So, who uses non-motorcycle oil in their bikes?

[oldnslo]

The key to a happy life using auto or cycle oil is changing the stuff at regular , common sense intervals. Using Mobil I in every bike I have owned, my shifter has informed me in its subtle way that 2500-3000 miles is a good time to consider changing oil AND FILTER. Don't bother to change one without the other.
As for Wal-Mart and other inexpensive but name-brand oils, they are fine. Most riders I've met over the years who have a basic grasp of engines and their needs as used in motorcycles use automotive oil in their bikes.
Avoid recycled oil, if it is even still available. When I was a kid you could buy it at service stations, taking it home in your own container, if you wanted, and it was OK for that old car that was smoking and burning a quart every 100 miles. No good for a good engine.
Nobody selling oil wants black marks on their reputation, but again, the important thing to remember is to change it regularly, along with the filter. Changing at 1000 mile intervals is simply overkill, and completely unneccessary. Absolutely nobody building engines would suggest that frequency of oil changes unless your bike is being used for racing exclusively. Again, common sense should prevail. Most bikes will tell you when to change oil via slightly balky shifting, but on regular oil, you should be able to run 2k miles between changes.
And I don't care if you find a way to fit the oil filter from a '69 Chevy on your bike, it is your bike, so you have every right to do the Frankenstein cross reference, no matter how wrong you are to do so.

[Telesque]

There was some talk about getting rid of oil on page 2, so I thought I'd mention..

There's a Muffler Man exhaust shop near where I live that has a giant oil-heater/furnace, and they accept oil free of charge to help provide their heating. Helps you out, helps them out.

Keep an eye open for those giant black machines in any shops you visit if you're looking for a place to send you used oil.

[BuzZz]

I just changed the oil in my FJ... mostly to try to smooth out the shifting. I used Pennzoil 10-40 and it shifts worse than before. I'm dropping it out and trying something else before this weekend. I'm gonna risk the weather and try 20-50 in whatever new brand I try, too. So it will probably snow.....

[oldnslo]

Synthetic might improve shifting.

[BuzZz]

That's what I was thinking too, John. Might even try some Amzoil bike oil if I can afford it..... even though I hate the attitude of the guys who push the stuff. They act like has magical properties and any other oil is really just water. Maybe I'll try some Castrol Synthetic or Rotella.....

[oldnslo]

Some of the guys on this forum like Rotella, but I've only found it in 10-40. I've used Amsoil before, presently use Mobil I, but only in 15-50 weight, and only automotive type in the bike. Bike stuff is too expensive for the few additional additive increases in it. Lighter weight automotive oils have too many friction modifiers and additives that don't help your engine or wet clutch.
If you get right down to it, who do ya know that's ever had an engine or transmission failure just from using automotive oil?

[poppygene]

BuzZz, I recently changed to Amsoil 10W/40, motorcycle - specific oil in mine and I think it's good stuff. I avoided the fruity Amsoil guys by buying it on-line. The tranny shifts marginally better than it did using Mobil 1 but I don't think it's worth the difference in price. Then again, we all know Kawi trannys need all the help they can get! I have enough 20W/50 Amsoil on hand for one filling which I'll probably try soon and see if there's any improvement. If not, I'll probably go back Mobil 1 in 15W/50 automotive - I can buy it waaay cheaper and I think it's comparable protection.
If you like dino oil, Rotella comes highly recommended by several auto-mechanic friends of mine. I haven't heard any comments about Rotella Synthetic, though.

[oldnslo]

The only thing bothering me about Mobil is their changing the formula all the time, and now they make mileage rated oil, too. I wish they hadn't fiddled with it so much. I guess the demands of newer mandates causes it.
Looking back through rose-colored glasses, it seemed my 900 Ninja had a nice shifting tranny. The old Yamaha I have now is probably the worst, with lots of slop between gears, but after more than 10,000 miles on it, I'm used to it.

[BuzZz]

Well I changed it to Rotella T, the synthetic stuff, in a 5W-40 wieght tonight. Worlds better. The engine is quieter and smoother and shifting is night-and-day. It is still an old Yammi box, no hiding that, but very much smoother and easier shifts. I was also very happy to hear the engine nioses quiet down as much as they did.

Synthetic for this bike from now on......

[huh]

Poking through Dan's Motorcycle repair guide, I've found some interesting ideas on oil for bikes - using the much, much cheaper car oil. According to the page, you can use some kinds of oil just fine. And the local WalMart has just the ticket - their brand, SuperTech, 10W-40 and 20W-40 oils without the energy conservation label or the API starburst. At less than a buck a quart, it doesn't seem like a bad deal at all. I've done some searching around the net and have found others say motorcycle oils are just a cash cow for most companies.

A link and excerpt:

http://www.xs11.com/stories/mcnoil94.htm says:

It could appear from this data, then, that there is no validity to the constantly-used argument that motorcycle-specific oils provide superior lubrication to automotive oils when used in a motorcycle. If the viscosity drop is the only criterion, then there is certainly no reason to spend the extra money on oil specifically designed for motorcycles. There does, however, appear to be a legitimate argument for using synthetic and synthetic-blend oils over the petroleum based products.

So what are your thoughts on this? Even going with an oil like Castrol GTX at just under $2 a quart would be much better than the $4.10 a quart I pay out the nose for Yamalube on my bike. I think I might just pick up a few quarts of Castrol and give it a shot next oil change.

first off super-tech oil is certified buy the API and carries a rating of SL
second super-tech is made by quaker state. its a very good oil. i use it in everything.

yes cycle oil is way over priced. most cycle oil is rated SG or SH,SJ which people think is for motorcycle. because their owner's manuals say.
but that means use a oil with at least that rating. all those ratings are surpassed by SL which is what you will find most oils rated at. which was up intill just this year was the highest performace rating given by the API.
now the current rating is SM. but i havent really seen that yet.

so any oil with a rating of SL or higher will out perform those other ratings.
though you should use a vicosity that your owners manual recomends. to pertect form shear from the tranny.

syn/regular oils will not harm the wet clutch. though the super slick stuff can make a weak clutch slip. (of course)

use what ever you feel comfortable with and change it often. gotta get that dirt and acid out you know.

btw. i dont think you will find a better oil then RED LINE oil. for any engine.
even at 7.95$ a quart or so its still cheaper then the cycle syn's. did you know that most top fuel dragsters use red-line oil. but they use red-line straight 70W

if you cant find it locally you can always get it at summit racing.