fluid change intervals?

[Hoople]

Wasteing money= out the window, changing all 3 holes every 1000 miles. JMO

Who said they change their oil every 1000 miles.?

 

[bonsi57]

All three holes every 2,500 miles. Probably over kill but I have peace of mind. Synthetic in the crank case, Spectro Syn 6-Speed in the tranny and HD Formula Plus in the primary.

 

[Ole Dawg]

I change engine oil every 3 to 4 thousand mi. depending on the conditions. Primary 5,000
Trans. 10,000. Anyone changing all 3 at the same time is wasting their money & oil and just making the oil company's wealthy. IMHO

 

[Recon Dad]

I follow the factory schedule 5k miles except always put fresh engine oil in before storing the bike in the winter.

Yea it probably is a waste of money but makes me feel good.

 

[Chopper]

engine oil. (Mobil 1) @ 5K
primary oil (Spectro Primary) @ 10K or annually
transmission (spectro 75/140) @ 20K or annually

 

[Texas_Biker]

I personally believe the fluid change schedules in the Owner's Manual are the MAXIMUM mileage between fluid change under ideal conditions. Ideal conditions would be a constant light load under dust free, fairly dry humidity and constant mild temperatures. Since none of us ride in conditions like that, I change MY oil, transmission gear lube, and primary chaincase fluid more frequently. About every 3k miles for all three. I also change my plugs then too.

TQ

This is very, very, good advice! First, servicing these 4 items frequently are NEVER A WASTE of money, or time!
With more frequent changes, you will learn how to do it properly, if your new to it or not, and you might look through the bike a little further each time, finding those other little things that may cause you big problems down the road later also.

What people forget here is, not how many miles you ride the bike before you service these 4 items, but rather, how many HOURS of operation is on that engine, after you have.
For example, if you sit and wait in traffic for an hour a day, going to and from work, and you work 15 miles away from your home, you have put way more than 30 miles on those fluids, and plugs, at low speed idle and within lower gears at constant shifts with that two hour commute just moving along slowly, or sitting in heavy traffic. This is one of the worst things that can happen regarding the breakdown of those fluids lubricating the components inside an air cooled HD engine. Most, don't take that into consideration though, do they.
If you run in the city, it's not how many miles between changes, it's how many hours.

Having a couple of extra plugs tucked away doesnt' hurt either! Especially after someone at a big rally has broken one off to use as a pipe, or after someone has taken one, and you need to replace it. If you ride long enough, and really do go to rallies on your bike, sooner of latter you will see that those things can, and do happen.