Ok, let's get this over with. Whats your favorite oil?

[Cruizin]

Motorcycle oil discussion.    

 

 

For years and years, I've been using Shell Rotella T6 diesel oil in my bikes, my cars, my lawn mower, on my pancakes, and even as sex lube.  Ok, Im joking about one of those scenarios. 

 

But, when I get a brand new bike (rare for me) I usually use that brand's factory oil for the first year. When I bought my new 2011 Honda CRF 450R, I used Honda Pro HP4 , which is actually really freaking good oil, comes with moly in it.  If you ever find Pro HP 4 for cheap, snag as much as you can and just use it. Great oil.   

 

When I bought my brand new 2015 Orange FZ09 , I ran regular Yama lube 10/40 General purpose for the first 800 miles and then switched over to Yama lube Semi Synthetic..  Semi Synthetic is just as good as full synthetic oil, in my book and usually a bit cheaper. In fact, if you find any Yamalube Semi synthetic, snag up as much as you can and run it.  

 

But as soon as that one year warranty period ends, I usually turn to the cheap liquid gold, Shell Rotella T-6 .  It has been used by riders for many many years. And if ya look at Walmart, it's cheap.  Why is it cheap?  Because it's mass produced for semi trucks, and also because so many of us old timer ADV riders buy it up off the shelves.  It's been trusty for me and up until my last bike, I had no issues. But on my KTM 250 Two Stroke, it started making my shifts feel kind of notchy.   It just wouldn't shift right, and I ended up switching back to Motul, the expensive shet here in the USA and the notchy shifting went away. 

 

So, I am going to stick with Yamalube this first year, and try to find some Yamalube Semi synthetic cheap, but thats getting harder and harder to find cheap anymore. 

 

But honestly, you can use most any oil you want, as long as it is SG/JASO MA rated.  The frequency of oil and filter change is more important than brand of oil.  Back in the 70's and 80's, there wasn't any motorcycle specific oil. We were putting straight 30 weight car oil in our bikes and it worked ok, our engines lasted, we just changed oil a lil more often then we do now. 

[motoAT]

I run the recommended motorex in my ktm (so far has served me well, had 70k on my 990, and now 50k on my 1190)

I run Motul 7100 in everything else and will probably use that in the T7. (it's a little cheaper than the motorex)

 

Both are on Amazon in 4L jug for a decent price.

[r2r]

I also use Motul 7100 in every bike I have/had. Zero problems, smooth shifting and, of course, it smells beautifully 

[Cruizin]

Shell Rotella T6 1 Gallon for $20.98 and free shipping if you are a Prime member.  It's hard to beat for the money, and thousands of us all have been using it for many years with zero issues, cept for the notchy shifting on my KTM Two stroke. 

 

https://amzn.to/3cLtmf2 

 

[Jonas]

1 hour ago, Cruizin said:

Motorcycle oil discussion.    

 

 

For years and years, I've been using Shell Rotella T6 diesel oil in my bikes, my cars, my lawn mower, on my pancakes, and even as sex lube.  Ok, Im joking about one of those scenarios. 

 

But, when I get a brand new bike (rare for me) I usually use that brand's factory oil for the first year. When I bought my new 2011 Honda CRF 450R, I used Honda Pro HP4 , which is actually really freaking good oil, comes with moly in it.  If you ever find Pro HP 4 for cheap, snag as much as you can and just use it. Great oil.   

 

When I bought my brand new 2015 Orange FZ09 , I ran regular Yama lube 10/40 General purpose for the first 800 miles and then switched over to Yama lube Semi Synthetic..  Semi Synthetic is just as good as full synthetic oil, in my book and usually a bit cheaper. In fact, if you find any Yamalube Semi synthetic, snag up as much as you can and run it.  

 

But as soon as that one year warranty period ends, I usually turn to the cheap liquid gold, Shell Rotella T-6.  It has been used by riders for many many years. And if ya look at Walmart, it's cheap.  Why is it cheap?  Because it's mass produced for semi trucks, and also because so many of us old timer ADV riders buy it up off the shelves.  It's been trusty for me and up until my last bike, I had no issues. But on my KTM 250 Two Stroke, it started making my shifts feel kind of notchy.   It just wouldn't shift right, and I ended up switching back to Motul, the expensive shet here in the USA and the notchy shifting went away. 

 

So, I am going to stick with Yamalube this first year, and try to find some Yamalube Semi synthetic cheap, but thats getting harder and harder to find cheap anymore. 

Should't everybody be ok to use SG/JASO MA or above. Brand doesn't matter. But which oil should I use during break in?

[Cruizin]

2 minutes ago, Jonas said:

Should't everybody be ok to use SG/JASO MA or above. Brand doesn't matter. But which oil should I use during break in?

Im having my dealer use regular Yamalube 10/40 semi synthetic just to help with warranty coverage over the first year. At the 4000 mark I'm switching to Shell Rotella T6.  In oil tests, it's right up there with and beyond the oils that cost twice as much. 

