Oil Changes

[Bledsoe76]

I recently had my 1st oil change on my klr650. I went with Rotella T6 and am pleased so far. Brother has a CB500x and it's due for a change and we're curious if the same oil is safe for his bike as well? We're newish to maintenance side of bikes so any advice is welcomed.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Lots of people have had success with T6. I did too, for a while. I'm pretty sure my clutch on my FJR didn't like it and was the cause of my slipping issues, especially since it was always worse right after an oil change. After replacing the clutch I've been strictly Mobil1 4 stroke motorcycle oil and had zero issues.

 

[Flipit]

I use T6 in my lawn mower and generator.

I use BelRay in my motorcycles. Pricey, but cheaper than an engine rebuild.

Let the Oil Wars begin!

 

[seo68]

I'm a fan of motorcycle specific oil. Amsoil is my brand of choice - been using it for many years. What I can't really say is that I have compared many different brands and qualitatively documented their differences. What I can say is that I have been happy using Amsoil. It may well be that I would be just as happy with a different oil, but I don't have that data.

 

[William Wolfen]

T6 has worked fine in my DR650s and Africa Twins. Next change I'm switching from 5W40 to 15W40. I would've preferred that in the first place, but had never seen it until recently. Had to run through my stock of 5W40 first.

 

[blupupher]

I know in the past few years I have read of a few having issues with T6 in wet clutch application.
Rotella quit rating their oil for gasoline API rating with the SP rating, and went to only to the diesel API CK-4 rating.
Not really sure what changed in the formulation (I think phosphorus levels?).
It still has the "meets requirements for JASO" on the bottle, so take that for what it is worth (many "motorcycle" oils also just say "meets requirements of" or "recommended for" JASO without actually having a JASO certification).

I have used and would have no issues using it in any wet clutch motorcycle.

My go too lately has been Mobil 1 10w-40 High Mileage. It is not an energy conserving oil and works for me.
I can get it for ~$20 for 5 qts at Walmart when they have their annual rebates (I usually buy 2 jugs, and change oil every 5-7 months, so works out well).

 

[grumpy48]

I run the T6 on my CB500X. 15w40. No issues.

 

[sanderjavant]

I switched over to Mobil 1 auto oil just to do something different. Used rotella T in a multitude of different bikes from Street to dirt never had an issue.

Always change the oil in my bikes often.

 

[William Wolfen]

Always change the oil in my bikes often.

That's the trick. Regular oil changes. I'm getting about 6k miles between changes on my Africa Twin. It was more like 1500-2000 on my DR. I'll be interested to see if the 15W40 holds up better than than 5W40.

 

[Cagiva 549]

CK 4 oil is rated for use in clutches , most heavy equipment had wet clutch pack powershift transmissions for years and that is what it was developed for . Yellow iron ran the same oil in all compartments to make carrying supplies to remote areas of the world a little easier . If your having slipping issues its more than likely a clutch problem rather than an oil problem . my stuff has chevron delo or schaffers oil and everything is rated for heavy diesel engines . Years ago somebody told me if its rated for a million dollar industrial motor it ought to be good enough for my *** ford . The only lubricant failures ive seen in my life of fixing stuff all came from texaco products , you wont find that in my shop .

 

[Bledsoe76]

Appreciate all the input.

 

[mr72]

FYI T6 in my GS500 resulted in clutch slipping at high rpms under load. But it works fine in my Scrambler, probably would work fine in the Bonnie too, pretty much same engine. Seems most who have issues are having it with higher-revving engines, lower-rev bikes probably will be alright with T6.

 

[Boulder Ed]

That's the trick. Regular oil changes. I'm getting about 6k miles between changes on my Africa Twin. It was more like 1500-2000 on my DR. I'll be interested to see if the 15W40 holds up better than than 5W40.

Regular, but far earlier has always been the key for me, from sport bikes to adv tourers. My 2007 GSA got oil changes usually around 4-5k, using Mobil1 15-50, and on rare occasions at 6k (like when it went to AK). That was at least until 84K when I sold it running perfectly. I just heard its for sale at 115K now. Still going strong. Amazing bike, saved my life at least once.

 

[Bryan L]

Good old Oil thread . My experiment and oil lab results will be in in the next 50 to 65 days . Have another 1000 miles to go on last test oil batch to share info in the motorcycle forums . Once its sent off and tested Ill share results of the three .

 

[Boulder Ed]

Yes! I cant wait. Seriously.. i live for oil...real data is great!

