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Going Over 6,000 Service OK?

A

airic_81

New member
I'm around 4,500 miles and would like to take a longer trip in a month or so. Is it OK if I take the bike in for the 6,000 service at like 6,500? I don't want to void any sort of warranty or cause any bike problems.

Also, would it be better to have the service done before winter storage or after?

Thanks.
 
500 miles over the service recommendation isn't going to be a problem. It isn't like the oil is good and 5,999 miles and turns to sludge at 6,000 miles. This will also depend on how the previous miles were ridden. A GS and must of the miles were off pavement? All short trips? Change it early. All long trips, touring? change it later.

As for changing oil, I would change it in the fall ,before winter storage. Best to have fresh oil and make sure there is no moisture in the engine.

We were heading out on a trip and my riding buddy mentioned he had to change the oil before we left, he had 3,000 miles on and changed every 3,500. I give him crap about changing way to often. He is the type of personality that gets ulcers if he runs over "his" service limit. He happened to ask me how many miles were on my Harley's oil, 4,500 miles. I normally change at 5,000. I thought he was going to need medical care! The whole trip he kept agonizing over the miles on the oil. I may have ruined the trip for him! We got back and I changed it at 6,000 miles.
 
If it were me, I wouldn't worry about getting the service done at 6,500 miles. In fact, you'd be 300 miles over, not 500, as the service is due at 10,000 kilomteres, which is really 6,200 miles. It's simply rounded down to 6,000 miles in the U.S. for convenience. I'd definitely get it done before you put the bike away for winter. If you're really concerned about going over 6,000 miles, I'd run it by your dealer.
 
Are we talking about a new bike here airic81? Or just a 6k service interval on a typical used machine.
If new, when and how many miles are on the oil from the first change? ...or is this it?
Because that fact brings different thoughts to mind.
 
I get the initial dealer service done somewhere between 5500 and 7000. After that I do it myself every 6k or at the end of the riding season. If on a long trip I don’t sweat it; it was 8800 miles between changes to and from the Salem OR rally. I figured sustained runs are better than short hops

Pete
 
PoorUB said:
500 miles over the service recommendation isn't going to be a problem. It isn't like the oil is good and 5,999 miles and turns to sludge at 6,000 miles. This will also depend on how the previous miles were ridden. A GS and must of the miles were off pavement? All short trips? Change it early. All long trips, touring? change it later.

As for changing oil, I would change it in the fall ,before winter storage. Best to have fresh oil and make sure there is no moisture in the engine.

We were heading out on a trip and my riding buddy mentioned he had to change the oil before we left, he had 3,000 miles on and changed every 3,500. I give him crap about changing way to often. He is the type of personality that gets ulcers if he runs over "his" service limit. He happened to ask me how many miles were on my Harley's oil, 4,500 miles. I normally change at 5,000. I thought he was going to need medical care! The whole trip he kept agonizing over the miles on the oil. I may have ruined the trip for him! We got back and I changed it at 6,000 miles.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your help! I sound like your buddy but I'm trying to be more like you everyday!
 
marcopolo said:
If it were me, I wouldn't worry about getting the service done at 6,500 miles. In fact, you'd be 300 miles over, not 500, as the service is due at 10,000 kilomteres, which is really 6,200 miles. It's simply rounded down to 6,000 miles in the U.S. for convenience. I'd definitely get it done before you put the bike away for winter. If you're really concerned about going over 6,000 miles, I'd run it by your dealer.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your help!
 
flyhi2cfar said:
Are we talking about a new bike here airic81? Or just a 6k service interval on a typical used machine.
If new, when and how many miles are on the oil from the first change? ...or is this it?
Because that fact brings different thoughts to mind.
Click to expand...

Bought it new in 2020. I had the 600 mile service done which included an oil change but nothing since. It has 4,500 miles now. I ran into a guy with a BMW recently who encouraged me to join this club and here I am! He said to change the oil every 3,000 miles.

From what research I've done, most people say to just go with the manual suggestion and wait until the 6,000 mile service and not mess with changing the oil earlier than that.
 
glenfiddich said:
I get the initial dealer service done somewhere between 5500 and 7000. After that I do it myself every 6k or at the end of the riding season. If on a long trip I don’t sweat it; it was 8800 miles between changes to and from the Salem OR rally. I figured sustained runs are better than short hops

Pete
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info!
 
My suggestion:

Go on your trip, have a wonderful time, change the oil when you get back. When you change it, send a sample to a test lab (I use Blackstone). Dollars to donuts the report will come back that the oil was just fine. Then you'll know for a fact vs. anecdotal evidence and can stop worrying about it.

Enjoy the ride!
 
stooie said:
My suggestion:

Go on your trip, have a wonderful time, change the oil when you get back. When you change it, send a sample to a test lab (I use Blackstone). Dollars to donuts the report will come back that the oil was just fine. Then you'll know for a fact vs. anecdotal evidence and can stop worrying about it.

