Synthetic Oil

[ChillyWilly]

Would the mechanics of the engine change if synthetic oil is used over regular oil? Is there an advantage to using synthetic oil, or would it only damage the engine? Please help me with as I want to start the new year right.

[tigers202002]

I use Castrol GTX synthetic and think its fine. I believe it probly is better with the heat.

[KatDan]

nothing mechanically will change. you'll get better lubrication, and my bike shifted a lot smoother after switching to synthetic. you will get 100 different answers on what to use, just be sure it meets the factory specs. i use Amsoil.

[paradoxmd]

nothing mechanically will change. you'll get better lubrication, and my bike shifted a lot smoother after switching to synthetic. you will get 100 different answers on what to use, just be sure it meets the factory specs. i use Amsoil.

+1. I noticed my bike shifted 100 times better after going to Castrol synthetic.

[ChillyWilly]

Synthetic Oil help!!!

I Thank you for everybody's input. I will use synthetic oil since there are users like yourself who claim it is better. I ride a 1999 Katana 600, and it is good to see there is a usefull site like this one with a lot of great people offering help, and good advice.

[FloridaKat]

I use Mobil 1 MX4T (or Racing 4T which is the re-named version). It's a full synthetic, not a blend.

I noticed an immediate difference in shifting/performance since I made the changeover.

[The CyberPoet]

In general, what you want to know is:
Will the formulation of synthetic be significantly different than that of standard dino oils?

The answer goes like this:
Dino oil has molecule chains that vary a lot in length; many are the ideal length, but there are shorter and longer ones in the mix.
Synthetic ("not occuring in nature") oil contains molecule chains that, at least at the outset, are all an uniform length (the ideal length).
The more of the molecule chains that are the right length, the better a job the oil does of lubricating in the general. Also, the more aggressive the oil packager can be with additives and detergents in general.

And that's pretty much the difference from a technical viewpoint.

From a rider's perch viewpoint, the answers you saw above are pretty much standard:
less blow-by at the rings may add a bit more torque (but unless the engine is a bit worn and you are particularly attentive, you'll probably never notice);
the engine may rev faster and thus climb the RPM range faster, resuling in more horsepower to the ground (again, not enough that you are likely to notice unless you are particularly attentive or buying "performance optimized"/"racing oils");
the shifting will be much smoother, because the transmission on the Kats sits in the same oils; and
if you have an oil temp gauge installed (I do sell them for the Kats), you will probably notice a decrease in the engine's typical operating temp (because better lubrication means less friction, and better oils means better heat exchange at the oil-air cooler interface).

PS - you can find everything you ever wanted to know and then some about motorcycle oils and how to pick them on webpage about that topic:
CyberPoet's "How to understand and choose motorcycle motor oils"

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[Black_Kat23]

So you could use Castrol GPS SAE 10W-40 API SG, JASO MA

Or Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 exceeds the requirements of API Service Categories SH, SG/CF, CD, JASO MA

[Black_Kat23]

So you could use Castrol GPS SAE 10W-40 API SG, JASO MA

Or Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 exceeds the requirements of API Service Categories SH, SG/CF, CD, JASO MA

Is the GPS partial synthetic, and the 4T full synthetic?

[tigers202002]

you can get gps full or half synthetic I believe

[The CyberPoet]

GPS used to be synthetic in 10w40 and mineral in 20w50, at least in the USA (different formulations & different weight-bais in other continents). Some time during 2006, they switched both to a full synthetic according to their press releases.
Details here: Castrol USA: GPS product info page

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[Black_Kat23]

Thanks. I Wonder why it says synthetic based on it and not full, weird.

[Chris007911]

AMSOil = Favorite Oil

[katman05]

Motul 5100

[chinto]

wd 40. It takes a while to fill it up with that little spray bottle. But man does it work great.



Actually I use Castrol synthetic as well.