Synthetic Oil

[wildphil69]

Does anyone run synthetic oil in their bike? Does it change clutch application at all?

[Black_peter]

Now where could you SEARCH for that kind of information?

[Jax]

........................

[KatanaSoldier]

[The CyberPoet]

Re: Synthetic Oil

Does anyone run synthetic oil in their bike? Does it change clutch application at all?

If you use a synthetic oil that's JASO-MA rated, you won't get any change or slippage in your clutch (the JASO-MA standard was developed specifically for motorcycle wet-clutches). Use modern automotive-grade synthetic or dino-oil and you could well be in for a world of hurt, as they contain additional friction modifiers that coat the wet clutch and keep it from grabbing properly.

Try this: CyberPoet's "Everything you ever wanted to know about motorcycle motor oil and more".

Or as everyone else said, try searching. This topic has been cover several dozen times, and at least where to find the information you were specifically seeking was covered in KatRider's How To's: The Newbie Thread

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[nimblekat]

I use Mobil 1 10W-40 Motorcycle oil. I had 9500 miles on an 02 Kat 600 when I started using it, and I have 10100 miles now. I bought the bike used in the fall. One reason I went to synthetic oil is because synthetic oil handles heat better. It has not affected my clutch at all.

[87vert]

I use suzuki synthetic "racing oil" 10w40.

works good enough

[tnvatdreamland]

I was going to go this route, but my dealer said "no, you don't need it." and, "we have seen more sportbikes come in here with screwed up cluthes becuase of it."

But I guess if you were going to run something specificlly for "wet clutch" designs, what do they know?, or myself for that matter.

Could you go more the the 3K miles to justify the added expense? Or just change the filter, top off, and go on??

[The CyberPoet]

I was going to go this route, but my dealer said "no, you don't need it." and, "we have seen more sportbikes come in here with screwed up cluthes becuase of it."

Inevitably car oils...

But I guess if you were going to run something specificlly for "wet clutch" designs, what do they know?, or myself for that matter.

JASO-MA as a standard was invented specifically by the Japanese big-4 motorcycle companies through the Japense Vehicle Manufacturers' Association. The standard was invented because the needs of motorcycle oils for wet-clutch applications were not being ideally met by the then-current API standards and they knew that the API standards were going to further evolve away from what would be appropriate to wet-clutch high-output motorcycle engines.
[The Rest of this Paragraph is Total Sarcasm:] But I see your dealer's point -- after all, what would Suzuki Motorcycle Division know about such things? I'm sure the stuff they print in their owner's manuals and so forth is just for show because they want to give dealers business by screwing their clients, right? After all, that's how you convince people to buy your brand of bike again, right? And it's not like Suzuki Motorcycle USA would have warrant the repairs under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act if they told you only to use a specific grade or rating of oil and then it interfered with the operation of your bike, right? And all those specialty oils everyone packages marked "motorcycle oil" and charges one-point-five to four times the going rate for "car oils" is just smoke and mirrors, right?

Could you go more the the 3K miles to justify the added expense? Or just change the filter, top off, and go on??

Depends solely on the oil quality, the driving conditions, the ambient environment and how far you are willing to push your oil. If you test your oil and it's still good, I guess press on. Personally, I think the cost of oil, even at the elevated prices they get for motorcycle oils, is low enough that I won't push it -- I'd rather have the motorcycle last that much longer.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[JohnbliYayzzy]

Last year I put BelRay Synthetic Motorcycle Specific Oil in, but it was like $12 a quart. This year I put Suzuki Synthetic in. Seems fine, the clutch is fine.

[LMT]

Synthetic Oil

I am using Amsoil. It meets all the requirements as recommended by Cyber Poet. I first put in Shell Rotella T synthetic but was leary of it not meeting the recommended type although I kept seeing it on various rider's forums. I drained it after only 100 miles and went to Amsoil 10W40. It does seem to shift smoothly and warm up faster. Imagination? Maybe but it is good though pricey.

[87vert]

Last year I put BelRay Synthetic Motorcycle Specific Oil in, but it was like $12 a quart. This year I put Suzuki Synthetic in. Seems fine, the clutch is fine.

how much did you pay for the suzuki synthetic? the local dealer had it for like 6.50 a quart, the other dealer was selling the regular suzuki stuff for the same price lol.

[nimblekat]

Has any one else used Mobil 1 synthetic 10w-40 motor oil & what kind of results did you have.

[The CyberPoet]

Has any one else used Mobil 1 synthetic 10w-40 motor oil & what kind of results did you have.

Many of our riders use Mobil 1 MX4T (recently renamed Mobil 1 4T Racing) and Mobil 1 VTwin in hotter climates. None of them have ever complained -- including me when I've run it.
DO NOT USE MOBIL 1 CAR OILS!

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[JohnbliYayzzy]

Last year I put BelRay Synthetic Motorcycle Specific Oil in, but it was like $12 a quart. This year I put Suzuki Synthetic in. Seems fine, the clutch is fine.

how much did you pay for the suzuki synthetic? the local dealer had it for like 6.50 a quart, the other dealer was selling the regular suzuki stuff for the same price lol.

It was about 6.50 a quart...