Should I change the oil by the odometer? Or install an hour meter?

[hxr400]

Im just about to get an hour meter installed on my new to me 08 450x before I pick it up. I think I'd better.

I was told I should change the oil in the engine every 500km's - 310 miles.

& change the oil in the gear box every 1000km's - 610 miles.

What do you think about that?

I think I'd prefer to change the oil by hours not km's. Because most of the time it will be at low speed but highish revs. The Odometer is kinda irrelevant really.

I'm no moto x rider. More like a trail rider.

If i was to service it via the hour meter, how often should I change the oil in both?

Every 10 hours for the engine? & 20 for the gearbox? That's what the parts guy at the dealer said he does on his moto x 450. But for me as a trail rider maybe I should not do it so often?

& those of you who have installed an hour meter. Where is a good place to mount it?

Cheers!!! ?

[cienfu]

I change the oil every 1000 kms, both sides, and the oil filter too. The x's has 10000 km and it runs great. ?

[dakynz]

personally i think the odometer is better than an hour meter. Why... Its how all motor vehicles, in particular the higher priced ones measure durations. Is an hour at standstill the same as an hour of riding. No. Hour meters are great for keeping as little weight on the bike but providing the ability to take usage measurements. But, odometer is definitely preferred over an hour meter.

When in doubt, change it out.

All of this is assuming you have dumped the OEM piece of crap odometer for something more accurate. (I use the trail tech vapor)

[Justin Hambleton]

Is an hour at standstill the same as an hour of riding. No.

1 km cruising at low RPM isn't the same as 1 km at race speed either.

An hour meter is a far more accurate representation of 'run time' on the motor which, when it comes to oil, is really what matters isn't it? Case in point, your odometer is going to log distance even when the bike is moved around, coasting with the motor off, etc...

All the cumulative time the bike remains stationary, but with the motor running is relevant. That's why farm equipment and diesel trucks use hour meters - they accumulate a lot of run time when they're not moving or just creeping a long.

If I'm not mistaken, a lot of the onboard computer systems in cars base oil change intervals on run time, not distance.

Depending on your riding style, you can definitely get away with basing maintenance intervals on distance, rather than run time. I don't think there's anything particularly wrong with that.

I just happen to believe an hour meter is a far more accurate tool and I like accurate tools.

[Dust_Devil]

1 km cruising at low RPM isn't the same as 1 km at race speed either.

An hour meter is a far more accurate representation of 'run time' on the motor which, when it comes to oil, is really what matters isn't it? Case in point, your odometer is going to log distance even when the bike is moved around, coasting with the motor off, etc...

All the cumulative time the bike remains stationary, but with the motor running is relevant. That's why farm equipment and diesel trucks use hour meters - they accumulate a lot of run time when they're not moving or just creeping a long.

If I'm not mistaken, a lot of the onboard computer systems in cars base oil change intervals on run time, not distance.

Depending on your riding style, you can definitely get away with basing maintenance intervals on distance, rather than run time. I don't think there's anything particularly wrong with that.

I just happen to believe an hour meter is a far more accurate tool and I like accurate tools.

Yes indeed.

[kalvin22]

I go by the hour meter and mounted mine on the right side of the frame by the ID tag with dual sided 3M tape:ride:

[-=Jughead=-]

All interesting comments and viewpoints.

If we get into the minutiae of distance rolled after a flame-out, etc., then... ?

But consider this in the mix. Riding conditions: Particulates/dust in the air, altitude, temperature, which gears you mainly rode in, cargo/rider weight, etc.

500KM for my bike might equate to 150KM for yours, or vice versa, etc. Or seeing exactly 5.0 hours and needing to change the oil right away is still an arbitrary metric unless other factors are all included.

Hour meters are inexpensive. Not a bad option to have. But, I say keep your head in the assessment as much as you can to make the final determination of change intervals...add up the mileage, how the bike was ridden, and time, and go from there.

One thing to absotively posolutely keep in mind in ALL oil threads: If you haven't sent your oil off for analysis to get the Real State of your oil, then you are missing most of the information you need.

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

[dakynz]

Case in point, your odometer is going to log distance even when the bike is moved around, coasting with the motor off, etc...

How much mileage do you think you put on your bike without the engine running? I really don't understand this point as your talking maybe an error rate of 5-10 miles out of 300 miles of riding.

All the cumulative time the bike remains stationary, but with the motor running is relevant. That's why farm equipment and diesel trucks use hour meters - they accumulate a lot of run time when they're not moving or just creeping a long.

We aren't talking diesels engines. There is a big difference in stationary time on diesels trucks or farm equipment compared to a bike's engine. You won't have the X stationary and running for more then 5 minutes or you'll overheat. Diesels run for hours in a stationary state.

I think we are saying the same things but on different sides of the fence. Both odometer or hour meter will have a certain degree of error but provide an estimate to time or mileage so that it can give the driver a benchmark on when to conduct maintenance intervals. The error rate can be determined based on the type of riding or conditions experienced. When in doubt, change it out.

