oil change intervals

[svenrico]

My 10 year old BMW 1 series car requires oil and filter changing at 18,000 mile intervals. My Honda CB650F required oil and filter changing at 8,000 mile intervals. My 2020 Suzuki SV650A requires oil and filter changing at 5,000 mile intervals with intermediate oil changes at 2,500 mile intervals.
What is it about the Suzuki engine that requires the oil changing at such short intervals ? I thought modern oils were long lasting anyway !
ps if I do as many miles in a year on the Suzuki as I did on the Honda I will be changing the oil at least 4 times a year !

[Craig380]

The manual for my 2017 AL7 has two services schedules in it: one for Europe & Oceania countries, one for the US.

The European schedule is oil every 7,500 miles with a filter change every 2nd oil change, and spark plug change at 15,000 miles. The US schedule states oil every 3,750 miles with filter every 3rd oil change, and spark plug change every 7,500.

The previous-generation SVs only needed oil changes every 3,750 miles with a filter every 3rd change.

[garynortheast]

My 2000 Curvy gets oil and filter changed every 5000 miles.

[svenrico]

Must apologise, really don't know what I was looking at. After first service oil change is every 7,500 miles or 12 months; with oil filter change every 15,000 miles or 24 months. Spark plugs, however, need replacing quite often every 7,500 miles or 12 months.

[Craig380]

Originally Posted by svenrico

Spark plugs, however, need replacing quite often every 7,500 miles or 12 months.

The 'European' schedule for my AL7 is clear that it's a plug inspection at 7,500 miles and a change at 15,000.

Suzuki has done an irritating thing with many of its new bikes (including the Gen 3 SV) and started using a manufacturer-specific plug made for Suzuki by NGK. This means there is no alternative plug from another manufacturer, no Iridium equivalent, etc and Suzuki dealers charge £10 per plug.

On my own bike I checked the plugs at 7,500 miles and they were fine, only one needed the gap tweaking a little. I changed them at 15,000 miles and while the centre electrodes were a little worn (the end of the electrodes were a little rounded, the sharp edges had gone), they were still usable for at least a couple more thousand miles.

It's worth checking the spares sales website of Robinsons Foundry from time to time as they sometimes do half-price offers on things like plugs and airfilters.

Here's the difference between the new SV's MR8E-9 plug (left) and a standard CR8E from my previous 2006 SV. Note the projected nose and long ceramic on the MR8E.

[Red Herring]

The figures quoted for oil changes like most things around maintenance will very much depend on how you use it. If you are in the habit of working the engine really hard, or if you make lots of short journeys where the engine doesn't really get up to temperature properly, then I would suggest you lean towards changing the oil more often. If on the other hand you ride it fairly sensibly and most trips are over twenty miles then you can probably extend them a bit.

[svenrico]

'It's worth checking the spares sales website of Robinsons Foundry from time to time as they sometimes do half-price offers on things like plugs and airfilters.'
Interesting information about spark plugs. Does that mean Robinsons Foundry might have Gen 3 SV650A specific plugs ,and they are not just available from Suzuki dealers ?

[embee]

I've used these 2 places for plugs, at least you know they are genuine items unlike random fleabay sellers. Might be of use to someone.
https://www.gsparkplug.com/ngk-mr8e-...ug-nickel.html
https://www.sparkplugs.co.uk/

[Craig380]

Originally Posted by svenrico

Does that mean Robinsons Foundry might have Gen 3 SV650A specific plugs ,and they are not just available from Suzuki dealers ?

Robinsons is a Suzuki dealer and parts specialist, their stuff is genuine. I got my most recent set of plugs from there at half price. They're not discounted at the moment but they probably will be at some point in the coming months.

As Embee pointed out, SparkPlugs.co.uk are also a reliable source of genuine NGK, I've used them many times over the years.

[Seeker]

Way back when my AL7 had its 7500 service the dealer warned me up front that Suzuki called for plug replacement (not inspection). My owners manual has had a piece of paper (crudely) inserted (stuck) into the European guidelines maintenance page. The dealer called Suzuki to verify that the plug replacement was required and was told that:
The Euro 4 compliant SV engine has longer, exposed electrode plugs which are susceptible to damage over a period of time which may cause the electrode to drop into the engine.

I suspect that the plugs are unique to this SV simply to help reduce emissions and other plugs would work fine albeit with a slightly dirtier exhaust.

My owners manual is dated Dec 2015 part number 99011-18K50-01A. Does the AL9 have a later edition?

On one of Craig380's previous tips I picked up a couple of sets of plugs from RobinsonsFoundry (thanks).