[Ho11ywood195]

Just wondering what some of you guys around here run of engine oil in your motorcycles. Lets break it down into different types from brand name to cost effectiveness Mobile 1 vs Castrol ect cost per pint and what you prefer as far as personal preference.

5w-40
10w-40
20w-40
20w-50

 

[John]

Yamalube SAE 10w40 for me. I'm sure it's overpriced. I don't know enough about oil to discuss it, so I follow the owners manual.
If I found some Honda SAE 10w40 on sale, I'd probably throw it in there.


I'm the same with 2-stroke oil in my dirtbike. I stay away from the autozone lawnmower/outboard motorboat 2 stroke oil and pay the big bucks at the dealerships for the motocross racing 2-stroke claiming to protect your powervalves. I own a 1990 KDX200 and havnt had a chewed up powervalve yet!

 

[Ho11ywood195]

Yamalube SAE 10w40 for me. I'm sure it's overpriced. I don't know enough about oil to discuss it, so I follow the owners manual.
If I found some Honda SAE 10w40 on sale, I'd probably throw it in there.


I'm the same with 2-stroke oil in my dirtbike. I stay away from the autozone lawnmower/outboard motorboat 2 stroke oil and pay the big bucks at the dealerships for the motocross racing 2-stroke claiming to protect your powervalves. I own a 1990 KDX200 and havnt had a chewed up powervalve yet!

Well when it comes to engine oil all oil is the same in terms of it coming from the same base stock. Oil companys like Mobile Castrol and AMS Oil all buy their oil form the same company. Oil is classified by weight first which is identified by the W after 10w-40. 10w is a oils rate of flow in weather conditions close to freezing 32 degress so a 5w-40 oil will flow faster in freezing conditions better then a 10w-40 oil. The number at the end such as 40 in 10w-40 is a oils resistance to heat and thermal break down for example a 10w-30 oil is weaker and will break down burn off alot faaster in hot weather conditions easyier then a 10w-40 which will handle the same hot conditions with ease. If you have any other questions about oil just ask I can suggest somethings to help you save money and even better improve mpg and protection of your engine depending on how and where you ride

 

[u3c307]

Ignore the recommended brand. They always want you to use theirs... Chart is for people who needs it since we all live in different tropical. People like to use these brand Royal Purple, Shell, and Mobil for mototcycle oil (I personally love redline oil product as I used to drag race.):

 

[EcoRider]

1- The R3 is water cooled, so temperature wise there's no reason to go with W40. W30 is more than enough.

If the engine oil also lubricates the clutch, you'll have to go with W40. No other way around, unless it's motorcycle W30.

The first letter really depends on ambient temperature.
If you're in FL, where the weather doesn't drop below 75F, 10W40 is good enough.
If you are living in an area where the temps are just above freezing point, 10W40 may make the bike harder to start, or idle when cold.
You should get 5W40, or 5W30 if it has a dry clutch.

There's no clear guide whether it's better to use thinner oil during engine break in, or not.
But one thing is pretty common, around 25-35k miles you should think of getting heavier oils, like 10W40, and 15w40 around 50k miles, not when it's new.


Lower numbers don't necessarily mean lower oil life, or worse lubrication.
It just means for engines running lower operating temperatures.
It also means better suited for lower free play/ tighter tolerances (Aka newer engines).

 

[Mike-the-Bike]

I used Motul full synthetic E-100 10w40 in my GSX-R750 at $16.00 a quart, then saw a deal at Cycle Gear on Mobil 1 full synthetic 10w40 at $10.00 per quart. No noticable difference in performance (street only). I think for street use, there wouldn't be any advantage for the higher priced oil.

 

[Aufitt]

Whats a forum without an oil thread? haha


Owners manual tells you what to use.
New oil is best, changed often.

 

[Ho11ywood195]

1- The R3 is water cooled, so temperature wise there's no reason to go with W40. W30 is more than enough.

If the engine oil also lubricates the clutch, you'll have to go with W40. No other way around, unless it's motorcycle W30.

