Informational Guide

How To Change Motorcycle Oil

Learning how to change motorcycle oil at home will save you money. This guide will show you the steps to follow.

Learning how to change motorcycle oil is just as important as learning to change a motorcycle tire. The oil in your motorcycle acts as a lubricant to the engine, keeping the metal parts from rubbing together to protect the motor.

If you learn how to do an oil change on a motorcycle at home, you can save yourself a lot of money. This guide will show you the steps to follow.

Why Is Regularly Changing Motorcycle Oil So Essential?

Checking your motorcycle oil is important. What happens if you do not change your motorcycle oil? Motorcycle oil changes provide the following benefits:

  • Keeps engine lubricated and protected
  • Promotes a longer engine life with fewer repairs
  • Improves gas mileage and performance

How often should you change your oil on your motorcycle to achieve these benefits? Conventional oil should be changed every 2,000 miles, while synthetic oil can go up to 10,000 miles without being changed.

How To Change Motorcycle Oil

How to Know If Your Motorcycle Needs an Oil Change?

Your bike might use one of these types of motor oil.

Mineral oil

This is motor oil in its purest form, like it's found underground. It breaks down the fastest and doesn't provide as much protection, but it is the cheapest.

Semi-Synthetic oil

Semi-synthetic motor oil blends mineral oil with synthetic varieties for a blend of performance and cost.

Fully Synthetic oil

This oil is made in the lab with the best additives for performance and longevity. However, it is also the most expensive.

While you should change the motorcycle oil at regular intervals (found in the owner's manual), you should also change it if you notice these signs:

  • Oil is gritty and black
  • Engine gets louder than normal
  • Dashboard lights come on
  • Oil level dips too low

How To Change Your Motorcycle Oil (DIY Steps)

How To Change Engine Oil & Filter

Supplies needed:

With these tools in hand, you are ready to learn how to change motorcycle oil.

  1. 1
    Warm up the engine to make it easier to get the oil out.
  2. 2
    Secure your bike with a stand.
  3. 3
    Put your drain pan below the plug and drain the old oil.
  4. 4
    Remove the old filter with your wrench.
  5. 5
    Apply some oil to the new filter and install it.
  6. 6
    Replace the sealing washer.
  7. 7
    Re-install the drain plug.
  8. 8
    Add oil. The owner's manual tells you how much you need.
  9. 9
    Start the engine and let it run for a few minutes before checking the oil level.
  10. 10
    Inspect the oil filter to ensure there are no leaks.

Additionally, you can use this YouTube video if you want to learn how to change motorcycle engine oil or you need more help figuring out how to change an oil filter on a motorcycle.

While you can learn how to change motorcycle oil without a stand, it's not advised. However, if you need to, make sure you sit on it and hold the bike upright while it's draining to get all of the old oil out.

How To Change Gear Oil

To learn how to change gear oil on a motorcycle, you will follow many of the same steps above but with the transmission fluid.

  1. 1
    Warm up the engine to make it easier to get the gear oil out.
  2. 2
    Secure your bike with a stand.
  3. 3
    Put your drain pan below the plug and drain the old gear oil.
  4. 4
    Replace the O-ring on the drain plug
  5. 5
    Re-install the drain plug.
  6. 6
    Add gear oil. The owner's manual tells you how much you need.
  7. 7
    Start the engine and let it run for a few minutes before checking the oil level.

How To Change Fork Oil

You can learn how to change fork oil on a motorcycle with these steps.

  1. 1
    Lift the front of the bike with a motorcycle lift.
  2. 2
    Remove the front wheel, calipers, fender or any parts attached to the fork legs.
  3. 3
    Mark the fork height and spring-preload setting before unwinding.
  4. 4
    Crack the caps loose.
  5. 5
    Remove the fork and unscrew the cap.
  6. 6
    Empty the oil into a container while you pump the fork leg a few times.
  7. 7
    Measure the appropriate amount of oil and fill the receptacle.
  8. 8
    Pump the leg a few times to expel any air.
  9. 9
    Put the bike back together in reverse order.

Changing Oil for Different Motorcycle Brands

  • Changing Oil On A Kawasaki Motorcycle 
    To learn how to change oil on a motorcycle for Kawasaki models, you will follow the standard steps, except most late-model Kawasaki bikes use a spin-on filter. You will find it mounted near the front of the motor.
  • Changing Oil On A Victory Motorcycle 
    Most Victory motorcycles require 20W40 semi-synthetic motor oil but check the owner's manual to be sure. To learn how to change oil on a Victory motorcycle, follow the steps we outlined above.
  • Changing Oil On A Honda Motorcycle 
    Learning how to change oil on a motorcycle for Honda models is the same as most other bikes. Take your bike for a little ride first to make sure the engine oil is warmed up.
  • Changing Oil On A Suzuki Motorcycle
    When you learn how to change oil on a motorcycle for Suzuki, you realize that you might have trouble getting your drain pan in place due to the lower clearance. It might take some trial and error until you figure out what works for your bike.
Changing Oil For Different Motorcycle Brands

5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Changing Motorcycle Oil

  • Not Cleaning Around The Dipstick Or Fill Plug 
    There are a lot of contaminants sitting on the engine. Before you remove the dipstick or take out the fill plug, clean the area to ensure no contaminants or debris gets into the engine.
  • Using The Wrong Oil 
    With so many motorcycle oil options, it's easy to choose the wrong one. Check the manufacturer's recommendation before you put any oil into your engine. 
  • Not Replacing The Filter O-ring 
    The O-ring wears out easily and should be replaced often. If you don't, you could have trouble with oil leaks after the change.
  • Over/Under Filling Your Oil 
    The engine needs a precise amount of oil to run. By not putting enough in or putting too much into the motor, you change the balance, which can affect how the engine runs.
  • Over Tightening The Oil Filter 
    Rub a little oil on the filter and hand-tighten it before you turn it with the filter wrench. You only need a solid seal, but you want to keep it loose enough to get off the next time.

People Also Ask (FAQs)

Is it bad to add oil without changing it?

You can add a small amount of oil to the motor without changing it, but if this becomes a habit, you are adding fresh oil to dirty oil, which only hurts the engine.

Where can you get motorcycle oil changed professionally? How much does it cost?

While you might know how to do an oil change on a motorcycle, sometimes it's more convenient to have it done by a professional. You can take it to your local motorcycle dealer for service, but how much to change motorcycle oil? It will probably cost about $200.

What color should motorcycle oil be?

Motorcycle oil should be yellow or green with a glossy or semi-transparent finish. If the oil is dark brown or black, it has broken down and old.

Can frequent oil changes remove sludge?

The best way to remove sludge is through oil changes. Make sure you use synthetic oil with special detergents to break down the sludge.

How long can you store motorcycle engine oil? (and does it expire?)

Motorcycle motor oil has a shelf life of five years. You shouldn't use the oil after it has sat for this long. To keep it working its best, store it in an unopened container in moderate temperatures.

What's the longest you can go without an oil change for a motorbike?

If you use conventional oil, you want to change the oil every 2,000 miles. However, some synthetic oils will last up to 10,000 miles without a change.

Conclusion

Whether you want to know how to change oil on a motorcycle for the Honda Wave 100 or how to change oil on a Honda VTX 1300 motorcycle, our steps will help you get the job done. Use our guide to keep all makes and models running their best.

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