WGREGT Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Ok. Am I doing it wrong? Don't mean to start an oil war, but just noticed in the SM the recommended oil and filter interval on the 6th gen is 8,000 miles. Really? Anyone following this? Thoughts/issues? I've always done 3k on all my schtuff. Now I feel...not right. If Honda-San says it's so, it must be right....right? Damn it. I just checked the SM's on my 1st Gens AND 4th Gen, and they are 8,000 mile intervals too! Think of the $ I've wasted! I could be living on an island somewhere! The ZX is every 6200 miles (10km)! Double damn it! OK. Who else is still doing the (apparently) old skool 3k oil swap here, SM be damned? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud786 Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 I don't even go half of 8000 miles, Im rewarded with a post 100,000 mile vfr that still runs as good or better off the showroom floor and still has the original clutch that performs flawless, and lets not forget no valve check, course my secret sauce is also a routine dose of leaded race fuel. Far as Im concerned , that's the ticket to long life, without compromise and degrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Rush2112 Posted December 30, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted December 30, 2014 I usually change around 3k but I don't sweat it if it goes to 5k or more (and it routinely does)... I use really good oil 8k in my opinion is pushing it for an oil that also does tranny and clutch work too... YMMV Only way to really know is send it in for lab analysis... I'm about to send in some 5k oil to see how it measures up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer RollinAgain Posted December 30, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted December 30, 2014 I have always changed oil between 4-5k miles when using traditional dyno based oils and around 6-7k when using quality synthetic oils. Changing oil every 3k miles is a waste of money and oil in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted December 30, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted December 30, 2014 1500-2000 miles for me and I use the best oil on plant earth " Rotella T6". Let the oil games begin .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer VFRMAN Posted December 30, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted December 30, 2014 Every 4000 miles,oil and filter for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GadiantonRob Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Rotella t6 every 2500, or twice a year. Cheaper than one change with overpriced moto oil. T6 shears quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Conedodger Posted December 30, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted December 30, 2014 You know they built in a safety factor. If Honda recommends 8K, the oil is probably good for 10K or more. That said, I store my bike for close to 6 months every year due to NY winters. I change my oil every fall at about 5K miles. Well within Honda's guidelines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted December 30, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted December 30, 2014 Wasting good oil.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer FJ12Ryder Posted December 30, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted December 30, 2014 I think I'd send some oil off to Blackstone Labs before I'd run it for 8,000 miles. But I don't have any problem with 5,000 miles, but oil changes at 3,000 miles, especially with synthetic, are a waste of oil and money. IMO of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GadiantonRob Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 I have seen lab results from t6 in a 6th gen and it seems to only be good for about 2500 miles. The good thing is it's good, cheap oil. I don't mind changing it anyway, no panels to remove and it takes all of 10 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer mk2davis Posted December 30, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted December 30, 2014 3rd gen states 8k miles too, and the oil we have now has GOT to be better than 23 years ago. That said, I change oil every 5k (on the #0 and #5 of the odo) on all my vehicles just so I remember to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Conedodger Posted December 30, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted December 30, 2014 3rd gen states 8k miles too, and the oil we have now has GOT to be better than 23 years ago. That said, I change oil every 5k (on the #0 and #5 of the odo) on all my vehicles just so I remember to do it. That is how we do the cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer KevCarver Posted December 30, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted December 30, 2014 ST1300 also says 8000 miles. Analysis I've had done supports it. Of course it's a pretty low revving engine. Even compared to VFRs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer MaxSwell Posted December 30, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted December 30, 2014 My first VFR, an '01 I bought in 2006 with 4,000 mi, had oil changes, mostly dino, between 6,000 and 10,000 mi, forever. At 104,000, just before she was KIA'd by a deer, I sent a sample to Blackstone for analysis. The results are in my gallery. They said the engine was in above average condition for the mileage. Their last comment was" "nice bike". So that confirmed to me that my oil changing routine was fine for engine life. I think short oil change intervals are a waste of money, and unnecessarily add to the degradation of our planet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamworth Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 I just use old oil drained from the neighborhood lawnmowers (where do you think Rotella comes from). This lasts me a good 20, 000 miles, just like my rear tires.I know this is good because the bike performs far better than when it came off the assembly line, and the clutch likes it too because it has actually reversed the clutch plate wear and they are now far better than when new. I've done this for 40 years and the bike has never let me down, you just can't get any better proof than that, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duccmann Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Wow, so I've been wasting hard earned $$ and time every 3k......guess better late then never to learn. