First let’s answer the question, what does my oil do?

Oil is used for more than just lubricating moving engine parts, it cleans crucial internal parts of your engine to help with wear and tear. The oil is there every time you start your motorcycle and rev your engine! It’s used to lubricate, clean, and shield your engine from cold and extremely high temperatures.

How Often Should I Change My Motorcycle Oil?

How often you need to change your oil will depend on the type of oil it uses, miles, and the frequency it’s driven. Your user manual will provide the recommended services for your specific bike, but as a general rule:

• Synthetic oil should be replaces every 5,000 miles or at least once a year
• Conventional oil every 2,500 – 5,000 miles or at least once a year

However, you will need to replace your oil more regularly if you ride your bike frequently or over long distances every day. You should also change the oil if you feel that it is unclean or that your engine is not operating as it should.

Should I Be Changing My Oil Filter?

Many people wonder if they need to change the filter every time they change their oil. As a basic rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to perform this maintenance service. While it may seem like a small and unimportant task, the oil filter is as important as the oil itself in the aspect of making sure the motorcycle runs properly.

Your oil will stay clean with the aid of the oil filter. It keeps sludge, metal shavings, dirt, and debris out of the crankcase. Your engine oil will last longer if you change the oil filter frequently. If these items weren’t caught by the filter, multiple areas of your engine would become dirty more frequently and potentially harm your motorcycle’s performance.

In Conclusion

Make sure the oil you are using is designed for your engine i.e. air cooled vs water cooled bikes; a motor off the showroom floor vs high performance motors. Synthetic motor oils are recommended if you ride your bike every day because they are more cost-effective in the long run.

Make sure to regularly check your bike’s oil level. While maintaining the proper level of oil is good, having clean motor oil is most important!