Automotive Or Motorbike Oil What do YOU use?

**TonyB** · 19th January 2005, 15:01

Originally Posted by Hitcher

I'm always intrigued by people who use fully-synthetic oil and then replace it at their regular service intervals. Surely the whole point of synthetic oil (especially the really good stuff) is never having to change your oil ever again?

I'm not an oil snob. I'm quite happy for the team at Sawyers/Motorad to put in whatever they think is best.

Nah, the oil still gets dirty. Plus the oil still wears out- the shearing forces cause the motecules to break down...or something, don't quote me, I'm not a petrochemical expert

**Slim** · 20th January 2005, 15:30

I use Castrol GPS which appears to be a motorcycle oil and is "synthetic based" which I'm not sure if it means semi- or fully synthetic oil.

**inlinefour** · 20th January 2005, 15:38

Originally Posted by John

I've always wondered WHAT oil do you use?

Automotive, synthetic?
Automotive, synthetic-mix?
Automotive, fossil
Or
Automotive, synthetic?
Automotive, synthetic-mix?
Automotive, fossil

Why did you make this choice? a simple "ahh thats some cheap oil that should work keeping my 10K bike running" or "I want the best for my bike, because I love him/her".

This poll is solely for the use of people with little experience in this department as a reference to what they should choose.

(although I recommend individuals always try various types, and find what suits there bike best).

sorry if it seems like a repost, just trying to provide some answers for people like me to find when we need it..

I'd have to ask Energy Honda what oil they use, I think its castrol?

**JohnBoy** · 20th January 2005, 15:38

Up to buying my zed i always used Castrol GPS, very good oil. however i now use Motul 15/40 semi synthetic, the zed seems to run better on that than the GPS. but i must admit the zed will burn through the Motul faster than than the GPS... not sure why as they are (according to the bottle) basically have the same stats.

**Midnight 82** · 6th February 2005, 09:24

Castrol for smee

**Jackrat** · 6th February 2005, 15:37

diesal 20/50
Because people a hell of a lot better informed than me say so.
Plus it works.

**Motu** · 6th February 2005, 21:17

Yeah,diesel oils good shit,it's high in antiwear additives like zinc and phosphorus same as a motorcycle oil,tough stuff we need in bikes.But - just another usless bit of information...there are a couple of different diesel oil camps and how they approach the crap in the oil.The Yanks go with the idea of allowing the shit to sink to the bottom of the sump and being flushed out with the oil when it's changed,the Euros and Japs go with the idea of the contaminants staying in suspension and going through the filter.So for a bike with a roller bottom end and a rudimentry filtering system (like the XS650) an oil with more US specs than Euro,if the bike has plain bearings and a good full flow filter go for a Euro or Jap oil.Gets confusing cause you'll find oil that meets like,Mack and Mercedes.Like I said...useless information.

**gav** · 6th February 2005, 22:02

Anyone got any info on why they think a diesel oil is suitable for a motorcycle, any links or suchlike? Bearing in mind that a motorcycle usually has its gearbox and clutch running in the same oil, the engine operates over a far greater rev range etc. There is a reason why motorcycle oils have extra additives in it. Also I think you'll find most if not all Honda shops use Castrol oil because of a tie up between Blue Wing Honda and the parent company who owns the distribution rights for Castrol and I think own BWH.
Actually when I worked in a Honda shop BWH actually commissioned a report done by a lab on oils available in NZ at the time. Can't remember full details but the top 3 rated oils were #3 Castrol GPS, #2 Mobil 1 and #1 was Motul 300V.

**Motu** · 6th February 2005, 22:21

Spend some time on this site,check out all the forums,when you get educated come and tell us what you found.

Bob is the oil Guy

**TygerTung** · 6th February 2005, 22:34

I was talking to this old dude at my work, and he reckoned that synthetic oil can cause your clutch to slip??????

My CG specifies 10w40 oil, I brought some 10w40 for my cage a while back, but I havn't used it yet, so I will use that in my bike. The manual also specifies changing the oil at 3000k, but recomends more reguralarly than that and why not? I mean it only takes 1L so cheap as chips mate!!!!

**gav** · 6th February 2005, 22:55

Originally Posted by Motu

Spend some time on this site,check out all the forums,when you get educated come and tell us what you found.

Bob is the oil Guy

Why? You couldnt understand it either? (PT) :spudwave:
All the forums? Does Bob actually answer any of the questions? The couple that I looked at seemed to be full of people argueing (errr, just like any other forum, really

) but I've bookmarked the site and will have another look sometime. Thanks for the link.

**Motu** · 7th February 2005, 06:52

gav - the guys on that site are really anal about oil,some are industrial chemists in the oil industry...they talk about stuff I couldn't hope to understand,but everything you wanted to know about oil is there somewhere.Check out the motorcycle forum and look at the thread about ''what makes motorcycle oil different'',or some such,I visit the site everyday...oil interests me and I find something new I didn't know every day.

TygerTung - synthetic won't cause your clutch to slip,unless there is something wrong with it in the first place...just another urban legend.3000km is a pretty early oil change,but that's when I change my own oil,don't change earlier than that,some of the additives take time to activate and you may do more harm than good.Then again on the modern off road 4 strokes they are changing oil at 300kms! They get extreme use mind you - they have found that works so that's what they do.

**Silage** · 7th February 2005, 12:01

I am using motorcycle fossil oil till the GS has at least 10,000km on it. Then I am seriously thinking about semi-synth motor (diesel) oil. The GS takes 3.5 litre so $$ come into it.

Could the 8 or so who polled as using auto synth-mix please post which oil they are using - am impressed by those who vote with their feet

**Sparky Bills** · 7th February 2005, 12:18

Look at it this way...
Car gearbox oils are separate, and bike gear box oils are not.
In Bike oils the have additives worked into it instead of have seperate gear box oils. (Did i explain that right?) So if you use car oil in your bike, it may not be as smooth as it could be.
You dont really need a full synthetic, (but it wont hurt)
Unless its a race bike.
Semi-synthetic in my view is more than what a normal road bike needs.

Thats just my view anyway.

**Motu** · 7th February 2005, 12:30

Originally Posted by Sparky Bills

Look at it this way...
Car gearbox oils are separate, and bike gear box oils are not.
In Bike oils the have additives worked into it instead of have seperate gear box oils. (Did i explain that right?) So if you use car oil in your bike, it may not be as smooth as it could be.
You dont really need a full synthetic, (but it wont hurt)
Unless its a race bike.
Semi-synthetic in my view is more than what a normal road bike needs.

Thats just my view anyway.

Oh come on! - we've had this before...on this thread or another? I can't be bothered to look.The Mini was produced in 1959 with gearbox integral with sump,back then oils were crap - that motor was used for over 40 yrs and many are still going...raced rallied and rolled...never a problem traced to the gearbox being in the sump.Bike oils (and diesel oils) are higher in zinc and phos,plus have no friction modifiers,other than that it's labeling.