Very dirty final drive oil

[Spanish Andy]

Apologies for bringing up and old subject, but in case anyone is thinking about changing (or not) the final drive oil. According to the manual, final drive oil is changed at first service then left  .... for ever. Being as I am the second owner and I don't fully trust the Triumph stamped service record for my bike I decided to do a change (45,000KM). I'm glad I did - the drain plug was black sludgy and the oil was really black, I have never seen final drive oil as black on any of my other shaft drive bikes (Guzzis, BMWs). I suspect the oil that came out is the oil from the manufacture and it's never been changed but wanted to check if anyone has seen similar ?

[Saddle Tramp]

I change my final drive oil on the same two year interval as on my BMW.
The Triumph Master Mechanic at the Dealership I use in Arizona said that Triumph was crazy to not specify a change interval, and your observation tends to confirm it.

[digital]

No, every time I replace it, it comes out like new oil.

I said, the manufacturer can say mass.

Ideally, it should be changed every time the valve is adjusted, which is normally every 20,000 miles.

For what it costs in money and the little time it will take you to replenish that oil, stay calm and change it every 20,000 miles.

[Spanish Andy]

Originally Posted by digital

No, every time I replace it, it comes out like new oil.

Digital, I agree, it's what I'm used ot on my previous bikes. I suspect that this oil has never been changed from new.

[digital]

It is unfortunate that some mechanics charge for a job they do not perform.

It is easy to say "we have done this or that" but of course, now you see your back to check according to what things to find out if it is true that this work has been done. There is a lot of work that is very difficult to see if it has been done, since the Trophy has to disassemble a lot of things to access the place where that work is supposed to have been done.

At the end you have to go back to the nail polish method and mark all the screws to know if those screws have been loosened ...

[Coconut]

It is unfortunate that some mechanics charge for a job they do not perform.

.... and then there are Official Dealers who simply cannot be trusted -
The last time I used a particular Dealer ( and it WAS the LAST time I used them ),
they gave me paperwork to confirm that they had adjusted and lubricated the
rear wheel drive chain on my Trophy SE !   

When they blatantly tick all the boxes on the ( wrong ) Check sheet,
how can the Customer have ANY confidence that ANY of the items have actually been done ? !

[Merlot]

I change the final drive oil every couple of years or so.  Often when I change the rear tyre and to be honest, using fully synthetic oil the old stuff comes out clean.  But it's cheap maintenance and for me keeps everything hunky dory, however when I went to my local Triumph dealership they refused to sell me any oil as according to Triumph after the first service it's in for life!

[Coconut]

... when I went to my local Triumph dealership they refused to sell me any oil as according to Triumph after the first service it's in for life!

Triumph do say that, BUT they also state in the service Schedule,
"Final Drive - check for oil leaks" - DAILY !

If you've had a leak, for example from the Drain Plug Sealing washer,
or anywhere else, and you've now fixed the Leak, how are you supposed
to top it back up if the Dealer won't sell you any ? !