Change oil now or wait?

[Munch]

Winter is decending upon us. I'm due for an oil change.

If I'm not going to be riding over the winter, am I better off leaving the oil (3k miles old) alone and doing it at the beginning of the riding season?

[mmakay]

Change prior to storing it.  Any time an engine is going to sit, one of the best things you can do is change the oil.  Combustion generates small amounts of acid and other nasty stuff that collect in your oil.  It's not big deal during normal use, but left to sit it can do bad things.

[Munch]

Ok, would you change again in Spring after it sitting, or would it be fine?

[uclabiker06]

It will be fine but you shouldn't let it sit again for too long in that same oil.

[Ddan]

Don't forget to fog the cylinders and treat the fuel.

[Langanobob]

Ok, would you change again in Spring after it sitting, or would it be fine?

I think you are going to get some conflicting replies to this, but my personal opinion is that it's a waste of good oil to change it in the fall and again in the spring.  Furthermore...I'm not an engine builder but I've messed with a lot of poorly maintained engines and the clutch-pushrod-zombies may come after me for saying this, but I've never seen any damage due to supposedly acidic old oil not being changed prior to winter storage.   I would really like to hear if any engine builders have found internal corrosion due to acidic oil?  It gives us a warm and IZ_ feeling to change oil in the fall and that's always good so I'm not saying don't change it, just saying it doesn't do anything for your motor.  I stand ready to be corrected if anyone can provide personal experience to the contrary.

[rockaduc]

I always change the oil, treat the fuel, etc. prior to storage but I don't change it in the spring prior to a first ride.  Any condensation that accumulates in the oil during storage will burn right off.  The oil is still new, it has just been sitting in your motorcycle rather than on the shelf.

Just my $.02.

[He Man]

Can we just drain the oil completely? (and leave it like that)

Alternatively you can just fill it up with crappy cheap dino oil...

[Howie]

In theory the oil can be acidic with miles, particularly if the person does a lot of short trips, so the oil change advice is cautious preventative medicine.  The practice also comes from history when neither oil or engines were as good as today.

My advice is if there is mileage on the oil, why not change it befores storing?  Can't hurt.  The same oil will stay in for spring.  If you want to be anal, test the PH of your oil.

[tangueroHondo]

Does oil have a shelf life?  I bought 4L of Motul 300V last November and used 3L and a bit in an oil change.  I had about  1L left over in the 4L can.  I just bought another 4L can and did another oil change yesterday.  I've got another L left over from that change.  Is the 1 year old stuff the same as the new stuff?  I'm figuring if it's full synthetic, so probably more or less inert with nothing to interact with in the plastic can except air.  The oxidation effect has to minimal b/c it's hydrophobic, right?

[Jethro]

I think we're missing George.

[Langanobob]

I think we're missing George.

Wonder where he is?  I haven't seen him on the old board either.  I'll try a PM to his business website and see if I can roust him.

[Spidey]

Is there any reason not to change it both before and after?  I don't know anything about oil but when I'm storing a bike, I put in new dino oil for the storage.  Then I change it out with synthetic when I "un-store" it.  (Hey look!  I made a new verb).  It's cheap insurance.  I change out the brake fluid too when I "un-store."  Again, really easy to do and cheap insurance.

[ducpainter]

Is there any reason not to change it both before and after?  I don't know anything about oil but when I'm storing a bike, I put in new dino oil for the storage.  Then I change it out with synthetic when I "un-store" it.  (Hey look!  I made a new verb).  It's cheap insurance.  I change out the brake fluid too when I "un-store."  Again, really easy to do and cheap insurance.

The only reason not to is it's a total waste of time and money IMO.

Very little moisture will be absorbed into oil if the engine is not run.

The theory is to remove the combustion acids to avoid plain and ball bearing damage.

[ute]

i never change the oil before storage ......stabil in gas full tank,  fog cylinders/engine,  remove battery overfill, tires by 10psi,  plug cans with rags , cover breather

then change oil and filter in spring before start up

been doing this 30+ years no problem so far

filters and oil are to expensive to just waste ...imo