When do you change your oil?

[kawi kid]

OEM filters are designed and are engineered around that particular engine.

As for the K&N question, a lot of track day guys use them because of the safety wire end on them.

Here's a bit of food for thought. Race engines are well maintained and are built to be as much performance as possible within rules. They are actually not as abused as say a street bike is, but the idea is that they use the best they can for whatever the application. Race teams use OEM filters...

this is tru. i agree with this whole heartedly

[kenny]

I hope you're using the motorcycle specific oil... Car oil isn't designed to be used in a transmission. Cars and trucks have seperate oils for each application. Car oils do not have the anti-foaming agenst found in motorcycle oils. Thus, it can be harmful to your motorcycle to use car oil. I know Mobil 1 makes a motorcycle oil, but please tell me you're not using car oil in your bike...

As long as the car oil does not contain molys (read: no EC logo) it won't effect your clutch. Look at your manual, it's in there.

You seriously think oil companies spend all that money developing synthetic oils and they're sub par to motorcycle oil? It's called marketing.

Me, as well as plenty of others have been running normal off the shelf car oil with no ill effect.

Edited November 9, 2008 by kenny

[kenny]

this is tru. i agree with this whole heartedly

It isn't true. There have been studies showing OEM filters are worse than the cheaper cross referenced filters.

Simply because it comes on the bike stock doesn't make it the best...

Granted, the stock filter will work fine but if you can buy a better filter for less money, why use the stock one?

[kawi kid]

from what i understand there are different detergents in motorcycle oil over car oils. plus there are other differences for the wet clutch and transmission.

[kenny]

I've got 22k miles and counting with not a single issue on a stock clutch, stock transmission and stock motor.

I'm not the only one, there are plenty of racers that abuse their bikes quite a bit more than what mine sees and none of them have issues.

[f4isvt]

you may not see any present issues but I could cause your clutch to prematurely wear.

[kawi kid]

A non-motorcycle specific oil will foam when the transmission beats the hell out of it. Your car oil doesn't need this additive since your oil sits below the crank. Oil that is foamed will not lubricate or pump like it should.

As far as oil used... I use Mobil 1 MX4T in the Ducati with either a Ducati oil filter or a K&N Gold filter. I'm not sure what's going to go in the Buell. Probably just Mrs. Butterworth's.

In the Ducati I change the oil every 6' date='000 miles whether it needs it or not. I haven't read the schedule for the Buell yet but I assume it just says to add fresh oil as necessary.

[/quote']

kinda what i was going for about the foaming.

and i at the comments about the buell hahaha

[kenny]

you may not see any present issues but I could cause your clutch to prematurely wear.

Prematurely wear? Like, before 22k miles? Right.

Whatever you wish to believe.

[kenny]

A non-motorcycle specific oil will foam when the transmission beats the hell out of it. Your car oil doesn't need this additive since your oil sits below the crank. Oil that is foamed will not lubricate or pump like it should.

wat

Do you have any proof of this or just hearsay?

Considering there are TONS of racers using it I'm pretty sure you have no facts to back this statement.

[kawi kid]

its not just a marketing scam there is a difference in the two types of oils

[kawi kid]

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Oils/Motorcycle_Oil_FAQs.aspx#FAQs2

i think you stated you ran mobil.

[kawi kid]

dosent wiki know everything???

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycle_oil

[12oclocker]

extremely often. I don't even like the oil to start to break down. probably every 1k miles, I check the oil and rub it between my fingers, if its start to not feel new, or when it starts losing color I change it. I'm weird like that. sometimes it goes a bit longer, but I dont like it too.

[Disclaimer]

I've used car oil in the Hurricane the whole time I've owned it - without issue, and I put maybe 7000 miles on it before I sold it.

That being said, I've read all the articles on using 'SG' rated motorcycle oil vs. 'SJ' car oil and the different additive packages and whatnot. I'm convinced, given the information I've read, that Purolator is the best value regarding motorcycle filters. They have better filtering than OE filters - whether you need it or not, is debatable. I agree with Lizard that the engines are designed to run with the filter level of the OE filters, so filtering out particles even smaller than what the OE would catch, may only be a 'piece of mind' thing. I've never measured oil pressure, so I don't know that the pressure differential across the OE vs. Purolator filters are. I think I read it was neligible.

I'm also convinced that 'SG' oil is probably better for your bike because of the additive packages, but may increase engine wear because of the additives they need for thr transmission, while 'SJ' oil would probably be better for your bikes engine, but may cause your clutch to slip because of the automotive additive packages in that oil. But, out of all that, the most important is that the oil is certified JASO-MA 4T standards. (SG standard is obsolete by the way).

Ohh, and synthetic 4 life!

Note: My verbiage is a little loose here, so cut me some slack on the technicalities where I'm wrong.

So, pick your poison.

Of course, you don't need to worry about anything if you regularly change the oil.

http://www.wingworldmag.com/archives/november2005/magazine/article/OilStandards.html

http://www.apicj-4.org/EngineOilGuide2006.pdf

Edited November 9, 2008 by JRMMiii

[kenny]

Tons of racers using it' date=' probably. Tons of mechanics and technicians, probably not. I've met a lot of racers that couldn't find a blown fuse let alone know what kind of oil to run in their bikes.[/quote']

I've met plenty of mechanics that have no business turning a wrench, so that argument doesn't really fly.

Let's make this simple for those of you that have to run whatever came in the bike from the factory:

Show me ONE bike that has had a failure due to any of the filters/oil I mentioned.

[kawi kid]

the internet is a big place im sure there is something out there

[R1Limited]

It all depends on how long I plan on keeping the bike.

On my first (02 R6) I changed it once in 12,000 miles because it was my first bike and knew I would sell it after a year or 2.

For the new R1 (plan on keeping it for a long time) it gets changed approx every 3k miles. More often than that it is a waste of money and riding time!!

[kenny]

the internet is a big place im sure there is something out there

So find it. I'm sure it's simple since car oil suddenly foams and is sub par for motorcycles.

[kawi kid]

does your computer not support google or what?

i posted the faqs from your oils website, yet you still believe the difference? fine by me.

[kenny]

Take your own advice and do some research.

http://www.nightrider.com/biketech/oiltest1.htm

Just one of the many. Again, find me ONE bike that failed due to Mobil 1 extended life. You said it would be easy, you said you know how to Google it, get on it.

[kenny]

and since you probably won't read all that I'll give you the only part you need to see,

Bottom Line

It could appear from this data, then, that there is no validity to the constantly-used argument that motorcycle-specific oils provide superior lubrication to automotive oils when used in a motorcycle. If the viscosity drop is the only criterion, then there is certainly no reason to spend the extra money on oil specifically designed for motorcycles. There does, however, appear to be a legitimate argument for using synthetic and synthetic-blend oils over the petroleum based products.

[APCh8r]

I change mine every 3K or soon. As far as track days, I will be changing oil on that bike every two or three track days. In reference to you winter question, ikt depends if I have the bike ripped apart before or during that. Usually happens that I have already changed it and just wait till spring and change it again.

[kenny]

You probably should have read the article I posted before typing that reply, that is EXACTLY what they did.

Christ.

[kenny]

If you're saying dino oils are the same as synthetics you obviously didn't read the article.

[R1Limited]

my dad can beat up your dad.