I was wondering what the general consensus was as to Kawasaki's recommended oil changes at 7500 mile intervals. I'm pretty sure that the Kawasaki engineers know more about designing an engine than I do but that sure does seem like a lot of miles between changes to me. I change the oil on both of my KLR's at the 5K mark and wonder if that is too long.

I know that oil and filters are still pretty cheap and changing it every 5K makes it easy to remember, but I wonder if any KLR's met a premature death from changing the oil as called for by the book. Anyone know?

Way too long for me. I go every 2Kish. But I also have an 08 oil burner so I'm adding fresh oil all the time.

i agree, not sure why kawi would even say that. i've always changed between 3000 - 4000 km, 5000 km max ( 2000 - 2500 miles, 3000 miles max )

it's cheap and probably the most important maintenance you can do

Where does Kawasaki recommend a 7,500-mile oil change, Rustydust (reference, please)?

Here's a 6000-mile oil change interval schedule (after initial 500-mile change) from the 2007 OWNERS'S MANUAL:



Is even 6000 miles too far to go without changing oil? Regardless, haven't seen the 7500-mile interval mentioned in any Kawasaki literature; may be something new with the Generation 2s.

I doubt running recommended API service code and viscosity oil at the appropriate level, for the 6000-mile change interval recommended by Kawasaki, would result in catastrophic failure or severely truncated service life.

The only oil-related malfunctions of which I'm aware involve the LACK of oil!

A bit off-topic, but:

Speaking of Kawasaki oil recommendations, I know of none proscribing "friction modifiers" or "energy-conserving" in oil descriptors; further, I know of no KLR650 clutches compromised by such lubricants . . . perhaps some forum member has direct experience/observation of such heartbreak . . .

Hell, I always hit the YEAR mark before that mileage recommendation !!!

you answered your own question, the owners manual that came with my bike (2013) says, every year or 7 500 miles ( after initial change at 600 miles )

Thanks, a4twenty!

Amazing, after 20 years or so of manufacturing an essentially unchanged engine, suddenly, the oil change interval jumped 25 per cent . . .

Must have been a function of the "New, IMPROVED!" piston rings on the 2008 models . . .

Again, much obliged for the update.

Oh, does that mean I can now go 7500 miles with my Generation 1? Aw, shucks; didn't think so!

2008 manual here looked this up online since I'm not home....WTF?

Interval in miles is 600, 7,500, 15,000, 24,000 (9K miles), then 30,000.

Are they mixing kilometers and miles here or just f*****g up?

No matter, I just change once a year or around 2K miles.

Anyone have an '08 manual in hand to verify?

By those numbers it's about time for my 4th oil change.

Thankfully my '08 is not an oil burner but, IIRC the early harley-davidson oiling system was described as "constant loss". If that means it was dripping out or burning it I don't know.

I had a '71 chevy truck with a 454 once that drank oil so much that I extended the oil change intervals in favor of replacing the filter per recommendation since I was constantly adding fresh oil at every fill up.

Could this be the reasoning behind the big K's oil change schedule?