Last Spring, I had synthetic oil put in my '08 1200 Sportster. I put 3200 miles on it last year. Should I change the oil every Spring, or can I go another season. I'm thinking it should be changed every year, regardless of the mileage, but I'm not sure.

 

You should change your oil every fall before you put it away for winter.
Combustion bi-products are absorbed by the oil. There is sulfur in the fuel. When burned it becomes airborne,absorbed by the oil and over time will create sulfuric acid.
Now. I would change it right now. The manufactures of pretty much every oil specify to change at a specific mileage,or one year,whichever comes first.
I really don't think you are doing any real harm with the oil that's in it right now but why take any chances.

 

1 year or 5000m or after wake her up from winter. Might be different for sporty's.

 

Shredding Rubber's got the right recommendation...always swap crankcase before winter storage...

 

Annually (before winter storage) or 5000 miles is the typical recommendation. Like Shredding Rubber I don't think your current oil is eating away your engine, but I'd change it now and then start doing it before storage.

 

If you go to the "Bob is the oil guy site" you can see for your self that the additives in oil nowadays are so good, they never mention that your oil has become too acidic in a uoa. And for the added money you pay for super duper synthetic oil, you should never have to worry about that. The tbn number is a count of all the additives still remaining in your uoa sample. They are the only things that can be depleted in your oil. But if you read the uoa's that people post about their sample, it shows people almost always change their oil before it's really required. Also look at how many bikes are left to sit for years with the same old oil in them, but once the bike is put back on the road run fine for a long time afterwards. I would bet if you sent in a sample of your old oil to be tested, it would come back with a note saying to go longer before changing it. But its a free country and if your nervous, change away.,

 

I always figure changing oil is cheap insurance. Changing before you actually have to (oil breakdown)? Still cheap insurance. I change religiously between 3k-4k miles and use a full synthetic (Mobil V-Twin). This includes the filter. If I have been running it hard in extreme hot temps I try to stay closer to the 3k mark. But that's me. I usually change before putting the bike up for the winter unless I had just changed it prior. Sometimes the mileages fall like that. You do it your way, I'll do it mine.

 

+1 This is the best advice

 

Thanks everybody. Changing it out tomorrow. Done deal.

 

If its 2000 miles or less on syn I wait until spring and ride another 1000 with fresh filter then change. I've never seen a motor fall apart due to acid accumilation from winter storage. Be interesting to see what an Oil Analysis shows from winter storage in regards to this to seperate myth from fact. If your close to your OCI go for it but I wouldn't dump expensive synthetic oil with not many miles on it because of a by-products or sulfuric acid scare its a waste of money but whatever gives you that warm fuzzy feeling.