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Should I change oil now or wait until next year?

2K views 18 replies 13 participants last post by  07 Yamaha R6 
#1 ·
I've changed my oil last year fall of 2014 using motul 7100. Despite being busy this riding season, I've only put about 400 km. Should I still change the oil now and make it ready for next season? OR change it beginning of next season, or wait until end of next season?
 
#3 ·
As long as an engine gets up to temp to burn off water in the oil, it's only really bad for it to be sitting in old oil for a long time if the oil has become acidic from absorbing combustion byproducts and its acid neutralizers (represented by its TBN) have dropped off. 400 kms on a quality oil like Motul 7100 is not long enough to do this. You should be fine just leaving it over the winter.

If it were me I would just put it away for the season and ride it next year till I hit my OCI. I'm sure others will have a different opinion.
 
#17 ·
thats a bit of a gray area, as ive been known to do an oil change at very close to season end, subsequently putting some few thousand kms..

so yeah i've changed it come spring time, some say oil does age after 6 months either way; but generally if its only got 1500km on it, i'll just ride it out to normal intervals on the new year
 
#18 ·
I always change it before I store it.
If nothing else, it leaves a stain on the oil level window, and the clutch basket, which is a bad sign when trying to sell.
I believe the 'dirty oil has acids' story.

As for changing it in the spring, I don't believe semi-synthetic oil breaks down sitting in my engine for 4-6 months.
As for moisture, I think parking your bike hot in the pissing rain a few times will draw in more moisture than a bike sitting there all winter under a cover.

I stick to what has worked for decades, fuck the science!! ;-)
 
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