Have you ever read the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance? In all honesty I have yet to finish it but the one thing I gathered from the book on motorcycle maintenance is this, if you only do one thing yourself and have a motorcycle mechanic do everything else, changing your oil regularly is the number one thing to do.
Oil acts as the lifeblood of any engine; from your motorcycle's to your lawnmower's and without it the engine will seize and die. However, in a motorcycle heavier grade oil is required because the same oil is not only being used to lubricate the engine but the transmission and the clutch as well. As well as acting as a lubricant ensuring metal parts do not touch, as in the case of the majority of motorcycles, oil is also used to cool down the engine. Furthermore motorcycle oil helps to quickly move minor debris, such as metal filings, carbon and dirt away from the engines parts and into the oil filter. Now you can see why I refer to oil as lifeblood and why it should be changed regularly.
So how do you change your oil anyway? Every motorcycle is different, so the following steps are a guideline on how to change your oil and oil filter. Consult your user manual or purchase a Haynes repair manual for the exact steps.
Step 1 - Drain the old oil. Some tips to make this easier include warming up the engine up to thin down the oil, putting the motorcycle on its center stand, unscrewing the oil plug to relieve pressure and slowly rock the motorcycle side to side to speed up the process.
Step 2 - After all the oil has been drained you need to replace the oil filter. Once replaced put everything back together and make sure all bolts are tight.
Step 3 - Replace the oil. For exact amounts consult your user manual or repair manual. When deciding on the types of motorcycle oil to use always consult your user manual first. My personal preference is to use 20W50 synthetic motorcycle oil in the summer and then I change it up to 10W40 synthetic motorcycle oil in the winter. As you may have noticed motorcycles require heavy grade oil such as 20W50, 10W40, SAE 60, 75W110 and 75W140, the last two being used in Harley Davidson motorcycles. After you have replaced the oil plug turn the motorcycle on and let it run for a few minutes to distribute the oil around the engine.
There are many motorcycle-specific oils now being produced however an ongoing debate by many motorcyclists objecting to the higher prices of motorcycle oil state that automotive oil is just as good as motorcycle oil. Although motorcycle oil has the same properties as regular automotive oil, shear-stable polymers are added to improve the way it works in motorcycle engines. Because of these polymers, motorcycle oil will retain its viscosity much longer than automotive oil will. Which is important for the life of your motorcycle.
