SV650 - Engine Oil selection

[Zapf]

Some guy from my 1st Service at a Suzuki dealer told me that they only use full mineral oil in big twins, reason being that simi / synetic oil are too slippery for their clutch.

Is this true? or a load of bollox?

tkns

[Motu]

I'd ask what's wrong with the clutch,no other bikes have a problem.

[Zapf]

any other comments or suggestions?

otherwise I'll assume they have been telling me bollox. tkns

[vifferman]

Some guy from my 1st Service at a Suzuki dealer told me that they only use full mineral oil in big twins, reason being that simi / synetic oil are too slippery for their clutch.

Is this true? or a load of bollox?

tkns

Bollix. Apart from the running-in period.
Once it's done a few thousand km, use whatever you like.
My VTR was run on semi-synth only (personal preference) but although it did have clutch problems, they were due to a crap spring, not the oil. Other VTR owners ran full synthetic without problems.

Here's some info you might find interesting:
http://www.yft.org/tex_vfr/tech/oil.htm

And this:
http://www.ibmwr.org/otech/oilreport.html

[kerryg]

Some guy from my 1st Service at a Suzuki dealer told me that they only use full mineral oil in big twins, reason being that simi / synetic oil are too slippery for their clutch.

Is this true? or a load of bollox?

tkns

It appears that there are as many (plausible) opinions about this whole subject area as there are types and brands of oil. I reckon you'd be lucky to find much agreement among the members of this forum. Personally, as a total layman, I rely on what the handbook says and on advice from the experts. If your mechanic is intelligent and well-trained in servicing your brand and type of bike, I'd tend to trust his advice. If he's some spotty herbert who works for Bob's Mower and Cycle Shop (I hope there's no-one with a business called that...I made it up!) or some crusty old codger who still thinks the Rudge Superior was the best motorcycle ever built I might be wary though...

Having said that, mineral oils are not "generally" recommended above semi-synthetics for modern water-cooled engines. Not that good mineral oil is not OK. It is. Perhaps he was trying to save you money? Or was he just talking about the running-in period (there's a school of thought that semi-synthetics and synthetics are too slippery to permit a new engine to run in well)? I would have thought that the SV650 would be happy with a semi-synthetic though...the comments about clutch slip seem a bit peculiar so long as any oil used is motorcycle-specific.

But there will be many different views I'm sure.

[Motu]

That's Bruff Laddy,the Bruff Superior.It's probably just them running scared as most synthetic oils are for the car market,if someone gets it wrong they will blame something,anything so long as it's not themselves for using the wrong oil,or they can blame someone else who sold them the wrong oil - cover my arse,tell them to use motorcycle mineral oil and I'll be safe from all repurcusions.A good move from that point of view.

[merv]

Buy motorcycle oil like Castrol GPS semi-synthetic Castrol Superbike RS fully synthetic and you can't go wrong as they say it is made for wet clutches. I use GPS in all my bikes - good mid price oil - even buy it at Repco when I can't be bothered going all the way into Wellington to Sawyers.

[merv]

That's Bruff Laddy,the Bruff Superior.

So is that gruff Bruff or tough Brough?

[Zapf]

That's Bruff Laddy,the Bruff Superior.It's probably just them running scared as most synthetic oils are for the car market,if someone gets it wrong they will blame something,anything so long as it's not themselves for using the wrong oil,or they can blame someone else who sold them the wrong oil - cover my arse,tell them to use motorcycle mineral oil and I'll be safe from all repurcusions.A good move from that point of view.

haha wow. I can't even tell what you are trying to say.

But I get it if you were having a go at how I'll blame someone.

[Zapf]

The bike revs like crap on Minerial oil anyway. So full Motul syn here I come.

[Zapf]

Bollix. Apart from the running-in period.
Once it's done a few thousand km, use whatever you like.
My VTR was run on semi-synth only (personal preference) but although it did have clutch problems, they were due to a crap spring, not the oil. Other VTR owners ran full synthetic without problems.

Here's some info you might find interesting:
http://www.yft.org/tex_vfr/tech/oil.htm

And this:
http://www.ibmwr.org/otech/oilreport.html

cheers firestomer

[2_SL0]

Personally I would recommed a good mineral oil. BUT there is nothing wrong with running a syn oil. The only thing I could add to that is most oils that advertise to be a syn oil, are actually NOT. If you plan on doing regular oil changes, save your money and buy a good mineral oil. But at the end of the day, its really up to you.

[Zapf]

ah.... makes sense... its not so much as to the clutch not gripping as to false neutrals... think mine has gone away after that oil change actually....

so me thinks I might wait and see if its really gone for a while longer then.

[Blakamin]

Synthetic oils are good for most bikes, but I have run both mineral and synthetic in my bike (TLR). Didnt have too many problems with the synthetic oil except would get false neutrals from time to time. Kerry at motohaus said a simaler thing to your mechanic in that he reckons big twins need mineral oil... after running in that is. Thats what i'm using now and hey.. no problemo.. and its a bit cheaper

arggghh... is a Duc a big twin???
confusion say "running semi at moment, want happy bike"
fortune cookie say "someone become a friggin expert and help us ALL out"

[Motu]

So is that gruff Bruff or tough Brough?

Father and son I think - so I'd say Gruff the elder and Tuff the younger?