Woundering about how long does everybody else's oil last. I'm running full synthetic Royal Purple Max-Cycle 10w-40. At 800miles it was still purple and clean. Well after this Labor day weekend of rough trail riding. The Royal Purple isn't so purple anymore. Its more like an abused car's oil, black and sludge looking. And that was after about 30miles & 7.5hrs of trail riding.

 

Did it go from clean to Black in only 30 miles? Or was 800 the last time you looked at until after the trail ride? It seems like the Trail riding really took its' toll on your oil. Possibly all the extra heat from the trail riding. Was your fan coming on a lot? any other problems? Sorry for all the questions but the more info the better to help figure it out.

 

I change my oil every 1000 miles and its very dark by that point, but I'm only running regular Mobil 10-40, non synthetic.

 

It went from clean to black in the 30miles. Yes, the fan was always cycling when I was on the trail.

The trails were brutal. I hardly never left 1st gear and was always using the clutch. Only a few time did I actually get into 2nd gear. The bike has no problems and drove home fine under its own power.

 

change the oil immediatly!!! it prolly smells really bad too.I'd suggest switching your coolant over to engine ice as well.
I as well ran some severe trails in july in west virginia and i had a bout a 5 mile strectch where i never left 1st gear....my fan never turned on and i never saw a temp light.I am running the engine ice and Amsoil 10w 40 full synthetic.I had 300 miles on the bike that week all off road and when i changed the oil when i got home it still looked good.
I'd suggest changing your gearing because if you are running stock gearing in trails that tight you will burn some stuff up.

 

Truckman, great input. Is that engine ice an additive or a fluid to fill the radiators with. Or am I an idiot and that's some slang?

 

 

I change my oil every 500 miles, unless I've taken it through some heavy heavy riding, and I can see the oil is already getting dark. I'll change it every other time i go riding if i'm only doing trail stuff. I like clean oil. Yes this might be over kill, but I just write off the cost of oil anyway.

 

i can tell when my oil needs to be changed just by how the bike shifts... when it starts gettin ratchety or doesnt want to go into gear at times it needs to be changed.... usually around 500-700 miles... i run amzoil and do a lot of high rev riding[8D]

 

Its worth changing often, esp if you are using it hard.
Quote
"The trails were brutal. I hardly never left 1st gear and was always using the clutch. Only a few time did I actually get into 2nd gear. The bike has no problems and drove home fine under its own power."
Remember the engine and transmission are sharing a little over 1 litre of oil.
Road riding you can get away with a lot of miles before changing, off road riding is brutal on bikes and therefore the oil needs changing a lot more often.