7 MIN READ
Do it yourself: Motorcycle engine oil change
Proper maintenance of your engine is essential to ensure optimal performance and a long lifespan. We'll give you some tips to show how easy it is, to do it yourself.
How often should motorcycle oil be changed?
Depending on what the manufacturer indicates, you should change the oil every 6,000-12,000 km. If you drive less, then you should change the oil annually. It’s best to do this before the winter starts to protect the engine as much as possible.
What do you need for a successful oil change?
- A cloth to cover the surface
- Engine oil, suitable for your motorcycle
- A new oil filter for your motorcycle
- Pre-flush treatment for the engine (optional)
- Oil drain pan
- Funnel or filling jugs
- Oil filter wrench
- Torque wrench for the oil drain plug
- O-ring suitable for your oil drain plug
- Paddock stand or wheel clamp (optional)
- Clean cloths or paper towels
- Gloves (if you want to keep your hands clean)
How to determine the necessary materials for an oil change?
Which engine oil do I need?
In your motorcycle manual, you can check what the recommended engine oil viscosity is. If you don’t have it nearby, you can use the “oil selector tool” of the available oil brands to find out which engine oil you can use. At RAD, you have the choice between Motul, Liqui Moly and Eurol engine oil.
There are 3 different types of engine oil:
- Mineral oil: Natural base oil to which a small amount of additives have been added.
- Semi-synthetic oil: Engine oil that contains at least 21% synthetic components.
- Synthetic oil: Engine oil with at least 51% synthetic ingredients.
It is possible to switch between different types of engine oil. It is a myth that your engine will start to leak if you switch from mineral oil to synthetic oil. This is more than often the result of a worn seal that didn’t let through the thicker, used engine oil, in which the superior synthetic oil tends to find the weakness.
Which oil filter do I need?
To determine which oil filter is suitable, you can enter the brand, model, year of construction and type of your motorcycle in the RAD oil filter search assistant. And you’ll get a selection of suitable oil and air filters.
Is a pre-flush treatment necessary?
A pre-flush treatment ensures that sludge, dirt and sediment in your engine are loosened and drained from the oil circuit before changing the engine oil. It is the major cleanup of the engine before you supply the entire system with new oil. If the engine is regularly maintained and the oil is often changed, you can skip this. If the engine hasn’t seen much action or you don’t know when the oil was last changed, we highly recommend a pre-flush treatment. This way, your engine is ready to run at full power again.
MOTUL Engine system cleaner 200ml
Pre-flush treatment by Motul
LIQUI MOLY Engine Flush 200ml
Pre-flush treatment by Liqui Moly
Warm oil drains better
Go for a ride and give the engine a good spin before changing the oil. The more the engine has been in motion just before the oil change, the better. Allow the revs to run high and stir up as much dirt as possible. This will mix the sediment of soot, dirt and metal particles in the engine back into the motor oil, so it will be removed during the oil change.
The oil filter, filters dirt from the engine oil, but it has a limit. If you don’t replace the oil filter in time, the oil filter will become clogged, the pressure relief valve will open, and the filter will be bypassed in the oil flow.
If your engine has not been actively used right before the oil change, this sediment remains present in the engine block and all the dirt will contaminate the new engine oil on the first ride and worst case scenario, the dirt will immediately clog the new filter.
Prepare your workplace for the oil change
Check in advance which tools you need to make the oil change go smoothly and have them at hand. Locate your oil drain plug, oil filter, and oil fill cap, check if they are easily accessible, and disassemble parts (such as the fairing, sump guard, or crash bars) if they are in the way.
Make sure the recepticle for the old engine oil is large enough. I’ve heard stories from friends who were draining the engine oil and noticed that they had miscalculated the size of the recepticle and, in panic, went looking for a cooking pot around the house, while engine oil was flowing allover their driveway or garage floor.
Position your motorcycle on a stable and flat surface. If you have a center stand, you can nicely place the motorcycle upright. If you don’t have this, it is recommended to use a paddock stand or wheel clamp. It is important that your motorcycle is upright to let the oil drain smoothly, before filling it up with new oil.
