Just a curious question.. is changing oil to often a bad or good thing? I bought Madonna brand new 0 miles. After 200 miles i changed the oil to get any metal pieces out that might have been in after running a new engine.. now my engine in (615 miles on her) i want to change the oil again or should i wait til i hit 1000 miles and then change it every 1000 miles or is that too often?

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No sir! Can't change it too often. I change mine as soon as it turns. Usually anywhere from 800-1000 miles. The better shape your oil is in, the better shape your internal parts will be in the long run. I ride Priscilla very hard, so I stay wayyyy on top of my oil changes. I have done 7 oil changes so far and I'm at 13890 miles. Checked my valves and all were in spec. Flashed her at 7000 miles and she is runnin better than ever.

* Last updated by: Cblast on 4/15/2014 @ 9:09 AM *

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Yea what C said. It won't hurt anything but your wallet. I changed mine at 75 miles and I'm about do it again at 650 miles while Cblast lifts up the skirt on my ecu this week. I would say dont change it anymore often than 1000 miles though or your just wasting perfectly good oil after break in. I plan to change mine every 1500 after 1000 miles

* Last updated by: Nastynotch on 4/15/2014 @ 9:17 AM *

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Thanks fellas... that was gonna b my next question is when is how soon is too soon so im not wasting good oil. So 800 to 1000 miles is cool for an oil change. Thx again

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Unless you're really whooping on it like C or racing, you're pissing away money for no good reason. You can feel it change through the transmission. I usually go 2000-3500 depending on how hard I'm beating on it and if the feel changes. But your next oil change can be between the 600-1000mile on the odo. That's what I did for the second change after the first a 250.

* Last updated by: Cornelius on 4/15/2014 @ 10:12 AM *

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Change it at 600 don't wait for 1000 ... It dino, so your only helping get rid of possible particles and
Dirt, then change it every 1000 or 2000 while you continue to use dino,

If at some point you go to full synthetic, then unless you ride really hard like C, you could
Wait until 3000 or so to change, just my opinion though.....

Actually my oil was pretty dirty after 100, for just having 100 miles on it ... At 600 it wasn't too
Bad, but I had rotella dino in it at the 600 point .... If you can see you oil getting dirty
Change it, no matter the mileage, your engine will thank you later ...

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Kawi recommends 4500 miles before switching to full synthetic.

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Not sure i wanna go full synthetic.

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I don’t want to hijack this thread, but ... Nitti, there’s a motovloggers meet up at Revzilla next Saturday at 12:00pm. Maybe you can meet us there. (weather permitting of course)

2010 ZX-14 MotoVlog

while Cblast lifts up the skirt on my ecu this week.

Can't wait bud!

Ur gonna be swimming in torque!

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I'll be sure to wear my floatation device!

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I would ask when what is the hardest on time your bearings have during it's life? My opinion would be during startup after an oil/filter change. How long does it take for the system to pressurize? I only change my filter every other oil change for this reason and change the oil when shifting stops being smooth. It's about 1.5K to 2.5K on my carb'd ZZR600. On my cars, I change the filter every other time. I have 125K on my 2005 Pathfinder and I changed my oil ~7K to 8K and oil filter every other time. I do not use oil and it stays clean until about 4k then it starts to darken. On the bike I use Rotella Syn and in the Pathfinder I use Walmart SuperTech Syn it tested the same as Mobile one.

You can change it every day if you have enough money. not that it would make a difference between that and sticking to recommended intervals-except for your wallet.

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Yup, change it as often as you want to, or can afford to. As a suggestion (stated above), once you get the first few out of the way; change it by shift feel.

You'll know when the additives are breaking down due to shear in the trans. And don't hesitate to run synthetic. OR if your going to change it really early IE every 1000 miles, run the non synthetic, to save some money.

