Oil change interval

[702scottc]

When do some of you change your engine oil? Book says 8k. I'm running synthetic oil so what would be your recommendation?

[wingpilot08]

I just did my last change with synthetic..will wait for answers! I don't see, feel , hear much of a change with the synthetic, just a lot lighter wallet!

[Viking]

Once a year or 12K miles with Amsoil, and an Amsoil filter. If you are using Quaker state or Castrol synthetics, and a cheapo filter, I would be doing it at 5K personally. In my mind, it is more the filter quality that controls synthetic oil changes. Keep in mind that most people change their motorcycle oil at between 3K and 5K, so 12K the synthetic pays for itself if you go with that interval.

[702scottc]

I use Valvoline synthetic oil with Honda OE filter, no cheapie filter. The previous owner only used synthetic oil so I'm staying with it. I used Delo 400 or Rotella in my last 2 Goldwings and changed at 4000 miles. I don't have any personal experience with synthetic oils, hence the questions. According to the maintenance records I received with the bike he used either Mobil 1 or Amsoil. Mobil 1 synthetic and Valvoline synthetic are both readily available and rank high in quality. Walmart stocks both for motorcycle engines. I don't want to service it to frequently and throw away money. 6-8 k seems about right.

[raven41951]

Synthetic oils break down at a much slower rate than dino-oil. Without going into the details of molecular differences, you can safely get 10k (or more) from a synthetic oil. The key is to use a top quality filter. Lower quality filters tend to fail long before the oil does.

[PastoT]

I've run full synth Mobil 1 T4 in my 2002 since I bought it 3.5 years ago and notice a degradation right about 7k miles. I live and ride in Idaho's dessert area and venture to Arizona as well in the summer on vacation. That amounts to lot of high temperature riding, similar to your location (which is the only place I've ridden in 125F). I often have a trailer or camper in tow and that plus the heat takes a toll on my oil more than say someone in wetter or cooler climates. I note that between 6.5 and 7.5k miles the shifting is a bit louder and not quite as smooth and an oil change remedies that immediately. When I ride a vacation in 100F + temps, I can be assured my oil is going to be less protective when the trip is over than when I ride the same distance in 80F, and that the oil change reveals a darker almost burnt appearance. I firmly believe oil life varies on where, when and how one rides and that sticking to a set mileage for all GL1800 riders using a variety of oils available (Dino and Synth) is not be a great idea. I can't imagine running 8k on Dino oil regardless of the oil and filter brand in use.

[raven41951]

Agreed. Riding in higher temperature zones changes the interval. I do not tow with mine, but I do tow with a 4 wheeler. Towing adds a whole new dynamic and greatly reduces the interval. If I were to tow in my climate, I would consider a 5K interval even with Mobil1. Up here in the chilly NE and riding single, I find that up to 10K worked pretty good on my 1500. We'll see how it works on the new ride after I reach the break-in period.

[PastoT]

I found at 5k with Mobil 1 T4 the oil coming out seemed as good as it went in and slowly worked up to 7k and that's where I feel like I'm too close for comfort. The longer hotter trips with the trailer gave me minor indications that I was approaching the limit. Nothing scientific but just a gut feeling and change in the shifting and transmission noise at different temperatures. I've had no issues with my 2002 and am at 112k miles but I'd like to keep it that way. I've always felt the one thing you can do for cheap is protect your engine with good oil and frequent changes, its a minor cost by comparison to the 20-30k for a touring bike or anything you ride/drive of value. One thing to watch is the synthetics start so thin (0 e& 5W) that you could easily find more burn off oil when cold and little by little you can reach the low oil point; my Expedition at 160k miles runs clean but needs a half quart right about 6500 miles on the oil change and its running 5-20w synthetic and its oil comes out nearly as clear as it goes in at 8k.

[GRAPEAPE94]

I guess that you could say that I am slightly anal about oil changes but I do an oil and filter change every 3,000 miles. I have been using HONDA's 10/40 and a WIX filter. The bike is used every day around town so it does not get much of a chance to heat up for a long enough time to burn off any moisture that might accumulate. Once a week on a day off I will take it out for a ride of 100-150 miles to make sure that everything is fine. That also gives me a chance to get on the interstate for a short distance to exercise it at speed. The bike a '06 now has just over 195,000 on it with no problems.