Enjoy the ride!
Click to expand...

Thanks!
 
airic_81 said:
Bought it new in 2020. I had the 600 mile service done which included an oil change but nothing since. It has 4,500 miles now. I ran into a guy with a BMW recently who encouraged me to join this club and here I am! He said to change the oil every 3,000 miles.

From what research I've done, most people say to just go with the manual suggestion and wait until the 6,000 mile service and not mess with changing the oil earlier than that.
Click to expand...


Your golden then! Just wanted to ensure that the factory delivery oil was not in use.
Using your figures your current mileage on the oil is 3,900mi.
And at 6.5k.... it will only be 5,900mi.
IMO... 6k is enough though.
 
stooie said:
My suggestion:

Go on your trip, have a wonderful time, change the oil when you get back. When you change it, send a sample to a test lab (I use Blackstone). Dollars to donuts the report will come back that the oil was just fine. Then you'll know for a fact vs. anecdotal evidence and can stop worrying about it.

Enjoy the ride!
Click to expand...

Just like Bob said - Blackstone said each of my oil samples could have gone further

https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?96412-DrNeo-s-2007-R1200RT-Blackstone-Laboratories-Oil-Analysis-Reports
https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?98043-DrNeo-s-2013-F800GS-Blackstone-Laboratories-Oil-Analysis-Reports
 
For what ever it is worth, I sent in a oil sample on my Harley with 7,500 miles on the oil. Blackstone told me to run it 2,000 more and send in another sample. I had changed it at 7,500 miles any way.

IMO, factory oil change intervals are very conservative, after all they need to cover the warranty for the first 2-3 years. On my work pickup, a 2019 F150 I would change when the truck's computer told me to, anywhere from 7,500 to 10,000 miles. Never sent in a sample, but the guys at the shop I brought it to said the oil looked really good yet, clear and not very dirty.

My previous job I ran synthetic on a 2006 GMC van with the little 4.7(?) V8. I just changed once a year, usually around 12,000 to 14,000 miles. When I left that company the engine ran quietly and I did not add oil between changes with 145,000 miles on the truck.
 
airic_81 said:
Bought it new in 2020. I had the 600 mile service done which included an oil change but nothing since. It has 4,500 miles now. I ran into a guy with a BMW recently who encouraged me to join this club and here I am! He said to change the oil every 3,000 miles.

From what research I've done, most people say to just go with the manual suggestion and wait until the 6,000 mile service and not mess with changing the oil earlier than that.
Click to expand...

IMO the only reason to keep with the 6,000 mile (or 10,000 km = 6,213 miles if you prefer) is to keep the warranty in force. 10% over won't (shouldn't!) void your warranty, plenty of people including me have missed it by more than that. Once you're out of warranty, you don't have to stick to that if you don't want.

I send out oil for analysis every oil change, bottom line is that the way I ride (usually ride for at least 30 continuous minutes before shutting it down, then I have to ride home!) 6K is no issue. Before I traded my 2016 wethead with 150K, I was changing the oil at 12K (and did a 12K service) and the analysis indicated I could go further than that, to 14K. I just skipped the 6K service altogether. FWIW, I use full synth oil, mostly BMW oil from the dealer but I've used the Liqui-Moly from Beemer Boneyard too. My 2020 wethead will probably be out of warranty on miles by Labor Day, so I'll start lengthening intervals then.

Oil is good for way more than 3,000 (or 3,500) miles, changing it that often is just spending money you don't have to. In the bad old days maybe that was necessary but even then it was probably more about generating revenue for the shop than protecting the engine.
 
The oil change interval on my Toyota Prius Prime is 10K miles. They do call for full synthetic oil.

Harry
 
wbrownell9 said:
IMO the only reason to keep with the 6,000 mile (or 10,000 km = 6,213 miles if you prefer) is to keep the warranty in force. 10% over won't (shouldn't!) void your warranty, plenty of people including me have missed it by more than that. Once you're out of warranty, you don't have to stick to that if you don't want.

I send out oil for analysis every oil change, bottom line is that the way I ride (usually ride for at least 30 continuous minutes before shutting it down, then I have to ride home!) 6K is no issue. Before I traded my 2016 wethead with 150K, I was changing the oil at 12K (and did a 12K service) and the analysis indicated I could go further than that, to 14K. I just skipped the 6K service altogether. FWIW, I use full synth oil, mostly BMW oil from the dealer but I've used the Liqui-Moly from Beemer Boneyard too. My 2020 wethead will probably be out of warranty on miles by Labor Day, so I'll start lengthening intervals then.

Oil is good for way more than 3,000 (or 3,500) miles, changing it that often is just spending money you don't have to. In the bad old days maybe that was necessary but even then it was probably more about generating revenue for the shop than protecting the engine.
Click to expand...

Thanks!
 
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