Who Uses Synthetic

[fredintoon]

i ride like i stoled it.
as ever bill

Hi Bill,
you mean with exact obedience to the traffic laws lest the cops pull you over?
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[Crazcnuk]

I use the Canadian Tire 15w-40 in anything I don't use synthetic in, and the CT brand full synthetic for everything else (lincluding the lawn mower).

Funny thing is, only the Briggs and Stratton calls for synthetic.

[xs650mike]

Any brand but above all clean oil!

Just reread this thread and notice by my 2005 posts that I started using Shell Rotella T 15w40 back then when my bike had 47k miles. It now has 59.5k miles and I'm still using it. No problems, no repairs.

Summertime temps are often 105-110 deg. Fahrenheit in these parts. My oil & filter change interval is 2k miles or anytime the oil smells "cooked", whichever comes first.

I always allow the engine to idle for a few minutes before I ride off and ride gently (RPMs under 3k) for the first few miles. This gives the oil a chance to warm up and circulate freely before putting much load on the engine.

These things are good practice whatever oil you use. Clean oil and a bit of warm up are the keys to engine life.

[morticiaann]

*I've been using synthetic since it was introduced to the market. I was dismayed to see it in the grocery store last month at $8.00/qt. I immediately noticed the performance increase and when rebuilding the engine I noticed less wear and tear.
*Try this - Sometimes, you see somthing on the shelf that looks ok? One day I saw this fantastically priced synthetic motor oil. I bought one quart for ~ $10.00. Wow, it really works. I see something like it on the internet today

Silkolene Pro-4 Plus Oil
YOUR PRICE $19.34 that's for 1 Liter (= 1.056688 quart)

[egsols]

On my old XS I always used rotella 15W40..plus I used it in my cars and my old F150.

Currently I'm running Castrol 20W50 in the latest XS. I have noticed though that there are the bigger jugs of 20W50 in the car section and then there are the smaller, quart (litre) jugs labelled 4 Stroke Motorcycle 20W50. Is there a difference between the automotive Castrol 20W50 and the motorcycle Castrol 20W50?

[fredintoon]

" Is there a difference between the automotive Castrol 20W50 and the motorcycle Castrol 20W50?"
Hi Ernie,
I dunno. I buy the Canadian Tire brand 20W50 "for 4-stroke motorcycles" right next to the Castrol at 1/2 the price.

[egsols]

Hi Fred,

I dunno. I buy the Canadian Tire brand 20W50 "for 4-stroke motorcycles" right next to the Castrol at 1/2 the price

Guess my 1.25 reading glasses aren't strong enough I'll have to have a look next time in.

[tiredoffixing]

I just swithed to amsoil and I noticed no sliping and even got a couple miles per gallon more with it. Also the shifting is very smooth

[DenyP]

I used GTX synthetic 5W50 for a while. Bike was using oil. No leaks and no smoke - had my head scratching period, then droped the oil and re-filled with castrol 20w50. Oil usage problem went away. I would have liked to stay with synthetic as I need to squeeze every mile I can get out of every drop of fuel. In my van synthetic added 2 - 3 miles to the gal. This won't help if I score the engine running it low on oil.

Deny

[Crazcnuk]

Next time use 1/4 synthetic in your 3/4 regular oil and see what happens.

Synthetic is a little thinner, so it can get through smaller spaces than conventional oil, but a 25/75 mix works very well.


You can run pretty much any motor at least a liter low without causing any problems. They are designed that way. Most racers run low in order to minimize the drag created by the crank having to splash through the oil in the sump. This is the reason dry sump systems were invented.

[powerram50]

right now i have super tech (walmart)10w40 but i am only leaving it in for 500 miles before i change again for castrol or rotella.no problem except for second gear.

[mitch]

Amsoil

I have run amsoil in all my bikes for years full synthetic motorcycle specific with no trouble whatsoever.
Doug

[GNEPIG]

Quote:
.. im throwin in with the castrol gtx 20w50 crowd, i change the oil every 2000 miles


Suppose I should change my response to this thread:
At some point shortly after this thread was posted, I started noticing a change in the Castrol oils, and how my clutches were slipping on all of my old bikes, with this stuff.
So I did some readin and some personal testing, on my own bikes. Come to find out that the oil that works best for me is the Valvoline 20/50 4 Stroke Motorcycle oil. The Valvoline oil made my engines sound quieter, the trans shift a little easier and has no ill effects on my clutches.

I still say synthetic oils are overpriced crap.

[Crazcnuk]

Synthetic oils are great, if you knw what they are for and how to use them.

[mro]

Guru Approved

originally posted by GNEPIG
Valvoline 20/50 4 Stroke Motorcycle oil

Cost a little more but seemed to make the same difference for me too.


mro