Winter storage - when to change oil?

[max power]

Now with Poll!!!1!

Winter is here and its time to store the bike (unless you are one of those nuts that ride after the brine and salt hits the streets).

I have always changed the oil in the spring when unwinterizing and have heard some good arguments for doing the oil change at the end of the riding season and some who only change the oil at prescribed mileage intervals.

Curious what the consensus here is.

Edited December 16, 2012 by max power

[drew95gt]

I always have done mine in the spring when de-winterizing regardless of mileage, peace of mind thing.

[TSB67]

[rslocum]

I always change mine at the end of the season. I like to have clean fresh oil in it as it sits for 5+ months. I guess it depends on how often you change your oil through the season.

[Gump]

Spring, more so because I can't remember come spring, what I did or didn't do.

The fresh oil and sitting bologna is for the birds. IMO

[Helmutt]

Before winter, acidic contaminants hanging in my engine for months doesn't appeal to the internals. Plus, it leaves less to do when there is a nice day or when Spring hits, just air up the tires and ride

[redbarron77]

Since the weather here is more conducive to riding year round, I stick with mileage.

[ReconRat]

I change my oil when I think it should be changed.

Short list of reasons (roughly in order of importance):

Parking it for the Winter.

Overheated the engine oil.

Oil is dirty/contaminated by appearance.

Oil is visibly lacking in viscosity.

Ambient temperatures are maxing for the season.

Wanted to inspect the oil for condition of the engine.

Bought crappy oil and want it out of there.

Left the oil in there for too damn long and it needs to be changed.

edit: one more traditional reason: oil is low - fix the leak or change the oil - I do not add oil.

edit: I am changing my oil today. Dec 16.

Edited December 16, 2012 by ReconRat

[conn-e-rot]

I change mine once there has been enough snow that the roads have been heavily salted then I know I'm done riding for the year. I don't ride my bike once the roads are covered in salt until spring rains wash it off.

[jschaf]

Does anybody have any photo evidence of the said damage that can occur from leaving oil that is not new in your bike over the winter?

[Pokey]

I don't worry about it one bit, of course I don't winterize my bikes anyways. Winterizing for me would be a full tank, some Stabil, and being on the battery tender until the roads are clean and dry with temps above freezing. And as for oil damaging an engine from sitting for a few months.....I call 100% BULLSHIT. Had a 1977 GS550 that I got for free, had both oil and gas sitting in it for over 10 years, once everything was drained and refilled, put in a new battery and it started right up and ran great with no ill effects.

[ReconRat]

I think you'll find that the modern oils do a really good job of cancelling the corrosion.

Inside the fuel tank and exterior of the motorcycle is where you'll find corrosion.

Not finding corrosion inside an engine probably means the oil's anti-corrosives were doing their job.

[Bubba]

I'm with Pokey and others who aren't totally anal in this thread. Most modern engines run so much cleaner than the motors we had 'back in the day', gasolines are much better at cleaning deposits from the upper cylinders, lead additives have been gone for years, and modern oils--whether dino or synthetic--are much more stable in terms of heat breakdown and oxidation. There isn't any reason to change other than at the recommended mileage/time intervals.

For some home mechanics, the oil change process is more of a ritual than a necessary maintenance chore. Do it if it makes you feel good, but anything more than what the manufacturer recommends is a waste of good money and petroleum resources.

[ReconRat]

Today:

Short ride to warm up engine.

Oil changed.

Stabil added.

Tank filled.

Bike washed.

Short ride to enjoy weather.

Bike parked in storage.

Battery pulled.

Good night motorcycle, see you next year.

edit: WHAAAAA I want my motorcycle back already!

Edited December 16, 2012 by ReconRat

[rslocum]

This is a poll not who is right or wrong. Oil change interval can be based on mileage or drive cycle. If you drive like a little bitch or bang off the rev limiter on a track should dictate when you change your oil. Even depends on quality of oil you're using. I choose to change mine at the end of season because I ride it hard and it's one last thing I have to do come spring time.

[Helmutt]

So old habits die hard, just what my pops always taught me so I tend to service vehicles going into winter, whether that be for storage or simply so I dont need to dick with laying under a frozen snowpacked vehicle in the middle of February. You guys are most likely correct with modern oil recipes being far better at resisting corrosion than they were 20-30 years ago, I just always do what I've always done:D

[Pokey]

So old habits die hard, just what my pops always taught me so I tend to service vehicles going into winter, whether that be for storage or simply so I dont need to dick with laying under a frozen snowpacked vehicle in the middle of February. You guys are most likely correct with modern oil recipes being far better at resisting corrosion than they were 20-30 years ago, I just always do what I've always done:D

Change your car oil at 3000 too?

[Brownsfan1]

Since the weather here is more conducive to riding year round, I stick with mileage.

This.

[Steve Butters]

I just ride all year and change oil every 5k

[Bad324]

do mine in the spring

[Helmutt]

Change your car oil at 3000 too?

Nah, I go 5k on the truck and car. But I do change the bikes oil every 3k since it gets more abuse than the 4 wheelers do

[Pokey]

Nah, I go 5k on the truck and car. But I do change the bikes oil every 3k since it gets more abuse than the 4 wheelers do

That makes perfect sense and good sense.

[Helmutt]

Where opinions and rectums are equally abundant

[jch82]

Since the weather here is more conducive to riding year round, I stick with mileage.

Same here.

[Kmanlyst]

I do my at recommended intervals since I am riding year round. Speaking of the ride to work this morning was fun.