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGREGT Posted December 30, 2014 Author Share Posted December 30, 2014 Wow, so I've been wasting hard earned $$ and time every 3k......guess better late then never to learn. Thanks You too, huh? I have seen lab results from t6 in a 6th gen and it seems to only be good for about 2500 miles. The good thing is it's good, cheap oil. I don't mind changing it anyway, no panels to remove and it takes all of 10 minutes. You don't remove any panels on the 6th gen to do an oil change? THIS I MUST hear more about. I take off the entire left side (easy) and that little triangular painted left corner dash piece (PITA). Break it down for me, will ya? I've got the same RWB you do. And what's up with Bilt gear and you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duccmann Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 My 6 gen oil change.....I remove the two bolts on the left bottom chin plastic, remove clips from the underside of fairing, and the two left side fairing bolts...one by the kick stand and the other 1/2 down between knee and ankle. I still have all the Cali plumbing in front of my oil filter.....with the fairing loose its easy to get the filter off. Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGREGT Posted December 30, 2014 Author Share Posted December 30, 2014 OK. Questions: -left bottom chin plastic....you mean on the side panel itself? You said bolts, so this must be what you mean. -underside of fairing? On the bottom (facing the floor) of the fairing? The bottom are two blk plastic pin clips, I think. Not worried about the flex in the fairing when you pull it back? No cracking, I suppose? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer luvtoleanit Posted December 30, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted December 30, 2014 I think I'd send some oil off to Blackstone Labs before I'd run it for 8,000 miles. But I don't have any problem with 5,000 miles, but oil changes at 3,000 miles, especially with synthetic, are a waste of oil and money. IMO of course. Without a lab analyzing it you've got absolutely nothing for data. Nothing at all. 8k is definitely doable with Amsoil, Rotella breaks down sooner. Send back to back samples off and it should give you an idea on where you need to be. Blackstone will send you the kits for free. You pay only when you send it in. Makes for some paperwork to hand off to your buyer if you ever decide to sell or a warranty claim in that rare occurrence. Has definitely helped me when I sold a bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baileyrock Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 I don't think there's a single manufacture on the planet that recommends oil changes every 3000 miles. That came from the oil companies who want your money. Great job brainwashing everybody with commercials recommending 3000 mile oil changes. As far as a VFR goes , Honda built the thing and recommends oil change at 8K intervals with their Dino oil which is crap, if you check on this it rates amongst the lowest in quality. IMO a VFR will easily go 100k miles on any oil at any interval, maybe even a single oil change. Running on the recommended deno oil at 8K miles intervals would be no issue whatsoever so if you look at something like mobile 1 or some other Quality synthetic oil which should go at least 50% longer than the crap deno Honda oil and obviously 8K OL changes are unnecessary. I've got 105,000 miles on my 02 VFR beating the crap out of it and have gone over 10,000 miles on a single oil change. Obviously the only real answer would be a oil analysis test. But I don't believe the 3K oil change BS!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee 2002 Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 I usually change oil and filter when shifting doesn't feel "smooth" anymore... which usually happens around 6,000 miles. I use Mobil 1. I don't get too hung up on oil.... At my previous job, during the course business, I had occassion to talk with a Mobil petroleum engineer to get an oil spec on a very high-value piece of equipment. Of course, after business was concluded, our talk drifted to motor oil. This was right around the time when Chevrolet started delivering all new Corvettes with Mobil 1. He told me that part of the testing to get the Chevrolet endorsement was running a Corvette 24/7 until it had 10,000 miles on the clock then tearing the motor down for inspection. He told me that he changed his oil in his personal car at 8,000. I respectfully disagree with Baileyrock, the "3,000 mile oil change" did not come to us "from the oil companies". It came to us from our fathers; who were driving their cars in 1965. If you hoped to get 50,000 miles out of your motor, you changed your oil every 3,000 miles... and even then it was a crap-shoot as to whether you would get 50,000 miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GadiantonRob Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 You don't remove any panels on the 6th gen to do an oil change? THIS I MUST hear more about. I take off the entire left side (easy) and that little triangular painted left corner dash piece (PITA). Break it down for me, will ya? I've got the same RWB you do. And what's up with Bilt gear and you? Remove top two of the four lower middle fairing bolts. The mid fairing can then flex enough to remove the filter, and the drain won't spill anything on the fairing when center-standed. I only do one filter per year. Oil only half way. Easy peasy.Also, BiLT gear is garbagio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamworth Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 snip Honda built the thing and recommends oil change at 8K intervals with their Dino oil which is crap, if you check on this it rates amongst the lowest in quality. .snip Can you produce a reference to this claim regarding the quality of Honda's oil?, and which Honda oil are you referring to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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