Should I Change Motorcycle Oil In The Fall or Spring?

A reader asks: I’ve been running this batch of oil in my motorcycle since the beginning of summer. Should I change the oil before I store the bike for the winter or wait until spring and change it then so that I’m starting out with fresh oil?

Answer: We would definitely suggest that you change your motorcycle’s oil just prior to storage, rather than wait until next spring. The reason being is that the oil that is currently in your motorcycle’s engine and transmission has been absorbing contaminants such as combustion by-products, wear metals, dirt, clutch plate residue and even moisture over the course of the summer. Nothing good can come from leaving this oil in your bike for long-term storage. A fresh oil change would flush out all of these contaminants and the new oil’s anti-corrosion attributes will be at full capacity. Next spring this oil will be more than suitable to use for the normal service interval. So give your bike a good run just before you intend to park it for the winter and drop the old oil.

We would be remiss not to mention that we sell a motorcycle oil series that possesses a marine-grade additive package to fight rust and corrosion in engines, transmissions and primary chaincases. AMSOIL Advanced Synthetic Motorcycle Oils are offered in 20W-50, 10W-40, 10W-30 and SAE 60. These oils deliver friction reduction, unwavering transmission protection and cooler operation. So you can enjoy a performance upgrade from these oils all summer and have peace of mind knowing that your bike’s engine and transmission internals are protected from corrosion all winter long.