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Tourer
Posts: 374
Tucson, AZ | I'm planning a trip of about 5k miles and was thinking about doing an oil change along the way when needed. Have any of you done this? And if so, any suggestions on where to do it? Do you just buy a pan at a parts store and do it in the parking lot, then recycle the oil there, or?????? Or do you look for a quick change oil place and see if they will let you.....or?
mike |
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Visionary
Posts: 1359
New Bohemia, Va | Mike, personally I feel you will be okay and normally now go about 5,000 and sometimes 6,000 miles with no ill effects. To make it simply, but to give you an ok feeling, I suggest you just take an extra filter and change it about halfway through and top it off. If you feel you must change your oil, check the route real good and see if you can find a motorcycle shop, or other auto place and ask them to borrow their pan, and buy oil from them. I would make sure to preplan this one to know exactly where you'll stop and give them a call before you leave.
I hope you enjoy your trip, is it to the East Coast? |
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Visionary
Posts: 2300
Georgia, west of Atlanta | At least it's easy enough to do in a parking lot. The oil filter location is the best for maintenance of any motorcycle I've ever owned........ |
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Tourer
Posts: 374
Tucson, AZ | Heading up through Utah, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, back across Idaho, Montana, Wyoming into Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and finally back to Tucson.
mike |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 935
Rockford, IL | A nephew of mine is the manager of a quick change oil store that is just off a highway and kinda close to a H-D store. They change motorcycle oil quite a bit. They actually have some low profile oil pans and they keep a selection of specific filters in stock just for this purpose.
If I were you I'd purchase the filter before you leave and then stop by a quick change place and you should be set.
But then again....I'd do as Cap'n suggested and just go the 5000 miles and change once I got back home. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1350
| +1 on the 5K trip. Amsoil carries me through my long trips but you use what you prefer NOT starting an oil debate.
Worse comes to worse most of the shops I have stopped at would fit me in for a "quickie" when I tell them I am on the road. Warner's even opened his shop on a Sunday for 5 of us to change our oil and filter once long ago. We bought our oil and filters from him and did our own work which I thought was great of him. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 623
| i went to a walmart for my on the road oil change. Oil change guys let me use a pan in the parking lot and i brought my own filter. I bought the t6 rotella off the shelf and was outta there in :15 |
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Tourer
Posts: 374
Tucson, AZ | Thanks all for the replies...Got 67k on the Vision, and it demands the 2.5k oil change....shes gotten a little finiky in her ways....lol.
mike |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 880
Orlando, FL | My manual for my new Vision 8 Ball says to change the oil and filter every 5,000 miles. That has been my routine over the last several years with my other bikes. Oil change/filter on the 5's It makes it easy to remember. Going a bit more than that between oil and filter change is not a big deal. Remember when we had to change the plugs in our cars every 6 months or so? When is the last time you did that? Things have gottn better and 5k between changes is routine.
As for DIY on the road my reply is........WHAT? Are you crazy? Find a dealer or a shop along the way and just git 'er done while you wait if you feel the change is so important you can't wait to get home. Heck, if getting a filter is a problem, take one with you. But I suspect most dealers carry that much all the time. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1359
New Bohemia, Va | mkultra - 2011-06-02 9:27 AM
Thanks all for the replies...Got 67k on the Vision, and it demands the 2.5k oil change....shes gotten a little finiky in her ways....lol.
mike
Are you still using Vic or a semi-syn oil? Just curious. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 825
, WI | I carry a spare oil filter so that I can go to any dealer. You might not find a Victory dealer on your route. Twice I have stopped at a Victory dealer for an oil change on a road trip and was told they were to busy to do it. I asked one dealer if I could use a drain pan so that I could do it myself and they said no. I kept asking and they gave me a pan. The second dealer in Canada said "come back tomorrow." On the 49 state ride I stopped at a VMC member's house at the halfway point and he changed my oil. Changing my oil in a Victory dealer parking lot - 
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Visionary
Posts: 1359
New Bohemia, Va | Mike, I'd do as Steve suggest - get a headstart and go to RRDB on theVMC and get folks in the area you'd like to change your oil. Meet a fellow Vicster and relax for a moment with a friendly face.