Performing the oil change of your motorcycle
If your engine block is warm and you’re not going to do a pre-flush treatment, you can skip the first step.
Warming up and cleaning of the engine block:
Unscrew the oil filler cap and add the correct amount of pre-flush treatment to the engine oil. Screw the oil filler cap back on, then start the engine and let it idle for about ten minutes. This gives the pre-flush treatment time to circulate through the entire oil circuit and dislodge as much contamination and filth as possible.
Draining the engine oil:
Unscrew the oil drain plug and try to prevent the drain plug from falling into the oil drain pan, this saves you unnecessary searching. Give the engine ample time to let the oil drain. Use this time to replace the O-ring of the drain plug. Reusing the O-ring can cause leaks if it is worn out. When no more oil is coming out of the engine, screw the drain plug back in with a torque wrench. Consult your engine’s manual to see at what torque you should tighten it.
Replacing the oil filter:
Remove the oil filter using an oil filter wrench or a socket wrench (if the oil filter is equipped with one). Let the last bit of engine oil drain from the filter and engine and clean the spot where the oil filter was attached before installing the new filter. Use fresh engine oil to rub onto the rubber gasket of the oil filter. If you have an oil filter that is mounted vertically, you can possibly already fill it with fresh oil. If the oil filter is mounted horizontally, you will make a mess when mounting a pre-filled filter. Consult the manual of your engine to see at what torque you need to tighten the oil filter. Can’t find your manual? Then tighten the new filter by hand and give it one quarter turn with a wrench to prevent damaging the thread.
Filling with engine oil:
Unscrew the oil fill cap and use a funnel to fill the engine with the recommended amount of oil. Do not pour too vigorously and use the indications on the can of engine oil to know how much oil you have poured, be careful not to overfill the engine block. Use the inspection window or the oil gauge to measure the level until your engine is filled up to the maximum indication and close the oil fill cap.
Starting and checking the engine:
Start the engine and let it run for a while so that the oil can flow through the block. You will notice that the oil level will drop a bit, some of the oil will end up in your oil filter if it wasn’t pre-filled. Check the area around the drain plug and the oil filter and look for any oil leaks. After the engine has idled for a few minutes, turn off the engine. Check the oil level again and top off if necessary.
Clean up your workspace:
Store all your materials safely again, collect the used oil filter and put old oil in a can that you can take to the recycling center. Please don’t ever pour this into the rain drain or dump it somewhere where it could end up in nature.
Keep a maintenance log
Note down when you have performed this oil change and schedule your next oil change in advance if you plan to ride often. The better you follow up on your motorcycle maintenance, the longer you can ride without any issues. A well-kept log of all maintenance and costs you have ever done on your motorcycle can come in handy if you ever decide to sell your motorcycle. This will give the next owner confidence in the motorcycle and it is advantageous for your asking price.
6 reasons to regularly change oil
Lubrication and protection: Engine oil reduces friction and prevents metal on metal contact in the engine, it contains additives that leave a protective layer on all moving parts. These additives break down over time leading to corrosion and a greater chance of mechanical failures. Old engine oil contains more contaminants which increases the risk of contact.
Cooling: Engine oil dissipates heat from critical parts and prevents overheating. Old engine oil will do this less effectively, which can cause your engine to overheat more quickly.
Disposal of pollution: Motor oil collects all the pollution and flows through the oil filter. The oil filter catches this and prevents metal particles from entering the engine again. A saturated filter will clog, causing particles to continue circulating in the engine.
Sealing: New engine oil ensures that rubber seals remain smooth and flexible. This prevents drying out and cracking which can lead to leaks.
Performance and efficiency: The viscosity of engine oil reduces resistance, improves power delivery, and boosts fuel efficiency. Used oil loses viscosity, leading to decreased performance.
Extended lifespan: Regularly changing the oil is an important factor in extending the lifespan of the engine block. Riders who change the oil in time, generally have fewer problems and an engine that delivers consistent performance.
You can save money by performing the oil change yourself, and in the long run, this will save you trouble. What are you waiting for? Time to go change the engine oil!
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Nathan is our webshop employee who is ready with advice and assistance to help customers. When he is not answering customer questions, he writes helpful texts and blogs for the RAD site.