Clutch upgrade

[Eco Mouse]

I find it funny that people think $12 a quart is expensive, and always hunting for the best deal and really struggling to find a way to cut corners. This isn't a car, and you aren't having to cough up 4-6qts at at time. This is a motorcycle, and has less margin for error. If anything goes wrong, it could mean a catastrophic failure while riding. You can't just limp it home like a car.

Secondly, how much money is riding saving you over your car? 65mpg, less than $100 a year for insurance, registration barely reaching $40 - $50, only two tires... oil should be the one area you can splurge on, and do it happily. It keeps your ride running and shifting smoothly, and takes one more worry out of your head.

Yes, while technically the Diesel motor oils will work, and don't have any friction modifiers that interfere with clutch plate slippage and grip. Doesn't it just make sense to use a product that was designed specifically for motorcycles to work as engine lubricant AND gear box oil all in one?

[Eco Mouse]

With that being said, this year, I'm jumping back on the Amsoil train. It's only $20 for a membership/discount card. A gallon of 10W-40 Synthetic Metric ends up only costing me $35. I don't think that's expensive in the slightest.

Since I put at least 15k per year on my bikes, I change the oil a lot. And I'd rather use the oil that I can fudge my change intervals a bit longer. Because when it's time to change the oil, it always seems like I just changed it. :-)

[superdude]

Originally Posted by Eco Mouse

I find it funny that people think $12 a quart is expensive, and always hunting for the best deal and really struggling to find a way to cut corners. This isn't a car, and you aren't having to cough up 4-6qts at at time. This is a motorcycle, and has less margin for error. If anything goes wrong, it could mean a catastrophic failure while riding. You can't just limp it home like a car.

Secondly, how much money is riding saving you over your car? 65mpg, less than $100 a year for insurance, registration barely reaching $40 - $50, only two tires... oil should be the one area you can splurge on, and do it happily. It keeps your ride running and shifting smoothly, and takes one more worry out of your head.

Yes, while technically the Diesel motor oils will work, and don't have any friction modifiers that interfere with clutch plate slippage and grip. Doesn't it just make sense to use a product that was designed specifically for motorcycles to work as engine lubricant AND gear box oil all in one?

Its all relative Eco. If I spend $100 on a steak, it should taste better than the $8 one at applebees. Or $1000 on a 4k Sony HD tv, it will have better picture than the $200 Sanyo one. There are plenty of $3 a quart oils out there that perform just as good as the $12 a quart ones, and thats the problem. Tell me an oil that will be GUARANTEED to fix my shifting issue and I dont care if its $100 a quart I'll buy it right now. But you and no one else can make that claim, so thats why $12 a quart is in fact, expensive. It has nothing to do with hunting for the best deal its hunting for the best oil for my RX3, regardless of price.

[Eco Mouse]

I wonder if your clutch plates are glazed over, or contaminated?

[superdude]

Originally Posted by Eco Mouse

I wonder if your clutch plates are glazed over, or contaminated?

Thats what I dont know really enough about to look for. Pull them all out and
what should I look for specifically? I was thinking of upgrading to the Barnett clutch anyway and that in theory should rectify any shifting issues right?

[Eco Mouse]

So I did a little google image search, and ironically, Amsoil has the best images of what those conditions look like on the clutch plates.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by superdude

Thats what I dont know really enough about to look for. Pull them all out and
what should I look for specifically? I was thinking of upgrading to the Barnett clutch anyway and that in theory should rectify any shifting issues right?

When you examine clutch plates you are looking for the following properties. The friction plates should not be glazed or discolored. The metal plates should not be glazed, discolored, or warped. If the clutch plates are glazed, you can sand them to restore function.

With very few miles on your clutch pack, I seriously doubt you are having any problems with the clutch plates. However, you can remove the clutch cover, and inspect the clutch plates, as described in the following tutorial.

http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=15612

[SpudRider]

The transmissions in some bikes is harder to shift into neutral than others. For example, my Honda CRF250X doesn't like to shift into neutral while the engine is running. The shifting will get easier as you ride more miles. I don't think anything is wrong with your clutch pack, and I don't think you will notice any difference if you switch to the Barnett clutch pack.

