How long does it take for the engine oil to warm up?

[romnation]

Just curious, as a I make a lot of short trips. How long does it take riding the scoot until the oil warms up to what would be considered operating temperature and would allow condensation to burn off?

[Jge64]

Warming the oil and burning off all the condensation, is two different things. The bike's oil warms up in one or 2 miles, depending on the outside air temperature. Wisconsin in the winter is going to warm up a bit more slowly than Florida temperatures.

But I have also always read that you should run an engine for 20 minutes to burn off condensation and crap in the oil, also The main reason not to occaisionally start the bike if you put it in storage. Unless you can run it for 20 minutes at road speed, not idle, leave it dead.

[Old Grinner]

FWIW I always let my machines warm up for a few minutes (long enough to get the helmet on and sort things/gloves etc. . .) and then always make sure I put at least 5 miles on it in one stretch before shutting it off again. And then ride it some more. Errands break up the continuity but the motor stays warm in between those 10 minute stops.

Not a perfect program for eliminating all condensation perhaps from the crankcase but nonetheless not bad either. Also note that I change my oil at the end of each riding season or as mileage/maintenance schedule dictates. I tend to ride year round so if I'm on the edge of my oil change schedule I'll usually just wait until the Autumn to change it knowing that fresh oil will be sitting in the machine over the Winter. My Winter riding is less frequent if the weather/road surface conditions don't permit.

[Mel46]

Because I don't ride as much as I use to, and much of my riding now is for local errands, I change my oil at the end of riding season, just before I store them in the basement for the winter. A quart of oil is cheap enough. An engine is not.

[homie]

Someone who put an oil temp gauge on their single cylinder motorcycle engine reported this;

"From a cold start idle it takes 2 minutes to reach an oil temperature of 90 degrees."

"It amazes me how long it takes the engine to get to 150. If I start at about 90 degrees it takes at least 20 minutes on the highway to get to 150 degrees. 170 with some traffic, then stop and go traffic went to 205 and stayed there. Took longer than I'd hope to come back down to 190. But with outside air temps about 60 degrees at 72 mph the engine oil temperature drops to 170."

I think what we have here is an AIR cooled single cylinder motorbike analysis. So we need to do our own research since we have water cooled designs.

[Eiron]

Someone who put an oil temp gauge on their single cylinder motorcycle engine reported this;

"From a cold start idle it takes 2 minutes to reach an oil temperature of 90 degrees."

"It amazes me how long it takes the engine to get to 150. If I start at about 90 degrees it takes at least 20 minutes on the highway to get to 150 degrees. 170 with some traffic, then stop and go traffic went to 205 and stayed there. Took longer than I'd hope to come back down to 190. But with outside air temps about 60 degrees at 72 mph the engine oil temperature drops to 170."

I think what we have here is an AIR cooled single cylinder motorbike analysis. So we need to do our own research since we have water cooled designs.

Nice data! Thanks homie!

[big bear]

changed the oil in the pcx for the first time 545 miles took it for a 20 mile ride today first time its been out since last october changed the oil when the ride was over screen was clean washed it out with brake cleaner good for another year

[iceman]

All those pizza delivery and such people that use scooters (some even PCX now) seem to just start, ride and stop frequently and the bikes seem to last and work well.

[maddiedog]

I wouldn't worry about warm up with the PCX engine, it is built with close enough tolerances that thermal cycling won't affect the life of the engine substantially. I'd instead be extra careful to stick with the maintenance schedule to change the oil regularly since the scooter has no oil filter.

If you don't do enough mileage to reach the mileage threshold on the maintenance schedule, I'd say especially with an errand-runner scooter that gets few miles, change oil yearly at a minimum.

[easyrider]

Thats why a good multi grade oil is essential.

[Mel46]

I put full synthetic in mine when I change the oil. I haven't heard one complaint from it. In fact, I think my PCX is quite happy.

[zroger73]

This thread makes me feel a little better about leaving home on my PCX's.

My 100'-long driveway is perpendicular to a 50 MPH, two-lane state highway on a slight curve where most traffic flows at 55-60+ MPH. My instinct tells me no more than half-throttle up to about 30-45 MPH for a few minutes before giving it the beans, but that's a good way to get flattened. Perhaps I should move.

[iceman]

This thread makes me feel a little better about leaving home on my PCX's.
My 100'-long driveway is perpendicular to a 50 MPH, two-lane state highway on a slight curve where most traffic flows at 55-60+ MPH. My instinct tells me no more than half-throttle up to about 30-45 MPH for a few minutes before giving it the beans, but that's a good way to get flattened. Perhaps I should move.

is your avatar supposed to be upside down?

[zroger73]

is your avatar supposed to be upside down?

What do you mean? That's my PCX - I have to hang it from the ceiling because my garage is full.

(Just kidding, of course. I'm surprised it took nine days for the first person to comment on it! Yes - I intentionally flipped it.)

[Eiron]

This thread makes me feel a little better about leaving home on my PCX's.

My 100'-long driveway is perpendicular to a 50 MPH, two-lane state highway on a slight curve where most traffic flows at 55-60+ MPH. My instinct tells me no more than half-throttle up to about 30-45 MPH for a few minutes before giving it the beans, but that's a good way to get flattened. Perhaps I should move.

You could always give one of the 0W-xx synthetics a try (my pick for Texas would be 0W-40). That would improve your initial oil circulation while waiting for the engine to warm up.

[JohnL]

After servicing with Honda recommended oil I always add some MOS2 Liqui Moly friction reducer. No idea if it makes any difference, but at about $4.00 a shot, it's cheap insurance.

On another note has anyone seen my multi grips? We use them to remove corks out of sparkling wine bottles, and they've gone missing out of the kitchen. Arthritis and old age are so much fun.