- Fri Jan 05, 2018 12:27 pm
#73339
As above. I use bog standard car oil in my VFR750. A liquid cooled, V4, DOHC, unit construction sports bike with gear driven cams producing 100bhp and redlining at 12,000rpm. I ride it hard, bouncing it off the redline and sitting at three figure speeds for sustained periods. I change the oil every 9,000 miles. Specifically, I use halfords own brand 10w-40 semi synthetic oil since castrol GTX started getting more expensive and harder to come by in the correct viscosity. It doesn't have rockers and it's certainly been a while since I moved the splines round on the front brake...
There is a lot of sales hype about motorcycle oils and I'm convinced it's a scam. While yes, there are many different types of engine oil, for the purposes of the vast majority of motorcycle engines, it really doesn't matter as long as the viscosity is in the right ballpark.
From years of experience, I think the talk about friction modifiers damaging clutches is pretty much hearsay. Be interested in anyone who has directly experienced it? I've had a slipping clutch once when I topped up a bike with GTX magnatech but on further investigation, the friction plates were well below their service limit, the oil change just highlighted an already worn clutch.
The only oil I'd see as having significant benefits over their competition is the zero grade mobil 1. In extreme temperatures, this stuffs viscosity performance is amazing but will we see those temperature extremes? It should allow you to double the service interval. However, that's not getting rid of particulate matter so would you want to take a risk on a blocked filter?
Interestingly the XBR500 manual specifies 10w-40, API SG. I can pretty much garauntee you wont find oil with that low a spec. unless it's new old stock. A "New" bullet is probably getting close to the degree of mechanical sophistication of a 70's japanese bike.
There is a lot of sales hype about motorcycle oils and I'm convinced it's a scam. While yes, there are many different types of engine oil, for the purposes of the vast majority of motorcycle engines, it really doesn't matter as long as the viscosity is in the right ballpark.
From years of experience, I think the talk about friction modifiers damaging clutches is pretty much hearsay. Be interested in anyone who has directly experienced it? I've had a slipping clutch once when I topped up a bike with GTX magnatech but on further investigation, the friction plates were well below their service limit, the oil change just highlighted an already worn clutch.
The only oil I'd see as having significant benefits over their competition is the zero grade mobil 1. In extreme temperatures, this stuffs viscosity performance is amazing but will we see those temperature extremes? It should allow you to double the service interval. However, that's not getting rid of particulate matter so would you want to take a risk on a blocked filter?
Interestingly the XBR500 manual specifies 10w-40, API SG. I can pretty much garauntee you wont find oil with that low a spec. unless it's new old stock. A "New" bullet is probably getting close to the degree of mechanical sophistication of a 70's japanese bike.
