcycles is more frequent than cars because the oil is also the lubricant for the tranny, clutch, and other critical parts. I keep a close eye on the oil and when it's looking nasty and gets a funk smell, change it out. This is in the area of 5K to 6K miles on a full synthetic... also depends on what type of riding I've been doing. When riding like you stole it, expect a change sooner than later.