The first letter really depends on ambient temperature.
If you're in FL, where the weather doesn't drop below 75F, 10W40 is good enough.
If you are living in an area where the temps are just above freezing point, 10W40 may make the bike harder to start, or idle when cold.
You should get 5W40, or 5W30 if it has a dry clutch.

There's no clear guide whether it's better to use thinner oil during engine break in, or not.
But one thing is pretty common, around 25-35k miles you should think of getting heavier oils, like 10W40, and 15w40 around 50k miles, not when it's new.


Lower numbers don't necessarily mean lower oil life, or worse lubrication.
It just means for engines running lower operating temperatures.
It also means better suited for lower free play/ tighter tolerances (Aka newer engines).

good point you hit the nail right on the head

 

[Maverick]

My .02 .... Oil is Oil.

Whose bottle it comes in is your choice, the high end brands you're paying for marketing and additives that will likely have zero benefit to your engine if you follow the manufactures recommendations for types and duration.

If you stick with the recommended viscosity and API Standard rating for the oil in your engine, unless you're in abnormal operating temperatures (>40 or <-10) thats all the matters.

If you're lazy/cant change it at recommended intervals, use synthetic (longer life before it begins breaking down). Change it and your filter at ALL manufacturer recommended intervals (or sooner if you wish) as well as after being stored for long periods of time and you'll maximize the potential life of your engine.

If your engine has leaks you'll have to change your oil MORE often. Leaks mean your oil is not only escaping the engine but is being contaminated (water, etc getting in) at the same time

 

[AJ Nin]

I'll use Rotella T6 full synthetic starting with my first oil change. I use it in all my bikes. It has the JASO MA rating and while it doesn't have a picture of a motorcycle on the jug, it's the right stuff. $21 a gallon at Walmart, less with rebates and sales. The oil filter looks like the same filter that fits a bunch of different bikes. I have some for my FZ07...Denso 5GH-13440-50 which cross references with the Fram PH6017A and a bunch of other oil filters. The oil plug takes a 12 mm socket so I don't know if my FZ07washers will fit the plug yet since that oil plug takes a 17 mm socket. I've been all through the owner's manual looking for the part no. for the oil filter, but if it's there, I can't find it.

 

[Ho11ywood195]

I'll use Rotella T6 full synthetic starting with my first oil change. I use it in all my bikes. It has the JASO MA rating and while it doesn't have a picture of a motorcycle on the jug, it's the right stuff. $21 a gallon at Walmart, less with rebates and sales. The oil filter looks like the same filter that fits a bunch of different bikes. I have some for my FZ07...Denso 5GH-13440-50 which cross references with the Fram PH6017A and a bunch of other oil filters. The oil plug takes a 12 mm socket so I don't know if my FZ07washers will fit the plug yet since that oil plug takes a 17 mm socket. I've been all through the owner's manual looking for the part no. for the oil filter, but if it's there, I can't find it.

Agreed the T6 is the best bang for your buck plus it meets or far exceeds the API and JASO standards for motorcycles! That oil has been my secret for years all of my other buddys spend big bucks on oil that is inferior to Rotella T6 3/4 of a jug is all it takes to do a oil change. Plus since its a 5w-40 oil it has better flow charcteristics then 10w-40 or 15w-40 which in turn frees up more power!

 

[AJ Nin]

I prefer full synthetic because I live in Texas and summers are brutal. The cooling fan works overtime and oil temp stays high, so I want the assurance full synthetic offers against oil breakdown at higher temps.

I haven't changed the oil yet, but will soon. The Yama part # for the oil filter is 1WD-E3440-00-00, but I can't find a cross reference from K&N or Fram for that no., so I'm not sure about the oil filter yet. Pretty sure the same filter that fits the FZ-07 and FZ-09...along with Ninja 300, Ninja 650, Triumph Street Triple R, and a bunch of other bikes will fit it. It looks to be the same size anyway.

 

[Ho11ywood195]

I prefer full synthetic because I live in Texas and summers are brutal. The cooling fan works overtime and oil temp stays high, so I want the assurance full synthetic offers against oil breakdown at higher temps.