But on the synthetic, It wont hurt a thing. As long as you run a SJ type w/o those high mileage additives. Ive ran rotella, rotella t, amsoil, mobile 1 4t, and even the alisyn 0w-20 that brock recommends. I'll try the <0 next time, maybe. Or back to the rotella. Amsoil didn't seem any better to me than the rotella in terms of shift feel above 3000 miles. So I may as well save a lil cash.

The ONLY thing I can come up with - as being a bad thing with too many oil changes, might be thread wear for the plug on the pan. lol.

Man I use Motul 300v full syn and I don't change til 3000 because it can go 5000, but every time I drop it at 3000 it still looks good to go but it's your bike and your preference cuz it can't hurt.

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Just a curious question.. is changing oil to often a bad or good thing? I bought Madonna brand new 0 miles. After 200 miles i changed the oil to get any metal pieces out that might have been in after running a new engine.. now my engine in (615 miles on her) i want to change the oil again or should i wait til i hit 1000 miles and then change it every 1000 miles or is that too often?

I subscribe to your philosophy on this. It's one of those mysterious things that no one can say is definitely right or wrong. I studied it over when I broke in the busa.

I gave the busa a hard break in with 1/4, 1/2 and full WOT runs to redline. I changed the dealer prep oil soon after the first ride, less that 20 miles. Just a few speckles of metal in the bottom of the drain pan. I'm still glad I did it just for peace of mind.

Changed to Spectro in the blue cap (gold is synthetyic--don't use that until at least 2500-3000 miles). This used more for off road bikes, I hear but it contains metallic additives that are GOOD for your brand new engine. Some of the microscopic metallic particles in your break in oil are supposed to be there to help the engine wear in properly (or so they say.) So if you dump early, might as well fill with Spectro conventional.

I ran the Spectro to about 200 miles and dumped it. There was about the same amount of metal shavings but larger pieces.

Filled with Spectro again. Ran that to 700 miles and dumped. Fine speckles suspended in the oil with a few larger filings in the bottom of the pan.

Changed to Spectro one last time and ran that to 1200 miles. Dumped.

Stored for winter with Suzuki 10W-40 which I have used ever since.

Have 6000 miles now. No sparkles in oil.

* Last updated by: Rook on 4/15/2014 @ 11:40 PM *

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Man, seems like all you guys are throwing away money changing it so early & often!

Have any of you done an oil analysis with a company like Blackstone to prove the need to change it?

Also, at what mileage did most change from dino to syn? The post above by Cornelius referencing 4500 by KHD is the first I've heard of it. I was thinking about dropping my dino and putting in T6 this weekend.

Thanks for the responses. I dont want to waste money but i do want my bike to be taken care of the best of my ability. Kofla thx for the invite.. would have been nice to meet up but im working Saturday.

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There is a private lab about 2.3 miles from my house that I give my samples to. I gt the oil usually changing color about 800-1000 miles. I have had it sampled at this point and here it's still okay but showing signs of breakdown from heat cycles. At 1200-1400, it's always toast. No real shear stability. And zero resistance to heat causing the molecules to separate. As in broken down to the point where I was feeling it in the shifts about 100 miles back and she is ready for the fresh stuff. Now, I am blessed with some pretty dang awesome roads and I ride her hard every ride. Pushing my girl a bit is the reason. For everything. :) and she has seen more than her share of time strapped to a dyno. These things are what cause my particular diligence. But I think 'miles' are not a guide at all. Your oil should be changed exactly as often as it needs it. We all have the same 5 senses. I am by no means trying to be blunt here, but if we all watch our sight glass and do a pre and post ride check (takes very little time!), we can keep these machines in optimum condition. When you see you oil change color and it doesn't look 'good' anymore and AS SOON as you start feeling it through shift lever engagement and clutch lever feel, get it out of there. Change it BEFORE it gets that slightly acrid stench. Note your miles, but I do only as a point of interest for my maintenance book. No use pushing her further when we rely heavily on them for their performance. Just my 2c. And CHANGE THE FILTER along with the oil every time.

