Truthfully, how often do you check your oil?

[Sandymay]

Do you do it everyday, like the manual says, or once a week, or even less often?

Thanks!

[Ganglylamb]

I commute with my pcx 250 km each week and I check it once a week. Doesn't take that long but I am lazy. 14000 km so far and no problem whatsoever.

[fish]

Every ride, or every other.
Low oil will quickly & permanently damage an engine. Seriously low oil will kill it.
New scooter engines are well over $1,000.....
The wealthy can afford to be lazy about that 30 second procedure -- I can't.
Fish

[Sandymay]

Fish, do you check it cold then?

[Mel46]

I use to check mine before each ride. However, now that I do not ride as often, and I recently changed the oil, I look for any oil spots under the bike where I park it, and then once a week whether I rode it or not.

Not to hijack this thread but when I change the oil on my bikes, since I don't have any of those stickers you get on your car at oil change facilities, I place a piece of white duct tape on the top of the swingarm and put the date and miles for the last oil change. It is easier than trying to remember when you last changed the oil.

[Sandymay]

Thanks Mel. Good idea. Do you check your oil cold or after the bike’s warmed up? Cold would be super easy for me to check each morning, waiting 3-5 minutes to do it on a warm bike, not as convenient.

I understand the oil expands with heat so the reading won’t be as accurate cold, but would confirm I had oil in the bike.

[GeorgeSK]

Truthfully, I'm lucky to check once in two months. As I understand it cold is best, and on a level surface on the center stand. My driveway is pretty sloped, so to do the job "right" is tricky.

clearly I should check more often, but you asked for truthful.

[Jge64]

Check it after a run. Get off the bike, wait 3-5 minutes check it… Doesn’t matter if it’s cold or warm

As I said somewhere else, make sure where you’re storing the bike ,the underneath surface is completely clean and pristine so you can see any oil leaks. If you have none, and you’re not burning massive billows of blue smoke out the tailpipe, your oil level is fine. I check mine probably every six months, Usually when I’m changing oil.

[87112]

Total Fail. Once every 2-3 months.

[fish]

I use to check mine before each ride. However, now that I do not ride as often, and I recently changed the oil, I look for any oil spots under the bike where I park it, and then once a week whether I rode it or not.

Not to hijack this thread but when I change the oil on my bikes, since I don't have any of those stickers you get on your car at oil change facilities, I place a piece of white duct tape on the top of the swingarm and put the date and miles for the last oil change. It is easier than trying to remember when you last changed the oil.

Log your oil changes, filters, plugs, valve checks, belts, etc in blank pages in owner's manual kept under the seat.
Fish

[iceman]

If I don't see any evidence of a leak, I check once every 2-3 months. Often it's only gone down a bit.

[gn2]

Check it when doing an oil change then don't look at it again till next oil change.

[jburner]

Haven’t had it long enough, but I know that if I check it more than once a month, I will end up cross threading those plastic threads on the dipstick. I would check it much more if I knew it was burning oil. So far so good.

[springer1]

As I understand it cold is best, and on a level surface on the center stand.

I thought the manual says that if the bike is cold, then let the bike warm up for a few minutes before checking it.

[GeorgeSK]

Right you are!
Page 64:
1. Place your scooter on its center stand on a firm, level surface.
2. If the engine is cold, idle the engine for three to five minutes.
3. Turn the ignition switch off, stop the engine and wait 2 or 3 minutes.
4. Remove the oil fill cap/dipstick and wipe it clean.
5. Insert the oil fill cap/dipstick until it seats, but don't screw it in. Check that the oil level is between the upper and lower marks in the oil fill cap dipstick.
6. Securely install the oil fill cap/dipstick.

So I was wrong, but following this procedure means that you are fiddling with the dipstick right next to the somewhat warm exhaust. In the grand scheme, just checking the oil at all and you are probably ahead of the game.

[alx123]

I ride 70 kms everyday and used to check it every two weeks but found no difference in the oil level. Now, usually just once a month everytime I wash the scoot and visually check everything after, i.e tires, air filter, coolant, oil, brake fluids.

[DAB]

Approx. every year.

[Mel46]

Since I don't ride as often as I use to, checking the oil while the bike is cold is fine. The objective is to make sure there is oil in it and that it is somewhere in the hex markings on the dipstick. If I wanted to check for accuracy, then I would follow the book. If I just wanted to make sure the oil was not low or non-existent, then I would check it cold.

[pcx man]

At the first of every month I do a complete check of oil, coolant, lights, tire pressure and all over look. I will double check things if I am going on a long ride. I now have 25,000 miles on my 2013 PCX150 so I am doing something right.

[pcx888]

Every ride, or every other.
Low oil will quickly & permanently damage an engine. Seriously low oil will kill it.
New scooter engines are well over $1,000.....
The wealthy can afford to be lazy about that 30 second procedure -- I can't.
Fish

I just rebuilt a complete 2013 pcx 150. Had to change crankshaft and bearing. New piston and head due to lack of oil. My friends bike had no oil. So i installed a big bore kit and fuel controller kit. And 900.00 dollars later it runs.