[Scooter363y]

I gotta agree with the factory recommendations. I use the factory's reccomendations on oil and filters. I figure that the cost of the motorcycle warrants not scrimping on the service parts. The only thing I do different is I use the Honda dead dinosaur juice (no synthetics) and change it every 5,000 miles.

Ride safe
Scott

[WingAdmin]

Keep in mind that a motorcycle's oil wears very differently than a car.

Oil in a car has a number of purposes besides lubrication. It is used to help cool the engine, to clean the engine (with detergents), and to hold contaminants in suspension, preventing them from being deposited.

A motorcycle engine uses oil for all of those things, AND it is used to lubricate the transmission.

This is an important difference: by continually sending the oil through the gears of the transmissions, the molecule chains are continually being sheared. For this reason, engine oil that might last 8,000 miles in a car, would lose its lubricating qualities much sooner in a motorcycle engine.

My normal oil change interval on my bike is 3,500 miles, and I use synthetic oil.

[MikeB]

Keep in mind that a motorcycle's oil wears very differently than a car.

Oil in a car has a number of purposes besides lubrication. It is used to help cool the engine, to clean the engine (with detergents), and to hold contaminants in suspension, preventing them from being deposited.

A motorcycle engine uses oil for all of those things, AND it is used to lubricate the transmission.

This is an important difference: by continually sending the oil through the gears of the transmissions, the molecule chains are continually being sheared. For this reason, engine oil that might last 8,000 miles in a car, would lose its lubricating qualities much sooner in a motorcycle engine.

My normal oil change interval on my bike is 3,500 miles, and I use synthetic oil.

That makes very good logical sense. What I have never understood is Honda's recommend change interval of 8000 miles for our Goldwing engines? Seems like they should recommend a more frequent change interval.

[zg1286]

I use Mobil 1 Motorcycle and Napa Gold Filter
Change at 8,000 per Honda recommendation.

[MasterDaniel904]

I live in the high desert and the local riders around here told me to use 15W-50. We get 100 degree days starting in March and through to November! Mobil1 synthetic is available in the local Walmart in 5 gallon jugs for a bit over $25. I use a filter from O'Reilley's for another $13. For this $40 insurance I've had no major engine issues since I bought her. I notice a distinct change in the shifting at about 2500 miles and never let it go past 3000 before changing. I've even changed it mid trip when I was running from Chicago to LA and back before moving to NM! She is used around town every day, and we blow down to the local city (150mile round trip) about once a month these days. Used to run up to Santa Fe every weekend at one point, 400+ miles round trip. So she'll get new oil and filter maybe twice a year. This is a '96 GL1500 that I bought off the showroom floor 20 years ago. Chicago winters, cross country summers, and now desert heat, she's given me 140k of the best times.

[Dalydude]

I was told to only use Rotella in my 1980 GL1100, because otherwise, the wet clutch would behave funky-like. Is that a bunch of hooey, or not?

[MikeB]

Sounds like hooey to me.

[dlprice]

Five years ago I talked with an engineer who has worked at Honda for over thirty years. I asked him about his preference for oil and he told me to read the owners manual and go with their recommendations. The only oil that's been used in it is Honda 10w40 with a Honda filter. The bike has over 150000 miles on it with no problems.

[bstig60]

I was told to only use Rotella in my 1980 GL1100, because otherwise, the wet clutch would behave funky-like. Is that a bunch of hooey, or not?

Rotella is a good oil, but the statement is "hooey'! Personally, I use Mobil 1 Synthetic 15w50 purchased at Walmart in a 5 quart container and use a Napa Gold filter. I change at 5000 miles which in my case is about twice per year. Works for me......

[FM-USA]

Delo 400LE here. 200+ on the motor, no smoke so it's doing fine.
Near the oils end I'll add an ounce or two of Oil Conditioner to stretch the change on the weekend. Been doing that for 100K miles with no clutch issues AND I haul a big heavy trailer.