I suggest you adjust the clutch lever, continue to ride, and experiment with different engine oils. I can only tell you my RX3 shifts well with Mobil Delvac 1300, and over 13,000 miles on the odometer.

[rickosuave1987]

Im just going to throw my hat in the ring...

I am using AMSOIL Motorcycle Metric 10W-40 and it seems to work well. I only have about 2200 miles on my RX-3, and have had the AMSOIL in it since my last oil change at 1200 miles. Shifting is pretty smooth, and I can almost always find neutral without too much hassle.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Eco Mouse

I find it funny that people think $12 a quart is expensive, and always hunting for the best deal and really struggling to find a way to cut corners. This isn't a car, and you aren't having to cough up 4-6qts at at time. This is a motorcycle, and has less margin for error. If anything goes wrong, it could mean a catastrophic failure while riding. You can't just limp it home like a car.

Secondly, how much money is riding saving you over your car? 65mpg, less than $100 a year for insurance, registration barely reaching $40 - $50, only two tires... oil should be the one area you can splurge on, and do it happily. It keeps your ride running and shifting smoothly, and takes one more worry out of your head.

Yes, while technically the Diesel motor oils will work, and don't have any friction modifiers that interfere with clutch plate slippage and grip. Doesn't it just make sense to use a product that was designed specifically for motorcycles to work as engine lubricant AND gear box oil all in one?

A price of $12/quart is very expensive for motor oil. Motor oil quality has advanced tremendously over the last decade, and your engine will be well protected with any quality motor oil suitable for wet clutches, as long as you change the engine oil frequently.

Right now I am stocking up once again with Mobil Delvac 1300. It costs $12.47/gallon at Walmart, and it is excellent motor oil. In addition, the Mobil Delvac rebate is currently active, so I will be reimbursed an additional $5/gallon, for a net price of $7.47/gallon.

https://mobiloil.com/en/promotion/mo...h-mobil-delvac

Anyone who wants to learn more about engine oil will profit from reading the following threads.

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

If people want to spend $12/quart for motor oil, that is their choice, and it's fine with me. However, I am pleased to protect my engine with excellent motor oil which costs $1.87/quart.

[Eco Mouse]

That's kind of like people lining up around block at the AM/PM (Arco) to save a few cents, when the Chevron across the street is empty, but .9¢ more.

Seriously... when you think about it, .9¢ over 10 gallons is only .90¢! Is that seriously going to break you? To me, time is money. I'd rather get in, get out. And it's even less of a deal breaker when your tank is less than 5 gallons, like on a motorcycle.

Same story over on the KLR boards... notoriously cheap bastards

The way I see it now, is that if I'm counting pennies, or dollars, that tells me that I feel there is a lack, and I might never get anymore. And guess what, that's usually what happens when I focus my attention on the negative, instead of the positive.

Life is abundant! Yay!

[superdude]

Originally Posted by SpudRider

The transmissions in some bikes is harder to shift into neutral than others. For example, my Honda CRF250X doesn't like to shift into neutral while the engine is running. The shifting will get easier as you ride more miles. I don't think anything is wrong with your clutch pack, and I don't think you will notice any difference if you switch to the Barnett clutch pack.

I suggest you adjust the clutch lever, continue to ride, and experiment with different engine oils. I can only tell you my RX3 shifts well with Mobil Delvac 1300, and over 13,000 miles on the odometer.

Thanks for the advice Spud and good to know that changing to a Barnett clutch wont really help. I'll try the Maxima SynBlend oil next triple check my clutch lever and then just ride it. I'll report results immediately after change and periodically for those who struggle with these same issues, which sounds like a few.

[SpudRider]

If you spend $24/quart, you will accentuate the positive even more.

[Eco Mouse]

Hey, I'm only at $35 a gallon for oil... I'm not THAT wasteful!

[BlackBike]

R.I.P. oil thread, till the next 60 days come, right spud