No this is not another oil thread about which oil to use, but rather a question about oil intervals.
I usually change my oil twice a year as i reach the mileage and so on.
this year with twins being born i did not ride as much as i usually do so the question is should i change the oil before the winter or just let it be and change in the spring time or whenever i reach the 3k mile interval. I do ride in the winter as long as its not snowing
Most motorcycle problems are caused by the nut that connects handlebars to the saddle. 2009 R12R
I have always changed the oil in the spring since the bike didn't get much use in the winter months. Evidently the old oils would break down some where in contact with metal. My dealer told me not to worry about it because the quality of oil has gone up. I will probably still change the oil in the spring...
Back when I was an oil fanatic ( when oil was 50 cents a quart) this was my procedure when I was putting a bike away for the winter. I would run the bike and get the oil good and hot and dump it, then I would fill it with the cheapest oil I could find. In the spring I would run the bike till it was hot then dump the cheap oil and replace it with whatever I thought was the 'Good Stuff' at the time.
One of the by products of combustion (gasoline) is acid and some usually accumulates in the oil. Most oils have something to neutralize the acid but I always figured it couldn't do any good letting it sit in one spot in an engine for a few months.
BTW: This was in the old days when I had a nice bike collection now I'm down to five bikes so I keep them on the road all year.
Naturally IMHO (everyone has one)
Harry Costello -- Jersey Shore
2007 R1200R
1974 + 75 CB125S
1971 R75
2020 Guzzi V85TT
BMWMOA 57358
nylife wrote:whenever i reach the 3k mile interval. I do ride in the winter as long as its not snowing
What 3k mile interval? If you're using a decent oil in the R1200R - it will easily be fine for 6,000 miles (and according to oil tests I've had done - BMW Synthetic would be good for > 10,000 miles, but I stick to 6,000.)
Since you're riding all year (many of us do..) I'd just keep on riding. When the oil has 6k miles on it - change it.
Don Eilenberger - NJ Shore
2012 R1200R - I love this bike!
I try to keep it simple. I change my oil on the 5's. 5,000 10,000, 15,000 ...... and transmission and final drives on the 10's. mileage has not been a problem the last couple of years. I past 20,000 for the year sunday.
(Synthetic Rotella & Filter each chage)
(Mobil 1 75 -140)
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IBA #50026
hi
if you are going to use over the winter few times , i would wait to spring as it will get some condensation in it ,clean or dirty and then have to be changed in spring anyway. starting the bike every few weeks is the worst scenario out as it does not get hot and causes condensation build up , a good run of 20 miles plus is fine , my bikes that i do not use in winter just sit in the garage with a battery trickle charger on them . now for instance if the bike has only done 1500 miles out of the 6000 ,i would leave the oil in , if it had done 5000 out the 6000 , then change as there will be a lot of rubbish in there . my machines get a oily rag all over them to protect too, not the thin oil ,motor oil .
piston
some days its not worth chewing through the straps and chains in the morning
What 3k mile interval? If you're using a decent oil in the R1200R - it will easily be fine for 6,000 miles (and according to oil tests I've had done - BMW Synthetic would be good for > 10,000 miles, but I stick to 6,000.)
Don,
With your help I was able to get my BMW synthetic oil tested by Blackstone on a comparative basis. I thought you were copied on the tests at that time (~1 year ago). Anyway, for hot South Florida conditions the oil was pretty well at the end of useful life at 6,000 miles. For non-synthetic the change interval could be expected to be less for the conditions here. So much depends of weather and riding conditions that it is difficult to make blanket predictions. My advice to the initiator of this thread would be to send a sample of the oil to the lab to determine the condition of it in order to make an informed decision if it is OK to leave it in the bike until next spring. Even though there is a cost associated with the test, it could be used a future predictor and would save money in the long haul, either thru extended oil change intervals, or by avoiding damage to the engine.
( when oil was 50 cents a quart) this was my procedure when I was putting a bike away for the winter. I would run the bike and get the oil good and hot and dump it, then I would fill it with the cheapest oil I could find. In the spring I would run the bike till it was hot then dump the cheap oil and replace it with whatever I thought was the 'Good Stuff' at the time. 