[Dust_Devil]

The x's odo only goes up to 100 miles. Unless your really good about logging miles an hourmeter is far more practical.

Yes, I agree actual miles ridden and conditions are also a factor in me deciding when to change my oil, it's just the hourmeter helps make it more manageable. Especially when you are maintaning bikes not ridden by yourself (think kids, un-mechanical friends....ect)

[dakynz]

All of this is assuming you have dumped the OEM piece of crap odometer for something more accurate. (I use the trail tech vapor)

The x's odo only goes up to 100 miles. Unless your really good about logging miles an hourmeter is far more practical.

Agreed, the first thing that needs to go on the X is the crappy odo. The yamaha WR comes with a very nice digital odo. I do not understand why honda puts something so cheap and inaccurate on such a great bike.

[Justin Hambleton]

How much mileage do you think you put on your bike without the engine running? I really don't understand this point as your talking maybe an error rate of 5-10 miles out of 300 miles of riding.

Like I said - I'm just going for accuracy. The point is run time, not distance when it comes to oil life. You simply can't deny that run time is a better, more accurate metric than distance when it comes to the life of oil.

Run time at least is a better baseline metric than distance. You certainly have to factor in all the other variables that phuzz up there pointed out. For example, I always change my oil immediately after a desert race, which is usually only a 2-3 hours of run time. Whereas I'll go 10 hours between oil changes if I'm just out play riding.

If you really wanted to get accurate, the new EFI bikes come with onboard computers capable of tracking hundreds of data points. The new Highland bikes, for example, log something like 200 different variables so you can plug it into a computer and it will tell you everything that has happened with the motor up to that point. You could then make accurate calculations on oil life based on temperatures, pressures, etc...

http://www.ushighland.com/

I could argue the merits of using an hour meter over an odometer all day long, but the bottom line is you need to keep track of something - distance or run time - and perform routine engine maintenance at regular intervals.

Besides, I like to flat track corners and spin the rear tire a lot, so my rear tire is certainly traveling farther than my front at times ?

[crfxer]

You can see what the engine oil looks like thru the view window and I take that in consideration, but on the tranny side you can't see what all that clutch slippage and gear shifting is doing in the tightstuff even if you are not riding fast, meaning low miles. You can contaminate that oil pretty guick in some good grarly dusty single track so I take all 3 things in consideration, If I'm doing a lot of d/s with a lot of payment and low dust I'll go a lot further than between changes than if doing the tight dusty singletrack. I usually compare with my airfilter too to see how it compares and go from there

[Dust_Devil]

Agreed, the first thing that needs to go on the X is the crappy odo. The yamaha WR comes with a very nice digital odo. I do not understand why honda puts something so cheap and inaccurate on such a great bike.

I find the stock odo to be quite adequate.

[CRFrider-northIdaho]

Well this is a battle for advise. There are a hundred opinions. I personally use the OEM odometer. When I hit 100 miles it is time for an oil change. I ride strictly trails and have found this to work good for me. The oil does not look to bad when it comes out.

As for the oil analysis being sent in. Does anyone have the reports that came back on this? If so what was it and how much time or miles were on the oil. I think this would be great to find out if my schedule is to early or to late. Just do not have the cash to do it now.

Some guys will tell you to change your oil every 3 hours and the shop will tell you to wait much longer. It is realy up to you to read the hundreds of posts and make a determination out of this information. 100 miles works for me.

good luck to you in the search.

[x1glider]

Hours is a better indicator.

I ride in 2nd and 3rd gear all the time in the woods, rarely seeing 25 mph. If I was in 5th gear doing 50 mph, I'd go twice the distance even though the engine is doing the same amount of work (rpms). Does this mean I can go twice as long between oil changes if I only ride in 3rd gear?

See where the inaccuracy in the distance method is? That can lead some people to believe they can run their oil 2X longer and possibly do engine damage.

My riding style is more gentle than the desert guys also. And it's not quite as dusty in the woods. So I can go a little longer for those reasons too.

[MOERULES]

buy a trail tech they record both hours and miles!!! Me I go the mileage route as Ive ridden 6 hours and only went 60 miles which equals 10 mph on some of the tree dodging excursions in MI. Either way works its just what you feel more comfortable with, everyone will have there own opinion on this subject as you can see!!

[Tacomaman87]

you could get real fancy and base it off the amount of fuel used. thats how bmw cars base their service interval.

[cubera]

Hour meters make things sooooo much easier. Good points by crfxer in that you can't always rely on time or distance to figure out if you need to change the oil or not.

[hxr400]

Yep ok thanks guys I will definitely get an hour meter fitted.

But, how many hours before a service? 10?

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[hxr400]

Agreed, the first thing that needs to go on the X is the crappy odo. The yamaha WR comes with a very nice digital odo. I do not understand why honda puts something so cheap and inaccurate on such a great bike.

In Oz, the X comes with a nice big digital speedo/odometer! Its got all the info on it that any street bike would have. Even a lap timer!

What do youse get? Just an analog Odometer?.... Oh weak.

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