what motor oil do you use in you bike?

[alan566]

i used castrol oil (regular car oil), i can't remember the weight but probably 10 w 40, I have changed the oil a few times since i bought it and now i have around 400 something miles on it. I bought some castrol motorcycle oil the other day but i was waiting to get 500 miles on the bike.
does it matter if the oils not motorcycle oil?
thanks, alan
i tried to search this but i didn't see this question.

[phil]

it needs to be something that works for wet clutches. i like rotella, most motorcycle oils dont have any official approvals so it could really be anything like you get a label "alans wonderful bike oil made for china bike" put it on the any oil and nobody has approved it like api, some bike oil is approved by api but it cost to get approved. so they dont get it. rotella is approved for wet brakes and clutches, its cheap, available and quality. the warranty wont be affected regardless since all owners manuals have xxWxx (10w40) of api xx/xx(se/sg) most oils dont say if they can be used with the wet clutch so if you use rotella or a good name brand bike oil your doing the best you can. just my opinions but im paranoid about number of people taking short cuts and easy outs to increase profits

[TheRealWorld]

OK I will tell you what I would do. Leave the oil you have in there for 1000 miles and then put in Rottella 10W40 pure synthetic. Some would put the synthetic in now, but I like regular oil for break in. The ideal oil for break in would be 10W40 motorcycle or diesel engine oil. They have the proper additives for the wet clutch.

Have fun!

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by alan566

i used castrol oil (regular car oil), i can't remember the weight but probably 10 w 40, I have changed the oil a few times since i bought it and now i have around 400 something miles on it. I bought some castrol motorcycle oil the other day but i was waiting to get 500 miles on the bike.
does it matter if the oils not motorcycle oil?
thanks, alan
i tried to search this but i didn't see this question.

You are probably going to get a lot of different opinions on this subject, Alan. If you change the engine oil frequently, any good motor oil, of the proper viscosity, will work well in your motorcycle. If changed frequently, automotive, 10W/40 motor oil will work well for your motorcycle.

However, after reading the following articles, I prefer to use Shell, Rotella T, 5W/40 Synthetic motor oil in my motorcycle.

http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/Oils1.html
http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/Consumables.html

My Zong is still running strong after 26,000 miles, so I guess the Shell, Rotella T motor oil has not hurt the engine.

Spud

[phil]

great mind thinking alike

[Weldangrind]

I've been using Motul synthetic four stroke motorcycle oil because I've been able to get it for a reasonable price. If price wasn't an issue, I'd buy any synthetic four stroke motorcycle oil. I use it in all of our wet clutch machines, and have done so since new. The clutches don't slip, the engines don't use oil and the oil takes a long time to break down.

Whichever oil you choose, the other member's recommendations about wet clutch specs is good advice.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

...Whichever oil you choose, the other member's recommendations about wet clutch specs is good advice.

I agree; I forgot to mention, make sure the engine oil will work with the wet clutch in your motorcycle. The CalSci articles listed under the Maintenance heading in the Zong Sticky will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about motorcycle oil.

Spud

[2LZ]

Being that they only hold a quart....it's changed often, so the threshold isn't big if you treat it right. Any good oil will do.

Personally, in the CB's? I run Mobil 1. It's a Walmart.

I'm a firm believer in synthetics.
I run Amsoil in the Vics. Old habit.....and there are Vics now well over 100,000 miles on the original motors that run on Amsoil. Synthetics are proven.

[Buzzkill]

I use the cheap walmart brand synthetic (supertech) works good for me in everything else I own and it seems to be doing good in the CB as well.

[SpudRider]

2LZ and Buzzkill,

If I may ask, what weight motor oil are you using? :?:

Spud

[2LZ]

Originally Posted by SpudRider

2LZ and Buzzkill,

If I may ask, what weight motor oil are you using? :?:

Spud

I run everything on regular, recommended, oil until the bikes are broken in. Just a gut feeling that the added friction of normal oil will help seat rings, etc..... Synthetic is super slick. Even feels different when you rub it between your finger and thumb. "Silky".

In the Hensim's, I run the standard automobile-type synth Mobil 1 10W-40 from Walmart.
The Vics get Amsoil Motorcycle 20W-50.
Right now, The Lifanoid is still super new so after draining the factory stuff out when I brought it home, I'm running some regular Chevron 15W-40 (diesel oil) as is recommended in the owners manual. After break-in, it's getting the Mobil 1 10W-40.

The biggest difference between the two oils is the particulate size. In 'dyno' petroleum oil, molecules are all different, random sizes. There is no uniformity. In synthetics, they're all cloned the same size. Identical sized 'liquid ball bearings', so to speak.
This also makes for a much higher heat tolerance and less friction, overall.

I've also taken the synthetics more miles than recommended. The Vics say to change the oil and filter every 2500 miles. (like HD and most others). I've taken the Amsoil almost 5000 miles 8O and when I drained it out, it looked new! As a habit though, I take the synthetics about 3500-4000 normally, without issue. The motors stay mechanically quieter, longer on the synth also, noticibly so. Mrs. 2LZ says "neutrals are a snap" with the Amsoil.

The Vics aren't like Harleys in the way that they don't have three different lubricants. (Motor, trans and primary). They run just one oil throughout the entire motor and trans, as the motor is 'unit construction' like the CB's and most other bikes. It also acts as a coolant in the Vics with the way the motors are designed. The Vics have oil jackets, like water jackets in a car motor. I've had no problems with clutch slippage, (they put out some SERIOUS torque ) any heating problems at 'parade' speed in the summer or anything with the synthetics.

BUT.....like anything else, go with what you've had luck with!

[Weldangrind]

Originally Posted by 2LZ

In the Hensim's, I run the standard automobile-type synth Mobil 1 10W-40 from Walmart.

I'm amazed that you haven't had clutch slippage issues with automotive oil in a wet clutch. I use synthetic oil in our China bikes as well (like I mentioned previously), but I only use wet clutch rated stuff. The automotive oil has friction modifiers that are designed to make it super slippery, just like you say.

[TurboT]

Everyone loves a good oil debate!!

I'm staying out, as to not incriminate myself. 8)

[suprf1y]

The automotive oil has friction modifiers that are designed to make it super slippery

Word on the street is, that the oil with 'energy conserving' on the label is the one that causes wet clutch problems.
I used automotive 0W40 syn. in my RM for a few years without any problems.

[Buzzkill]

2LZ and Buzzkill,

If I may ask, what weight motor oil are you using?

Spud

I use 10w40, I use the walmart brand synthetic in all my cars and bikes and never had a problem, but as said above I do use regular oils for break in, 500mile on bikes and 2000 miles in the cars before I make the switch and have had great results, I have a 2001 hyundia elentra that I bought new and it now has 220,000 on it and still runs great.