[ryrides]

as far as oils go, i have been told two stories,
1. that you can use any full synthetic 10-40 oil in the bike and it'll be fine
2. that you must use motorcycle oil otherwise youll ruin your clutch.

will it hurt the bike to run regular auto 1040 fullsynthetic?

 

[swiest152]

if you want fully synthetic you have to use motorcycle specific oil other wise your clutch will slip. I have experienced this first hand. You can use car oil but it has to be conventional.

It will not hurt the bike, just gotta change it more often.

 

[andyauger]

BS in many ways.

The only oils you have to stay away from are those with the words "Energy Conserving" in the API donut (black and white circle on container with viscosity spec). Stay away from any oil with MoS2 (moly, molybdenum disulfide).

Other than that, you're good to go, synthetic or standards. I favor CD or CE (diesel specific) oils like Delo, Delvac, Rotella, etc.

Read this:

http://www.nordicgroup.us/oil.htm

 

[TomServo]

:deadhorse:

 

[Lost1888]

:deadhorse::deadhorse::angry4:

 

[Gerard7aa]

any oil with a JASO label is preferred.
At least that's what the owners manual describes.

poor o'l dead horse.... hahaha.

 

[swiest152]

BS in many ways.

The only oils you have to stay away from are those with the words "Energy Conserving" in the API donut (black and white circle on container with viscosity spec). Stay away from any oil with MoS2 (moly, molybdenum disulfide).

Other than that, you're good to go, synthetic or standards. I favor CD or CE (diesel specific) oils like Delo, Delvac, Rotella, etc.

Read this:

http://www.nordicgroup.us/oil.htm

Or you could just not make it confusing for people and tell them to stay away from synthetic car oil?

 

[ryrides]

ok because i put 1040 full synthetic auto in there this weekend. only ran a few miles on
it. maybe i need to go and change it.i tried to find a regular oil with the
API SF or SG rating per the manual, all i found was SL rating so i put that
in. and i was told this was ok by the guy at the dealership. thats what i get
for trying to save a few bucks.

 

[swiest152]

yes change it now. Just get some honda 10w - 40 motorcycle oil at your local dealer if you dont wanna spend a ton.

Hopefully you wont have to clean your clutch plates.

 

[Gerard7aa]

I would say yes..... ^^

 

[andyauger]

There are several automotive synthetics that are fine in motorcycles. The original Mobil 1, for example. Like I said, just stay away from those that say "Energy Conserving".

I worked as a mechanical engineer, rotating equipment specialist, for a major oil company until I retired. In those years we used all the latest and greatest test oils from the development labs. There wasn't a lot of difference in the real world, to tell the truth. Energy conserving oils have either long chain polymer additives or solids (like MoS2) that can cause wet motorcycle clutches to slip. That's it.

And there isn't much difference between motorcycle specific oils and diesel specific oils.

 

[ryrides]

i did use mobile one, but it was the high mileage stuff and i tossed the can when i was
done so now ill have to research to find out whats in it. ill probaly just
bite the bullet and buy the regular motorcycle synthetic. at least ill have
peace of mind. i was told by one service guy that the reason for the
bike oil was the clutch would get ruined over time if you dont use it, the
other guy told me that full synthetic car oil was ok. my clutch hasnt slipped
yet but ive only put maybe 10 miles on the bike since ive changed it.
9 bucks a quart at advanced auto for v twin full synthetic oil, i forget
what brand, it was 520 weight. it ticks me off that it costs so much to
change the oil in something that is 1/5 the size of my truck.

 

[JPL_SV]

I used 10-60 full syn. oil on my bike a couple times and had no problems, very smooth shifting. I'm paying about the same for my AMS syn. oil (designed for my motor/wet clutch) and get the same results. Though I can tell the slight difference in the fully syn. oils and regular cheap bike oil.

 

[Gerard7aa]

what brand is that 10-60 you are using? ^^

 

[JPL_SV]

The same oil used on M5, M3, and Z8. I used it a couple times when I worked for BMW because a fellow rider told me that it will work fine with a wet clutch.

I googled the pic above and thought it was ironic that the oil I used is in the same image as the BMW Vanos units.

 

[Gerard7aa]

I was asking because I've never seen those bottles.

 

[capachkid]

10-60??? Holy shite! Don't think that would work too well in -15 degree weather!

 

[Gerard7aa]

In Az it gets upwards to 120 degrees... 10-60 fits the bill.

 

[capachkid]

I use 5-30 in everything except my car. My car I use 5-20

 

[andyauger]

ryrides, I've lost count of the times I've heard "service people" make outrageous claims and dispense pure BS as fact.

There is little difference between motorcycle-specific and regular oils, and in some cases there is no difference at all. Also, real lab tests on motorcycle-specific oils revealed that some of them were pretty much trash.

Stick to a name brand oil that fits the viscosity range, synthetics are of no benefit in the SV engine, don't obsess. There are many high-mileage bikes on this forum that are doing just fine without "magic" oil.