Oil

[capnkirk]

I just finished that great article about motor oil and how the motorcycle oil companies have been yanking our collective chains for years. Boy, do I feel stupid.

So, what is the general consensus in here? What brand(s) are you using? Are you using dinosaur or synthetic?

From what I read, it seems that Mobile 1 is the best bet all the way around.

Thoughts?

[DiverRay]

If you have a 27 year old gasket, and start using Mobil 1, you will be riding a big oil leak. There are threads on oil already, so do a search. For the most part, people here are using the castrol 20/50 or in my case, Delo 15/40. The big thing is keep it changed, and use the oil YOU find keeps the engine sounding good, and running well.

[jeffe]

20/50 Castrol. Works great in the XS11. I put over 100k miles on my 650 Seca with no intenal engine work or clutch problems using it.

[Crazcnuk]

15w40 here, little cooler climate.


I use synthetic in my cars and what not, but I change the bike oil at least once a year, these days with less than 5k miles per year, so it's pretty pointless to waste synthetic.

I change it every spring after Ride for Sight, mostly because my bikes sit oustside all the time, and may get some water in the crankcase.

[capnkirk]

Climate

I live in Oregon (Willamette Valley). No snow and it rarely gets to freezing in winter...just rains a whole bunch. Summer is nice, with 75 to 80 on average with a strech or two up into the 90s.

20/50 may be the best bet.

[edgo]

Valvoline Four Stroke. Smoother shifting and less top end noise.

Ed

[79XS11F]

synthetic oils are not a good thing when your clutch shares the engine oil. Same goes for additives like slick 50 etc. Just use Dino juice of a weight that suits the temp range you will expose the bike to before the next change.
Rob

[GtrMn]

Pennzoil 20-50 and got an unreal 48 MPG on the last tank. Just started using Denso Iridium plugs 2 tanks ago. Got 43 on the first tank. Holy!

[TADracer]

Castrol 4T motorcycle oil...20W50. Works great and clutch seems to like it.

[capnkirk]

Yeah, but the whole point of this exercise is to get away from that "over-priced-doesn't-do-anything-more-than-traditional-oil" motorcycle oil. I'd rather keep my money.

[Crazcnuk]

Exactly, so I use any generic 15w-40 severe service (often called 'diesel') motor oil.

Just look at the certifications on any Low-ash, severe service 15w-40 sometime.

[Luxury]

Shell Rotella T 15W40 - 1 gallon jug for less than 10 bucks at Walmart.

[Poprock]

Kong is real happy with Mobil Delvac 15-40 diesel oil. <$9 a gallon at WallyWorld. He had starter clutch issues with Mobil 1 on a cool morning. Rode him all winter (in Oklahoma) with Delvac.