[Alan LaRue]

Did my first oil change, this morning before work! (Don't believe I've ever gotten up early to do an oil change before.) It had 302 miles and had been sitting for a week because I didn't have time to change it. It's a 72 mile round trip, and I wasn't willing to go that another ~25% past 300 for the first oil change.

Looks like I'll do my second fill-up this afternoon.

[TCP]

Nice work LaRue.

I am due for my first oil change as well.  362 miles and my C5 has been sitting for over a week waiting....waiting.....waiting.  I don't want to push very much past the recommended interval either.

Got oil filter(s) on Wednesday,(ready for the 600mile and 2000 mile interval changes) oil yesterday.  Ready to do it.  The bike lives at work, so maybe I'll just have to come into the office tomorrow to "catch up on a few things" if you know what I mean.

[Alan LaRue]

The manual does not show a recommended 600 mile service, only 300, then 3750, 7500, etc. I may do a 600 anyway.

[TCP]

Alan,

What I have seen would be a 300 ish, then again at 600 with regular oil, then on the third change at 2000 switch to semi synth or synth oil.  After 2000 change the filter at every second oil change.

If anyone has a different opinion than my own humble offering here, please help Alan and myself out from under any misconceptions.

[Ducati Scotty]

The oil changes at 300 and 600 are meant to get most of the metal shavings that come early in the break in out of the engine.

I'd recommend changing the filter with every oil change.  The longer you keep it the more it plugs up and stops working.

Scott

[Alan LaRue]

Understand. I've always changed the filter in the my cars every time, too.

My question, really, was about the 600 mile service. My owner's manual does not list a 600 mile service. I don't know if this is a change for the 2011 model or not. (I plan to do it anyway.)

[TCP]

I have to agree with changing the filter every time.  They are only $10.00 each and well worth the investment.

[Ducati Scotty]

Understand. I've always changed the filter in the my cars every time, too.

My question, really, was about the 600 mile service. My owner's manual does not list a 600 mile service. I don't know if this is a change for the 2011 model or not. (I plan to do it anyway.)

It's worthwhile on these bikes.  They spit out a lot of metal shavings in the first few hundred miles.  No reason to leave it in the engine until 2,000 when an oil/filter change with dino oil is pretty cheap.  It's just the concensus on the forum here, nothing official.

Scott

[TWinOKC]

Understand. I've always changed the filter in the my cars every time, too.

My question, really, was about the 600 mile service. My owner's manual does not list a 600 mile service. I don't know if this is a change for the 2011 model or not. (I plan to do it anyway.)

If in doubt, change the oil and filter, it doesn't cost that much.  FWIW I went with Mobile1 full synthetic at 300 miles.  Mobil1 makes an oil especially for motorcycles and is available at auto stores everywhere.  There are a lot of good motorcycle oils availale.  Not saying Mobile1 is any better than any of the others, just that it is readily available.

Good luck to you

[Arizoni]

You guys probably already know it but especially after the bike has sit for any length of time you should start it and warm up the oil.

Running the engine faster than an idle will pick up much of the loose crud that has settled to the bottom of the crankcase so it is washed away when the oil is drained.

I like the idea of doing a 600 mile oil change along with the filter at that time.

Based on the filings I saw with my G5 there is still a lot of fine metal that is being worn off of things like the gears in the transmission between 300 and 600 miles.

Although RE recommends a 15-50 semi-synthetic the 20-50 Mobil 1 V Twin is working very well for me.

The way I figure it, if it extends the life of the bike doing a oil and filter change more often than the book recommends can't hurt anything and I know my bike has nice clean oil lubing all of those whirring spinning sliding things.

[Arizoni]

I decided to change my oil and filter today even though the manual says it isn't needed for another 1300 miles.

I figured that after my 400+ mile freeway speed trip it might be a good idea to change it.

Both magnets (one on the drain plug and one on the strainer cap) had a light accumulation of steel filings on them so I think the break in period is about over.

I tried a different method of getting the "extra" oil out of the side cases by draining the oil with the bike on the center stand and then dropping it off of the center stand and tipping the bike both right and left, holding it in both positions for awhile.
This did get some extra oil out of the crankcase.  It took 1.85 quarts to refill it.

Although I'm sure the filter is working like it should I noticed that the drained oil had a metallic look to it when the sun was shining on it so I feel better knowing that those fine metal flakes aren't in there lubricating my rolling element bearings. 

[Ducati Scotty]

I believe the official procedure in the manual says just that, tip the bike from side to side to get more oil out when draining.

Scott

[Arizoni]

True but the last times I changed the oil I did the tipping with the bike still on the center stand.
Much easier to do with it sitting on its wheels.

[GlennF]

My current plan is to do a full oil and filter change at the recommended intervals and try and fit in an extra "quickie" oil change only service half way between the book changes.

[Ducati Scotty]

True but the last times I changed the oil I did the tipping with the bike still on the center stand.
Much easier to do with it sitting on its wheels.

Ah!  Yeah, I did it on the stand too.  This would be easier and is going in my notebook

Scott