Oil and filters
How many kilometres between motorbike oil changes
By the workshop · 2 min read · September 30, 2026
The short answer is in your bike's manual. The long answer is that the manual's interval was written for normal use, and the way most bikes in the Garraf are used, short trips and lots of starts, isn't normal. Here's how to tell when it's really due.
What the manual says
Every manufacturer sets one interval in kilometres and another in time, and whichever comes first applies. On scooters and small bikes it's usually between 3,000 and 6,000 km; on mid-size and large bikes, between 6,000 and 10,000. The time limit is usually a year: oil ages even when the bike isn't moving.
Why town riding means changing it sooner
Oil suffers more from cold starts and ten-minute trips than from a long run on the open road. The engine never reaches temperature, moisture condenses and unburnt fuel builds up. If your bike mostly does short trips, shorten the manual's interval: it's what we recommend to almost everyone at the workshop.
Mineral, semi-synthetic or synthetic
Synthetic oil copes better with heat and time, which is why the manual's long intervals assume you're using it. What matters isn't the brand but the specification your bike calls for: viscosity and standard. Putting car oil in a bike with a wet clutch is one of the most expensive ways to save money.
The oil filter and the air filter
The oil filter is changed with the oil, or every other change if the manual allows it: a clogged filter lets oil through unfiltered. The air filter is checked at the same time, because a dirty one makes the engine use more and dirties the oil sooner.
Signs it's already due
Dark, cloudy oil in the sight glass, a level that drops between services, a noisier engine when cold or a stiffer gear change. None of these is a fault yet; all of them are warnings. If any of them appears before the expected mileage, bring the change forward.
How we do it at the workshop
Oil and filter change with the oil your bike calls for, plus a check of the air filter and the levels of the other fluids. We tell you what's due next time and when. Book online, it's free, and come at your booked time.
What you ask us
Can I leave it longer if I hardly use the bike?
Not beyond the time limit in the manual, which is usually a year. Oil ages while the bike sits and absorbs moisture; with few kilometres the problem isn't wear but age.
Is it bad to top up with a different oil?
To get to the workshop, no. As a habit, yes: mixing different specifications leaves the oil below what the engine needs. Top up with the right one and change it when it's due.
How long does the change take?
Under an hour on most bikes, with an appointment. Without one, it depends on how busy the workshop is that day.
We do it
Would you rather not get your hands dirty?
We get it ready for you at the workshop. Book a slot and pick a real time.