 

[OldTLSDoug]

I have always used the factory recommended oil at the factory recommended intervals. I haven't had any issues with any motorcycle due to this practice. I am currently jonesing to change the oil in my Super Duke, but it says 9300 miles and the oil still looks clean at 7k so I am riding it out. Killing me, but I see no practical use to doing it early unless there is an issue/leak/failure sort of thing. I do ensure that whatever bike I am changing oil on gets motorcycle specific oil in the tranny so the wet clutch isn't "challenged" due to lack of grip. But, like tires and brake pads, what works for me may not work for you. Of course, the dang Motorex is some pricey stuff but I use it anyway. I also use their coolant, brake fluid (DOT 5.1) and their Hydraulic clutch fluid (Mineral oil as applicable). YMMV

 

[Irishcoffee]

I have always used the factory recommended oil at the factory recommended intervals. I haven't had any issues with any motorcycle due to this practice. I am currently jonesing to change the oil in my Super Duke, but it says 9300 miles and the oil still looks clean at 7k so I am riding it out. Killing me, but I see no practical use to doing it early unless there is an issue/leak/failure sort of thing. I do ensure that whatever bike I am changing oil on gets motorcycle specific oil in the tranny so the wet clutch isn't "challenged" due to lack of grip. But, like tires and brake pads, what works for me may not work for you. Of course, the dang Motorex is some pricey stuff but I use it anyway. I also use their coolant, brake fluid (DOT 5.1) and their Hydraulic clutch fluid (Mineral oil as applicable). YMMV

Understood. But when you add the word "practical" I immediately think of my very old school mentality. Peace of Mind is a big deal for me with any engine and I am bothered when the miles driven/ridden get to a level that I just gotta change the oil. I always do it before these modern longer intervals. On my autos I am a 3000 mile guy after decades of 2000. With the absurd prices of new bikes these days Ithere is not a chance I could sleep with oil at 9300 miles on a bike, auto or gizmo. I would be going down the road feeling my engine grinding itself to death.

 

[Cagiva 549]

My oil changes were all determined by the condition of used oils from oil analysis , i dont like throwing away perfectly good oil 5 k miles has been the average i run on cars trucks and big bikes , The oil was still good at that mileage but did show increases in most wear metals and contaminates , still within acceptable levals I maybe could have gotten a couple thousand more miles before it reached its maximum life , but by changing at 5 k intervals i never need to look back to see when its due , when the thousands is a 5 or zero its due . Too simple .

an interesting thing was cleaning out my file cabinets a few years back , i ran across stacks of lab results on oil samples from the 80s , most current samples showed as much as 4 times less contaminates and wear metals in modern oil . We've come a long way baby .

 

[seo68]

My oil changes were all determined by the condition of used oils from oil analysis

That's exactly how it should be, because without that kind of data everything else is essentially speculation. To be on the safe side, one could change their oil every evening and feel pretty gosh darn confident that they had not exceeded the lubrication and contaminant suspension capabilities of the oil. Doing so makes about as much sense as changing oil at any other arbitrary mileage number. I send my oil for analysis at each change, and I have found that the manufacturer's recommended intervals have been solid. I had a turbo VW that had a 5000 mile interval, and at 5000 miles, that oil was done! The 'extended' intervals in my other cars have resulted in numbers that have been well within acceptable limits. I can't imagine that a manufacturer has an interest in establishing intervals that are inadequate. Sure, they could tout less required maintenance, but the reputation hit for poor reliability would far exceed any advantage for low maintenance. My experience has been that manufacturers pretty much have it figured out and they have much more data than I do.

 

[Downs]

Did someone say oil Analysis?

 

[Irishcoffee]

If changing oil before the mfg rec interval is wasting oil, is doing an analysis every change when things have been fine not also wasteful? Why not maybe every other or even every third--fourth, etc? At what point do you trust the oil if each analysis is excellent?

 

[Cagiva 549]

The whole point in oil analysis is to catch a potential problem before it becomes a problem , coolant in the oil will show up in a sample long before its visible , the 950 KTM had a faulty water pump from the factory , it was evident at the first sample . I called my dealer and he said yea it was a problem , get it to him and he would change it out . Next one was just fine for 20;000 miles . Then i fixed the problem , that one lasted till i parked it . 50,000 miles . A john deere dozer transmission making huge amounts of copper , time to trade it in . Prevent problems before they become a problem .

 

[seo68]

If changing oil before the mfg rec interval is wasting oil, is doing an analysis every change when things have been fine not also wasteful? Why not maybe every other or even every third--fourth, etc? At what point do you trust the oil if each analysis is excellent?

Point well taken. Given that I have now done quite of few of those, I could probably do without them, but knowledge is power. I might say the same about seeing the doctor periodically. I have a good diet and get plenty of exercise so perhaps the value in a check-up is small, especially when the past few gave me a clean bill of health. Or, it could be that the doc finds something I didn't anticipate - and perhaps I find an issue in my oil that surprises me, even if my change interval is perfectly adequate.

 

[Irishcoffee]

 

[Boulder Ed]

A friend once said " Ed you're just not happy unless you are helping someone change oil" . I think he was right to heck with 9k mile oil changes.