My feeling is the more often you can change oil in the begining can only be better for your engine in the long run, I changed mine at 500, had HD do service at 1000 changed oil again at 2500 and did service at 5000, I also blow clean my Air Filter at the same intervals but I am just paranoid. each to his own

 

I changed out at 500 and put in Mobile 1. I just like that oil better and think it is better then the HD oil. I also change out the tranny to Amsoil 75 110.

 

Of cour se you do, why because you are asking and you will feel better. Come on you spent big bucks on the bike and you are going to spend more. Do it yourself and you'll feel better. As for duration... with dyno I'm doing about 2000-2500, for whatever reason my INDY told me not to use synthetics because of the frequent changes. I do have redline in the Tranny.

 

Working for a large engine manufacturer(Briggs and Stratton) gives me a unique take on this. One of the most expensive costs for any equipment manufacturer is warranty cost. EVERY manufacturer wants to minimize it. They all test their product under conditions that would make ANY of the people on this forum look like pansy's. Things like running them full throttle to zero throttle back and forth continuously for 500 hours without stopping. Taking the engine down to -35 and starting it and stopping it 200 times in a row. That kind of insane stuff. They use these tests to set up the maintenance on the equipment and recommend the maintenance that is needed to minimize warranty costs.
Overall, this is directed by engineers with DECADES of experience. We are down the road from Harley, I know a lot of those guys and they probably average 25 years.... they know what they are doing.

So, the engineers with all the experience and a MONETARY INTEREST in keeping your bike running as long as possible say to change oil at 1000, 5000, 10000.

A bunch of guys you don't know on a forum in cyberspace tell you to do it more often. Who should you listen too...

Please use your head and follow the manual. If you do this, you have the best chance of keeping your bike running well in the long run. If you change the oil more often it is just dumping money down the drain.....

Ed

 

Changed mine at 500 (Castrol GTX), then again at 1000. At 2500 I started using my synthetic brand, changed again at 5000, then settled on 5000-mile intervals thereafter.

 

Ed,
You make a good point or three. Are you saying every 5000?
best,
J

 

Sorry, I disagree, no matter how good they flush a new engine, early oil changes are key, I stand behind changing frequently early. It can't hurt as I said, cheap if you do it yourself, and "experts" are frequently wrong.

 

Here's what I used. Cheap insurance!

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

Changed mine after <50 miles, then 200, 500, and 1000. Then every 2500, but that's just me. Lots of good alternatives to HD oil/filters out there, and less $$. Don't be fooled into thinking that's all you can use.

Food for thought.

 

Go with the owners manuals recommendation, 1000 miles. The reason for a quick change is to get rid of any metals in the oil during the break-in period. This will be accomplished in 1000 miles and if there is anything in there that would harm the engine the oil filter will catch it

 

Think about it for a second, lot's of third party experts strongly suggest changing oil early frequently. Manufacturers don't want warranty claims, true enough. Early oil changes won't reap dividends till way past your warranty. Many items are built with a planned obsolesence, they are designed to fail after the warranty, how else will the factories keep humming? Maybe not Harley, but how many items have you owned that went belly up just after warranty?