How often you change oil?

[kokis]

On oil can it says that you need change it every 10K miles or 1 year. Can I just top up oil if I did not used it for 10K miles during the year?

[ChrisK]

It would be better to change your oil at the beginning of this season. Oil breaks down just sitting in your motor over the winter. I believe Ducati's oil service interval is less than 10,000 miles anyway.

[Bishamon]

It would be better to change your oil at the beginning of this season. Oil breaks down just sitting in your motor over the winter. I believe Ducati's oil service interval is less than 10,000 miles anyway.

It was my understanding that, if choosing between the two options (changing the oil just before storage in the Fall or just after storage in the Spring), that changing it before storage makes more sense because it is not desirable to allow oil that has contaminants from use to sit in the engine over the winter months.

[HotIce]

What are those storage and season things you guys are chatting about? 

[ducpainter]

It was my understanding that, if choosing between the two options (changing the oil just before storage in the Fall or just after storage in the Spring), that changing it before storage makes more sense because it is not desirable to allow oil that has contaminants from use to sit in the engine over the winter months.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This

[kokis]

It was my understanding that, if choosing between the two options (changing the oil just before storage in the Fall or just after storage in the Spring), that changing it before storage makes more sense because it is not desirable to allow oil that has contaminants from use to sit in the engine over the winter months.

As far I know this ^^ is debatable.

[ChrisK]

Yeah, some people say you should change it before storage to avoid 'contaminants', some people say you should change it when you take it out of storage to avoid letting $40-50 of brand new oil break down over the winter.

Regardless of what you do, my point was, change it before you ride in your next season.

[uclabiker06]

I think a lot of guys change the oil when half the mileage that is recommended is reached; so if its 10K then change the oil at 5K.  That being said I would just change the oil.  I don't think its a big deal if you wait until approximately 10K though

[lawbreaker]

Maybe i'm overly cautious... but I change oil every 3k miles. Bike now has 57k miles on her

[ducpainter]

As far I know this ^^ is debatable.

Everything is debatable.

Fact is that a main bearing sitting in contaminated oil for extended periods can fail.

Happened to me.

[Triple J]

No way I would go 10K miles between oil changes.

[Kev M]

Oil doesn't just "break down" when sitting, at least not in any significant/measurable amount.

Oil deteriorates from use and from extreme temperatures.

But if a bike sits, then the oil is not exposed to forces or extreme temperatures that could cause it to lose viscosity.

Oil additive packages designed for neutralizing acids are used up when acids form from a combination of combustion byproducts and moisture.

But if the bike sits, and is not run to produce those byproducts, and/or little or no moisture is introduced, then no additives are exhausted.

So it really doesn't matter which you chose, (changing before or after storage) as long as the oil is in good condition when you put it in storage and as long as it remains in REASONABLE storage.

Now MULTIPLE YEARS of high humidity and/or significant temperature swings and bets are off, but even then it's probably not just an oil issue at that point.

[Howie]

No way I would go 10K miles between oil changes.

10K kilometers, not miles.  Anyway, change oil before storage and at least once a year.

[Triple J]

10K kilometers, not miles.  Anyway, change oil before storage and at least once a year.

OP says miles. Km would be a little better. Yearly for sure, agreed.

Oil is cheap...motors and/or the bearing in them aren't.

[Howie]

OP says miles. Km would be a little better. Yearly for sure, agreed.

Oil is cheap...motors and/or the bearing in them aren't.

OOPS!  Yes he did.  Also 10K miles on can.  Strange, since kokis lives in Europe and should be going by his owner's manual (12K kilometer), not the oil can.