That reminds me, I need to stock up on oil and filters for any weary vicster rollin' through. I've got one of my old rear tires just for the purpose of helping a fellow Vision rider like the one last year on his way to Helen when his tire was down to the cords. A Winger friend saves his old tires and also has a changin' machine. It was a holiday weekend, on a Sunday night, and he was on his way without missing a beat.
Edited by Cap'n Nemo 2011-06-02 10:45 AM
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Iron Butt
Posts: 880
Orlando, FL | Rollin
That is amazing to me that a Vic dealer would not have a tech take 15 minutes and change your oil for you. Unbelievable. This is one of the things Polaris must overcome to become a premier motorcycle company. Too many of these dealers don't get it as they are primarily ATV sellers. My opinion anyhow. I'm not aware of anyone that rides an ATV for a long distance cruiser!
The dealer I bought my bike from sells Vic's - Triumph's - Indian's - and Kawi's They have always been great to me including my recent frustration which ended up being the wrench's fault. (See http://www.vision-riders.com/bb/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=8896&pos... for the story and the Happy Ending! ) If you are ever in the Tampa/St. Pete Florida area and need an assist, go to the guys at St. Pete Powersports. They will do what they can to actually HELP!!
Edited by MaddMAx2u 2011-06-02 11:20 AM
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Tourer
Posts: 411
Dallas, Texas | What oil do you prefer to use? |
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Tourer
Posts: 374
Tucson, AZ | I use Vic oil, but on the road will use what I can get. The way I ride, I never know where I will be...no schedule...if I want to stop and see something I do....If i want to ride 200 miles or 800 miles a day....I do. So like my riding style...I will just wing it.....no use getting disappointed over poor plans....
mike |
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Tourer
Posts: 494
Akron Ohio area | Dealerships MUST be able to take road trippers as a first priority when it comes to oil changes.
Come on, it's a 15 minute job!
Anything else (tire change, headlight, etc) and they should handle it within a day. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 825
, WI | MaddMAx2u - 2011-06-02 11:18 AM
Rollin
That is amazing to me that a Vic dealer would not have a tech take 15 minutes and change your oil for you. Unbelievable.
And it doesn't help that the next Victory dealer might be 100's of miles away! |
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Cruiser
Posts: 161
Oregon. | Rollin, saw the pictures of your 1500 IBA ride. Looks like you had a great trip. My wife and I received our certificate from the IBA today for our SS1000. I can't wait till we do our BB1500. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 92
Fort Walton Beach, FL | Anytime that any bike rider is in the Fort Walton Beach area and needs a place to do maintenance on their bikes, I am extending an open invitation to use my garage, tools, oil pan etc. Even if you just want to wash the road dirt off your bike and shine it up nice to go over to Thunder Beach. Just let me know through any of the Victory forums... or call me at 850-543-6827. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 825
, WI | Brian G - 2011-06-02 11:35 PM
Rollin, saw the pictures of your 1500 IBA ride. Looks like you had a great trip. My wife and I received our certificate from the IBA today for our SS1000. I can't wait till we do our BB1500.
The ride to Tijuana is still my favorite trip.
Congratulations Brian! I hope you have a fun and safe trip on your BB1500. Damn rides are addictive.  |
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Tourer
Posts: 444
Bay of Gigs, WA | Changing oil alongside the road is easy, but I suggest you do it as close as possible to a stream, otherwise the used oil won't be washed away properly.
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Cruiser
Posts: 166
Bullhead City, AZ | If you change the oil in CA throw it on the road and cat scratch some dirt on it. At least that section of the highway will be fixed. |
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Changing oil on the road