Walmart has the Syn Delo 400LE for about $2.50 more per gallon, might give it a shot. Any reviews?

[GlimWas]

It's nice to read that almost everybody over here nows better than mother Honda herself.
Recommended interval 12.600 km. No, let's do it more often, honda has no idea what she's talking about with her 8000 miles or 12600 km.

I do not make 12600 km per year, mostly a bit over 10000 km, so i change anually, works for me. I do use synthetic btw, my bike shifts better with it.
And this is with hauling a trailer for 5000 km on vacation.

I doubt there will be any consensus about this subject

[FM-USA]

We have one who created a sheet of ice. Question is, is it thick enough?
Let's see if it will hold any weight.

AS WE ALL KNOW...
No two humans are the same, no two coils are the same, no two tires are the same, no two... well let's put it this way, in a world of mass produced ANYTHING, no two ANYTHINGS will be the same. Now add to this dis-paired mix the VAST number of different oils produced for the "SAME X". I have a hunch one oil will have more positive effects over the many others produced. It is us imperfect humans that will make the intelligent decision through TRIAL AND ERROR what works best for them and their machine[s].

We're not stagnate OVER HERE. It's wonderful thing, to have FREEDOM OF CHOICE.

OIL ONWARD (woops, or should I say) ONLY ONE OIL FOR YOU

[seabeechief]

I change the Mobil 1 synthetic oil and Honda OE filter every 5k. I don't look at it, I don't smell it. I don't taste it. I change it. Same with my van and Jeep. Every 5k regardless. 5k is easy to remember and keep up with, and I've been using Mobil 1 for over 30 years without a single oil related engine problem. That's my two cents.

Chief

[WingAdmin]

So Honda runs a brand new bike on a test stand and puts the equivalent of 10,000 miles on it, taking oil samples every thousand miles. At 10,000 miles, they decide the condition of the oil is such that it needs to be changed. To account for variability and riding style, they bump the recommendation down to 8,000 miles, as a safety buffer.

Now you have your ten year old bike, it has much more ring wear, and as a result much more cylinder blow-by, putting far more carbon and acidic deposits into the oil than does a new bike. You also ride a lot of short trips, meaning the oil doesn't get hot enough to vaporize moisture, so you now have acidic water in your crankcase that is corroding the insides of your engine and transmission. The excess carbon is approaching the limits that the oil has to hold it in suspension, and as a result it is starting to be deposited as sludge in your engine, not to mention fouling your oil filter, which is starting to go into bypass more and more often.

So do you still think 8,000 miles is an acceptable oil change interval? Are you willing to risk the engine of your $20,000+ motorcycle because you don't want to spend $30 to change the oil?

Oil changes are cheap insurance, and are the single most important thing you can do to ensure the longevity of your engine.

[Dark Angel]

Rotella T6, Honda filter. 3 to 4K. I can tell a shift difference at around 3k. This oil is being sheared by the fibers and steels in the tranny. I change my tans oil in my race bike every 4 hrs or 2 hours depending on conditions. That can be 1 race and it is only in the transmission and it is full of particulates. The top 2 clutch makers recommend the Dino Rotella as the best performer for wet clutches, i.e. Rekluse and Henson. That is what most people run in their smoker cases. I run the synthetic in the mighty wing. I am very clutch/shift sensitive and when you get that less than ultra slick Honda GW shift you feel it.

[Lynnmarn]

I have a 2006 GW and settled on 5,000 miles which is easy to remember. I use Rotella synthetic from Walmart with honda filters bought off Amazon. I found that even with only 50,000 miles to go much over 5,000 miles the oil level begins to drop. I only drive about 5,000 - 8,000 miles a year so $35.00 is cheap. Retiring this spring so maybe my wife and I can put a few more miles on it. It is my 6th bike. In 6 years and probably my last unless I upgrade to a 2012. I have no complaints about my bike. Nothing to complain to Honda about. I just love my Bike and will ride it until I can't.