Spark plug change intervals on a 4th gen? How often are you guys changing yours.

The manual states every 8 thousand miles for a spark plug change. I have a long trip coming up shortly and am close to the 8k mark since my last plug change. Seeing as changing the plugs is a pain, what intervals are you guys changing your plugs at?

 

on my sunday country hilly ride today......I talked with a 4th gen owner who said he just changed his original factory plugs....over 20 yrs old....he said the engine was just starting to miss a bit at high revs, hi speed...prompted him to change...

 

JIMLARCH, I'd just change 'em. If they're standard plugs then it'll give you the piece-of-mind on your trip.

 

Just changed the plugs on my wife's 96 VFR and it was running great but since we just bought it last year and I didn't know when the PO changed them last I figured it was time to swap them out. They were Nippon/Denso plugs which is what they came from the factory with if I recall correctly. The bike has just about 55,000 km's on the, what I believe to be the original plugs.

Would your bike survive the trip, probably, but it literally took me a half hour to change the plugs. Pull the middle cowls and unbolt the tank at the back. I propped the rear of the tank up on a 2x4 (using the short side) and changed the rear plugs with ease. Unbolt the side of the rad and push it forward and change the fronts.

Just like snowbird says, peace of mind goes a long way.

 

Wow zoom-zoom, that is good going, takes me about 2hrs. Hate changing plugs on my VFR, but generally get about 10000Km out of mine (cheapish NGK). So unless you are going somewhere where you will be able to do the job, I would also recommend changing them. Will probably give you better mileage on the trip too.

 

It is amazing how much time is saved when doing the plugs when you have a ratcheting style box end wrench. Sure beats having to turn the special plug tool from the tool kit with a fixed end wrench or closed end one. Bought a set for use at work and they sure come in handy. The other thing that helps is a 7 year old with a NEED to help me do anything on the bike. He's sort of like a nurse handing instruments to a surgeon. I don't even need to ask for the tool and it just appears in my hand. I don't even have to change the oil any more. My son Liam won't let me, it's now his job. LOL. All I am allowed to do is remove the body panels, and he does the rest, ALL by himself. Sometimes he lets me tighten the filter, since he says, "You have stronger hands daddy, and we don't want the bike to leak oil."

Honestly it it is too funny, and sure makes me feel like a proud papa.

 

I change mine with at valve check time every 25K km (15.6K miles for the metrically challenged). I've gone up to 35K km on occasion. They look fine and I can't say that I really noticed any performance difference by extending the interval. I certainly wouldn't worry about changing them specifically before a trip.