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XR250 oil change frequency XR250 oil change frequency
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  #1  
Old 21 Jun 2006
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Question XR250 oil change frequency
Planning our next trip on XR250's (dry sump) and from the haynes manual and other websites I have read, it seems the recommended oil change frequency for these bikes is approx every 600miles and changing oil filter every second oil change.

This would mean a hell of a lot of oil changes and filters for a long trip! Obviously they are recommending this for a reason but I was wondering if anyone has ignored this and gone for longer intervals whithout any problems?
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Old 10 Aug 2006
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These bikes hold very little oil so the oil wears out VERY quickly. The engines are also highly tuned which doesnt help matters.

The 600 mile recommendation is what you should do if riding the bike how it was meant to be which is fast trail and off road riding.

If you just touring, you should be ok for 1000 miles using high quality oil and having the motor is good order in the first place.

Any longer than this and your going to wear the engine out considerably faster than you should be.

How long is your trip and how old are the bikes ?
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Old 11 Aug 2006
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My '03 XR250 in Baja last year
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Old 30 Aug 2006
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hmm thanks for the answers. My bike is the XR Baja which is not sold in UK. Imported from Japan...I have tried to attach an image but not sure if it's going to work. Like you pics by the way...but you should have had an XR Baja in Baja!!

I think the gearing is lower than the std XR250R it is a 13:40 ratio and I think the XR250 is 13:48 or something like that. They also come with a more comfy seat and a 14L tank and the word BAJA scrawled across the tank

We are taking the bikes across Africa and I won't have access to really good oil...multi-grade mineral at best I would say. I am thinking of stretching to 1500 miles between changes - we won't be thrashing the bikes - at least not all the time.
Going to add a magnetic drain bolt as an extra cleaner but hoping it's not going to damage the bike too much.
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Old 30 Aug 2006
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I have a 1996 XR250R and I use it mostly for street riding. I use semi-synthetic 20W50 and change the oil every 3500-4000 km. The bike is at 3200 km since the last oil change, and the oil on the dipstick is still golden yet dark.

Far more important than the oil change frequency is checking the oil properly. Checking the oil on thse bikes is a b*tch and if not done properly might give you either a near-empty reading, leading you to overfill the oil.

Also, when used at high revs for extender periods (on the highway, for example) I believe they use a little oil.

If you don't have access to semi-synthetic then I'm not sure what a good oil change interval is. Probably less than 3000 km, and probably more than what the service manual states, which, as others have pointed out, is aimed at a competitive off-road regime, where you ride less distance for the same time period than on the road.

Hope that helps.

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Old 30 Aug 2006
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Have a great trip, hope you'll post some pics on HU or a ride report!
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