Forum

[Leon Novello]

Even good ole Castrol Grand Prix SAE 50 (which I used in my trusty Ariel Red Hunter) is no more. It seems that it is now 10/40 or 20/50. SIGH!

[apparently lucky eddie]

There is plenty of GP50 on the interweb and it is still advertised on the Castrol website.

[Martin]

Hey,Leon, had a couple of plunger Red Hunters in
my youth whilst living on farmland south of your
Brisbane in the 1950s. Both these, and a dozen other
Brit. bikes too. Had to make do with straight SAE 50.
Only SAE30, 40,and 50 was around then, and a molasses
like supplement, Bardall. You bought your oil from
un-tarmaced gas station forecourts, the glass bottles
with a tin spout caked in dust!.Glug, glug glug, and
you rode on barefoot and helmetless in the hot sun,
oil sprayed between your toes from some inevitable leak
somewhere!

[Bertie the Bullet]

Don't know about mono grade but Bertie's been running on 10/40 diesel oil for the last couple of years with no problems.

[simon]

I've stuck with mono grades because the bikes seem to run better on it. I've heard that some of the modern synthetics are actually too slippery for needle rollers and whilst there aren't any in the Bullet the Ducati does have a number. I tried Shell Helix in my previous 860GT and it ran like a total pig. Gears were stiff and difficult and it felt wrong. I used to run that on Kendal Oil which I think has gone the way of all flesh. There is an excellent firm call Aegis over here that supply a vast range of lubricants and deliver me a 20ltr drum of straight mineral 50 whenever I call. I'm sure the Bitsa would be fine on 20/50 or even 30/40 for that matter but I have the 50 and as I say it goes a treat.
The other thing I heard is that the big issue with oil is changing it regularly enough as black or old oil simply isn't preventing wear as it should.

[simon]

I've stuck with mono grades because the bikes seem to run better on it. I've heard that some of the modern synthetics are actually too slippery for needle rollers and whilst there aren't any in the Bullet the Ducati does have a number. I tried Shell Helix in my previous 860GT and it ran like a total pig. Gears were stiff and difficult and it felt wrong. I used to run that on Kendal Oil which I think has gone the way of all flesh. There is an excellent firm call Aegis over here that supply a vast range of lubricants and deliver me a 20ltr drum of straight mineral 50 whenever I call. I'm sure the Bitsa would be fine on 20/50 or even 30/40 for that matter but I have the 50 and as I say it goes a treat.
The other thing I heard is that the big issue with oil is changing it regularly enough as black or old oil simply isn't preventing wear as it should.

[simon]

I've stuck with mono grades because the bikes seem to run better on it. I've heard that some of the modern synthetics are actually too slippery for needle rollers and whilst there aren't any in the Bullet the Ducati does have a number. I tried Shell Helix in my previous 860GT and it ran like a total pig. Gears were stiff and difficult and it felt wrong. I used to run that on Kendal Oil which I think has gone the way of all flesh. There is an excellent firm call Aegis over here that supply a vast range of lubricants and deliver me a 20ltr drum of straight mineral 50 whenever I call. I'm sure the Bitsa would be fine on 20/50 or even 30/40 for that matter but I have the 50 and as I say it goes a treat.
The other thing I heard is that the big issue with oil is changing it regularly enough as black or old oil simply isn't preventing wear as it should.

[simon]

I've stuck with mono grades because the bikes seem to run better on it. I've heard that some of the modern synthetics are actually too slippery for needle rollers and whilst there aren't any in the Bullet the Ducati does have a number. I tried Shell Helix in my previous 860GT and it ran like a total pig. Gears were stiff and difficult and it felt wrong. I used to run that on Kendal Oil which I think has gone the way of all flesh. There is an excellent firm call Aegis over here that supply a vast range of lubricants and deliver me a 20ltr drum of straight mineral 50 whenever I call. I'm sure the Bitsa would be fine on 20/50 or even 30/40 for that matter but I have the 50 and as I say it goes a treat.
The other thing I heard is that the big issue with oil is changing it regularly enough as black or old oil simply isn't preventing wear as it should.

[Bertie the Bullet]

An old member of the local REOC used to drain the oil, filter it through a cloth and then put it back in, claimed it never did his engine any harm as oil does not lose its viscosity !

[Presto]

Bertie, your RECO memeber friend was wrong.