 

 

 

[Cruizin]

Many like the Motul 7100, but in the United States it costs around $49.00,  over twice as much as Shell Rotella per gallon.

 

https://amzn.to/2YghSuE

 

[close range]

@Cruizin I'm planning on doing the exact same as you. Manufacturer recommended oil until warranty expires then switch to tried and true Rotella T6. Been using that oil in every motorcycle and car I've owned for years.

 

[Cruizin]

This video from my friends at Traxxion Dynamics clears everything up and settles the long debate. 

 

 

t

[Rider 101]

Castrol Power 1

CASTROL POWER1 | PRODUCTS | Castrol Australia

---

Friction causes power losses and impacts acceleration. Castrol POWER1 with Power Release Formula flows fast and minimises internal losses due to friction. Superior acceleration at the touch of the throttle.

 

[Aleksandar13]

I am a simple man.. ... I service the bike at the dealer

[DWEL700]

LOL 

[ScorpionT16]

Liqi Moly user here, love it and will continue using it, though for the T7s first service, the dealer used Full Synthetic Yamalube, however they used 15W-50, never ran that thick before. at 3k I'll prob switch, then again at 6k, and then keep 6k intervals from there on. 

 

That said, the last bike I bought was of an Amsoil Oil Engineer, and he used to test every batch of oil, from the bike to his cars, and other brands. Although I don't use Amsoil, I can say it is a very very good choice based on the data. 

[Cruizin]

2 minutes ago, ScorpionT16 said:

Liqi Moly user here, love it and will continue using it, though for the T7s first service, the dealer used Full Synthetic Yamalube, however they used 15W-50, never ran that thick before. at 3k I'll prob switch, then again at 6k, and then keep 6k intervals from there on. 

 

That said, the last bike I bought was of an Amsoil Oil Engineer, and he used to test every batch of oil, from the bike to his cars, and other brands. Although I don't use Amsoil, I can say it is a very very good choice based on the data. 

I like Amsoil, just that I hate talking to the crazy guys who sell it. 

[Jonas]

31 minutes ago, Cruizin said:

Shell Rotella T6 1 Gallon for $20.98 and free shipping if you are a Prime member.  It's hard to beat for the money, and thousands of us all have been using it for many years with zero issues, cept for the notchy shifting on my KTM Two stroke. 

 

https://amzn.to/3cLtmf2 

 

Rotella T6 is a diesel engine oil? Yamaha doesn't approve this it seems.

[Cruizin]

4 minutes ago, Jonas said:

Rotella T6 is a diesel engine oil? Yamaha doesn't approve this it seems.

 

Go on the many other Yamaha forums out there and you will find thousands of riders using it. Many with well over 50,000 miles on their engines.  It's fine. In fact if you haven't heard of people using it as motorcycle oil, you are either new to riding or new to motorcycle forums. 

[johnnygolucky]

[Jonas]

22 minutes ago, Cruizin said:

 

Go on the many other Yamaha forums out there and you will find thousands of riders using it. Many with well over 50,000 miles on their engines.  It's fine. In fact if you haven't heard of people using it as motorcycle oil, you are either new to riding or new to motorcycle forums. 

Well not new to riding, but I new to forum...

So it's the cost? Or it's for the performance?

[Cruizin]

I believe that most all SG/JASO MA Oil's are about the same, protect an engine just fine, and that too much thought is put into "Oil Performance".  I also believe that frequency of oil and filter changes is far more important than brand and as long as people are changing their oil and filter at the specified intervals, it is ridiculous to spend more money on oil.  That is why I use Rotella T6 and I have never had an engine fail while using it and I do check compression on all of my engines and they all hold up great for many miles.  I use it in my dirtbikes too and my engines and rings and pistons last way beyond factory recommended hours.  

[Cruizin]

8 minutes ago, johnnygolucky said:

[whisperquiet]

I like motorcycle compatible oils and filters....all of them.

[Cruizin]

And again, Yamalube Semi Synthetic is just as good as their more expensive full synthetic. 

 

https://amzn.to/37h28M0

 

 

 

 

 

[Noel McCutcheon]

3 hours ago, Jonas said:

.... which oil should I use during break in?

The oil that it comes with/in it until around 600 miles. Then whatever semi-synthetic recommenced in handbook. I don’t get or do the save $20 thing on oil in an > $11000 bike. I done an extra oil and filter change myself at 3000 miles. I used Yam filter and Yamalube 10W/40.

[Mr.motarded]

I have used nothing but rotella T6 in all my bikes for years it will definitely be used it the T7. Its a great oil and if you dig deep it exceeds Yamaha specifications.  

[Murska]

Oil is a small cost when looking at the big picture, that’s why I don’t choose oil at a cheap price.

I use Castrol Power 1 10w50 oil, or Yamalube. T7 I change oils every 5000km.