I haven't changed the oil yet, but will soon. The Yama part # for the oil filter is 1WD-E3440-00-00, but I can't find a cross reference from K&N or Fram for that no., so I'm not sure about the oil filter yet. Pretty sure the same filter that fits the FZ-07 and FZ-09...along with Ninja 300, Ninja 650, Triumph Street Triple R, and a bunch of other bikes will fit it. It looks to be the same size anyway.

Same here I live in the high desert in CA with summer temps in the 108+ degree range daliy I feel you. I use Evans waterless collant in all my bikes the Powersports version of Evasns waterless coolant will work wonders check out the link belowit explains it all

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7PykrgzWPQ

 

[AJ Nin]

Evans coolant looks like good stuff.

I did my first oil change today and went with Rotella T6 at 175 miles. The oil was plenty dirty. It's an easy procedure although there isn't a lot of room to remove the oil filter with some filter removers. No fairings to remove and oil doesn't drip all over the exhaust. A strap wrench worked best. I have every kind of oil filter wrench known to man and a couple I made myself, but the dang thing was on pretty tight. I usually just go to large channel lock pliers with tight filters, but there was no room. Yes, the filters I mentioned fit fine. I put a Fram filter on until the 600 mile oil change. Only thing is the Fram PH6017A is slightly longer, but there is plenty of room at the front of the filter for any length filter you might want. Even though the oil plug takes a 12 mm socket instead of 17, the threads and the crush washer are the same as with almost any other Yamaha sport bike.

 

[EcoRider]

I prefer full synthetic because I live in Texas and summers are brutal. The cooling fan works overtime and oil temp stays high, so I want the assurance full synthetic offers against oil breakdown at higher temps.

I haven't changed the oil yet, but will soon. The Yama part # for the oil filter is 1WD-E3440-00-00, but I can't find a cross reference from K&N or Fram for that no., so I'm not sure about the oil filter yet. Pretty sure the same filter that fits the FZ-07 and FZ-09...along with Ninja 300, Ninja 650, Triumph Street Triple R, and a bunch of other bikes will fit it. It looks to be the same size anyway.

I don't think that you used the term "fully synthetic "correctly.
synthetic oils sold in stores, are actually semi-synthetic oils.
They are dino oil mixed with fully synthetic oil.
just for reference, if dino oil would cost you $20 a bottle, semi synthetic usually goes for $20 to $25, and fully synthetic would go for $80.
Fully synthetic oils are used only in racing cars, like daytona, F1, or luxury cars, and make no sense in regular vehicles..

 

[AJ Nin]

Rotella T6 is full synthetic far as I know. Don't they use the term semi-synthetic for oils that aren't full synthetic?

 

[EcoRider]

No manufacturer uses the term semi-synthetic.
It's a marketing hype, to call it "synthetic", but that's just what they are.
Fully synthetic oil is almost as light as water, and colorless.
It has almost no additives in it.

 

[AJ Nin]

I've agree blends are marketing hypes to get the term synthetic on the label since the amount of synthetic oil can be very low in a blend or semi-synthetic. They do the same thing when they put the picture of a motorcycle on a jug of oil and double the price. Still, Rotella T6 is full synthetic. Rotealla T5 is a blend...aka semi-synthetic.

 

[JerseyR3]

Once broken in with Dyno oil "Yamalube or Honda GN4" I may try the full Synthetic Stuff I put into my BMW 1000RR....5w-40...It make that bike shift like butter...very smooth..and yes...With BMW price :|

 

[FangShui]

After break-in I normally use Spectro Platinum 4 Full Synthetic, about $16 U.S. per quart.

In synthetic oils a conventional base stock is refined from crude oil through various hydro-refined/hydro-treated refining processes to separate and/or convert undesirable compounds to yield a suitable finished base stock.

Synthetic oils are not fake - they are still derived from crude oil. However, synthetic engine oils use higher base stocks than conventional oils and go through a synthesis process in which all the molecules are made into the same size for a higher film strength.

A "Full Synthetic" has 100% higher base stocks in it and a "Semi-synthetic" is a blended oil using both conventional and higher base stocks, usually costing around $4.00 U.S. less per quart than full synthetic. Semi-synthetic, or Blended Synthetic (both terms for the same thing) contains no more than 30% synthetic oil.