Oil Change

[TallRider]

I changed to synthetic at 1200 miles. Now over 4000. Some have told me you can run 9000 between changes with synthetic. Normaly I change every 3000 miles on my vehicles. 04 Silverado has 152,000 changed oil and batteries only. 1 Serpentine belt flushed coolant once. Runs so smooth at idle can't tell its running. I'm afraid to try and tune it up. So do I change my Valkyrie oil now or what? ??? I intend to but just wondering?

[idcrewdawg]

I think the owners manual says something about every 4000, but I don't have my manual handy to verify that.

[TallRider]

Owners manual says shift 12, 19, 25. 31 mpr everyone follows that right? Manual is for regular oil. I am talking about synthetic oils. I plan to change oil 3000 4000 intervals but was just curious about longer intervals with synthetic. Everything is in one basket here, clutch, trans crankcase. trans and clutch will contaminate oil more than if were separated so I think common sense not to linger too long between changes.

[goldstar903]

Confucius say, Man answer own question! 
Good reference: http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/Oils1.html
 

[Adirondack Bill]

We all know synthetic oil lasts much longer than regular oil. But I don't think you should base your decision on when to change your cycle oil on when you change your truck oil. I feel motorcycle engines and tranny's put more "stress" on the oil than cars/trucks. I use full synthetic in my bikes and I try to change the oil every 5,000 miles.

[Thor32]

When I went to the Honda service to get my 5000 mile fluid change and check the service tech did not recommend synthetics. Has anyone seen a problem with these oils on this bike?

[dans2014]

  As long as you use Motorcycle  rated synthetic in the proper viscosity your fine. If its still under a Honda warranty, as mine is, I'm using all Honda oil and filters once a year or every 4-5000 miles. I don't tour anymore so I will change once a year in the fall so it doesn't sit all winter with dirty oil in it. Just my 2 cents!!

[dans2014]

After reading goldstar's oil page, I'm using Shell Rotella T !!!!

[Robert]

Manual says 8k for oil changes for our bikes, synthetic oil in car can go 7 to 8k. If you change it more often your wasting money.

[goldstar903]

Manual actually says 4000 mi. change oil and filter.   

[Robert]

 The truth is 4k for the first change 8k between changes from there on out.

[dinosnake]

They say 8k but all the oil wear tests, done by owners, shows oil degradation by 4 to 5k.  Take that for what it's worth.

[dans2014]

  Gotta throw a time frame in as well. Once a year minimum

[Robert]

I have not seen any tests done that indicate oil break down of synthetic oil in 4 to 5k. Now regular oil in motorcycles is less more like 1500 and I can believe that for dino oil, (no joke intended).

But any synthetic even the ones with not as good base stocks have been proven to go at least 7k and in my own tests 8k seems to be the falling off point on automotive applications.

 Now for me and most time would not be an issue since, most go more than 8K in one year. This is also most peoples experience and recommendation for the oil changes on 1500 Valk or the Wing and like some have said before I think on our bikes you could use corn oil and still have them live.

  I have not seen or heard of one oil related failure of any Honda Valkyrie regardless of oil used and there are some high mileage valks.

 Regardless of breakdown of oil, Honda with regular oil still says 8k between oil changes for our bikes.
 
As an example or study, I have one guy who has a 99 3500 pickup and has 100k on the odometer he used to do oil changes at 3 to 4k with dino oil. I talked him into synthetic and changes at 7k, the truck now has 175 on it and there has been no change in residue on the inside of the engine, no change in performance, no oil leaks.

[brew1brew]

just to clear things up, this is the service interval page from the 2014 Honda Valkyrie service manual, It clearly indicates first oil change at 4k, and then every 8k miles after that.

[TallRider]

Thanks guys for the input. I realize these topicks seem repetative but always nice to refresh the input. I try to change at a 3k interval but do not use a stop watch. I tend to put things of and regularly go over. I rather do it more often than stretch the product. If Adrien is monitoring this, his weather sucks. Sitting here in chicago.  Got here Monday. Got off  80 and before I got to my daughters house here by New Lenox Car got hit by all the major dirt groups. Salt, ice, snow and mud. Frost hit last night. I couldn't put up with this crap for nothing any more. It sucks.