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Cblast.. thx thats what i needed. A guide so to speak on what to look for when oil needs to be changed. Nk great roads here in the city of brotherly love. So im 100 percent sure i dont ride half as hard as u. I have to leave the city to get some good roads and highways. So 1000 to 1200 miles seems like a good time to change. Im gonna to start checking it as all other fluids for wear and need of replacement. Thx again.

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Yessir!! No prob bud! I still show pics of your bike as an example of 'what to do'! I get some customers with new machines that need a direction. Your baby is flawless sir!
I just realized something, all this talk of fluids and I need to swap out my dang clutch fluid. I'm lookin at her and that reservoir is dark. I was thinkin of goin to the rizoma fluid tanks but I like being able to see the fluid. Now rizoma does have some new ones that have a sight glass and are beeyooteefull!

* Last updated by: Cblast on 4/16/2014 @ 9:16 AM *

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Page 123 in the R's owner's manual. After 600 miles using their oil from the factory, there is no warning saying do not use syn after 600. It says to use semi-syn* by using the manu's brand that was formulated for the bike. This all ties in with the factory and their jobbers like the tires needed for this power is a Z rating. Tires follow the manu and I would guess the oil manu's run spec oil for this kind of power so a semi-syn is used.

The oil is dumped hot so when there is floating debris in the oil, it can be flushed out, not drop into the sump and accumulate. The more you dump, the cleaner the internals from being scratched (at the cam tower caps) or the debris is crushed (into the bearing inserts) and wear out the bike in this manor. An aftermrk air cleaner is another engine killer so keep the OE in there, but change that at a half the interval the book calls for.

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Awesome hub! Perfect advice on the air filter! I love that oem filter. Even in the clean air here I have to change more often, I always find a shite ton of pine needles in mine. And there are great deals on oem parts online. When I find one, I order enough to get the free shipping. :))

* Last updated by: Cblast on 4/16/2014 @ 9:25 AM *

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Man, seems like all you guys are throwing away money changing it so early & often!

I think it was a hundred $$ oil bill for all the Spectro I bought. Worth it to feel like I did the break in the way I wanted. Sheesh, I didn't even let the dealer run it more than 3 miles. They took it less than 1.

Have any of you done an oil analysis with a company like Blackstone to prove the need to change it?

My own observations tell me you don't need to change it. There wasn't that much metal in there after the first couple hundred miles and what was in there isn't going to get past the filter. I'm sure it's the visible particles that are a concern. Perhaps the more important point is "how good is your lubrication on a tight new engine?". Fresher oil is always better at lubrication.

I gt the oil usually changing color about 800-1000 miles. I have had it sampled at this point and here it's still okay but showing signs of breakdown from heat cycles.

Also, at what mileage did most change from dino to syn?

2500 on the 14. As I mentioned above, I noticed the head cover leak the following year. Well, the head cover bolts were not torqued very tightly and the head cover was a leak point on the Gen1s. But it did not leak on dino oil.

I dont want to waste money but i do want my bike to be taken care of the best of my ability.

Now rizoma does have some new ones that have a sight glass and are beeyooteefull!

You can pick up anodized reservoirs with sightglass on Ebay for cheap. They look pretty small though. I'm not sure if the amount of fluid in the system affects brake performance. Might, if it gets hot. ??

The oil is dumped hot so when there is floating debris in the oil, it can be flushed out, not drop into the sump and accumulate. The more you dump, the cleaner the internals from being scratched (at the cam tower caps) or the debris is crushed (into the bearing inserts) and wear out the bike in this manor. An aftermrk air cleaner is another engine killer so keep the OE in there, but change that at a half the interval the book calls for.

...and if you want to get all the oil out, just let it sit here and drain for a few hours in the garage.

on aftermarket air filters, I have one but I don't use it often. It's not a big hp mod. Just 2 at the top end. Worth the $$ but not something you will notice unless you race.

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bike only had a few thousand miles on it when i changed the air filter

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