Run Amsoil syn...changed at 15,ooo.Now have about 18,400.I was thinking going to 20,000 before changing again-also that's when I'll have a look at the tensioners.I'm going on a trip about 250 away,+ running around there and coming back.Should I go ahead and change it-just the filter-or let her fly until 20,000?BTW,it's a 2006 RK-stock 88".....

 

I run Amsoil as well. You can follow the book to the letter or set your own standard. There are soooo many threads on oil. Many have gone as far as to have their oil analyzed at 3000, 5000 and 7500 miles with claims that the oils still ok. Me, I change at 3000 on the bike even though I know that's my fathers generation. Oil is much improved since then. No need to do 3000, but it makes me feel better. Cheap insurance. 250 more miles give or take will make no difference on the oil you have in there right at this moment. If you are running 5000 like many, When you pull into the garage after your trip, immediately pull the plug and let her drain while shes nice and hot!

 

It's just NOT all that critical man. If you change your oil around every 5000 miles, that will work just fine. If you go 5,500 or even 6,000 miles once in a while no big deal. Your engine will NOT grenade or suffer any damage whatsoever. Most modern engine makers say 7,500 up to 10,000 miles before changing oil. So 5,000 is just fine for Harley's air cooled engines, especially if you use synthetic oil. Just do what the MOCO recommends and you'll be fine.

 

I do mine every 5K or so. Easy to remember. 3K sometimes comes up to quickly.

 

..anyone who runs Synthetic oil, and changes it at 3000, is just throwing money away,(and it's NOT cheap insurance, in insures nothing), and should switch to Dino-oil, and save the money for something useful....you can absolutely go to 7500,(which is what your owner manual recommends), before changing....as long as you are not in the "severe-duty" category of usage...don't sweat it amigo!

 

If you really want to know for sure how often to change it, get an oil analysis ($25) and TBN done ($10) through blackstone labs. For $35, you'll see exactly how well your oil is doing for your exact bike, driving conditions and tendencies. Even if you change your own oil every 3000, and start doing it every 5000 because the test shows it's perfectly fine, the test will pay for itself instantly.

I use Amsoil as well and just had this done...with 5600 miles on the oil the TBN rating was still 4x the value where an oil change is needed because the TBN is low. TBN is a measure of the active additives in the oil that lubricate, clean and cool the engine.

edit to add: I should add that TBN is only one of many metrics that come from an analysis. Other metrics will tell you how dirty your oil is which can be just as important as TBN.

 

If you go longer than 5K miles I would definetly change the oil filter!

 

I run synthetic and change the oil and filter between 3-5K.

I change the primary and transmission every other oil change.

 

No matter what your flavor of oil is it still gets dirty since it's exposed to the combustion chamber.I wouldn't push it past 3000,Amsoil gets dirty just like the rest,smell your used oil,it will smell gassy,that means it's slightly diluted.Oil's not that expensive, but Harleys are.