*Oil Change in Race Bikes: How Often is Too Often???

Ok here is the deal.
For one I know that “fresh engine Oil” is a key component in a race bike engine having a long and lustrous life. For me its no big deal to change the oil, but I hate the feeling that I am being a pre-Madonna and wasting oil.

The price of oil and filter might be cheap compared to the price of getting an engine rebuilt, but I want to know “How often is too often”???

I change my oil in the track bike ever other race weekend or so. When I checked the log books I didn’t realized that the range was 220 miles to 450 miles between oil and filter change. Also I use Repsole “Semi” synthetic 10w-40 oil.

I ran my 08 1000 in Nationals 6 hour race, fresh oil change before hand and during the race the bike was running a little hot at times. In the end I put on 335 miles. The oil still looks tanish in color, but I know thermal breakdown don’t show color. Since the miles were continues (do that matter?)

So am I changing the oil too often? Just right? Not enough?

 

I do every other track day, But also Im running 10w50 repsol Full Synthetic. I think every oher is good to go!

 

I thought it was every 3000 miles?

 

Moe, I change mine around every 500 miles and have never had a problem.

Running Amsoil or Motul semi-synthetic.

 

the only way to know for sure is to send a sample off for analysis to somewhere like blackstone labs. every other weekend is PROBABLY too often, but like you say- better safe than sorry. again- send it for analysis to find out. everyone else on the board would be interested to see the results i'm sure.

 

I do mine at about 300 to 400 miles (typically 3 race weekends) but I keep in mind that endurance bikes do 4, 6, and 8 hour races (and 24 at times) and oil related failures are rare. Oh, and oil doesn't "heat cycle". I do use full synthetic Silkolene - thanks to them for supporting Wera racing with contingency!

 

The big thing on a race bike is that is it full throttle to closed throttle at high rpms and a lot of oil contamination happens from unburned fuel etc. I run the cheap full synthetic and change the oil only after each weekend.
I was also told to use a full synthetic because it holds up better then dyno oil when diluted with fuel and combustion byproducts.

 

No such thing as "too often."

I would recommend changing the oil at a minimum every race weekend.

 

I've heard on average that racebike miles are about 10 times the abuse as street miles.

 

Yup I did just that recently. I had 4 events and several track days on it. Based on the analysis I could have waited until the end of the season.

 

mr sunshine
would you care to elaborate a little more on your findings?

thanks

 

Mine is changed EVERY race weekend. Filter every other weekend. :up:

 

I've heard with the full synthetics to just change the filter, not the oil. The oil won't break down, but it will get dirty. That was from an Amsoil rep

 

good luck with that

 

+1

 

uhhh.... it will break down eventually i assure you. nothing lasts forever. there are, however, some "35,000 mile" auto oils that amsoil makes where they say to just change the filter at 15-20,000 miles and then do oil and filter at 35K.

personally, on my bike i do oil and filter together- everytime. i'm not one of the "change every weekend" guys though. i've gotten analysis that has suggested that's a waist of money.

 

+1

I've done this lots of times, and while I still do it, every other weekend is "too often" if you want to put it that way. I like to do it though to a) get a good eyeball on things (tiny leaks, loose bolts, etc...it's an excuse to put a wrench on the thing), and also I cut the filter apart to check for shiny bits. But, if we're strictly talking about the condition of the oil, you could easily go 5 race weekends at a time and still be well within acceptable parameters assuming no extreme conditions (overheating, bearings that are on the way out, etc.). This is according to oil analysis, not seat-o-pants guessing. Oh, and oil is gonna get dark with use. This has nothing to do with how 'worn' it is.

For the OP, if you want to save a little coin, switch to Rotella-T synthetic. It's cheaper by alot than what you're using, and at least as good.

 

Oil "wear" will depend heavily on how hard the motor is run, the condition of the motor, the state of tune the motor is in, the fuel used, the tempeture the motor is run at, and the skill if the rider.

Motors are just like tires the faster you go, the faster they wear out.

Your experiences does not cover all applications.

Oil is cheap......motors are not. Change your oil often if you want it to last.

 

same :up: