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Winger 82

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Picked up a 1995 1500 SE 2 weeks ago and was wondering what most of you 1500 riders are using for oil, not a big fan of Synthetic but it's getting harder to find a blend or non synthetic around here, have seen alot of guys on here running Rotella, always thought that was an oil for diesel"s
 
It is a diesel oil but it is friendly to wet clutches , most engine oils have friction modifiers that aren't good for clutches, there are some expensive cycle oils would be ok.
That said I dont know what the 1500 are using probably 15-40 diesel rated.
 
I've been running Valvoline 10/40 4 stroke bike oil in my '96 1500 since I've owned it....had no problems at all here in Texas with the extreme heat, or freezing cold temps. (y)
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Picked up a 1995 1500 SE 2 weeks ago and was wondering what most of you 1500 riders are using for oil, not a big fan of Synthetic but it's getting harder to find a blend or non synthetic around here, have seen alot of guys on here running Rotella, always thought that was an oil for diesel"s
Don't run the Rotella. Diesel oil is kind to a wet clutch but is not designed for gasoline engines. Use a gasoline engine oil. I used the Rotella diesel for years before putting two and two together. When hot I began hearing a bearing knock on my '03 SV1000S at idle. Bike only had 15K miles. Bike is at 32K miles now and no problems after changing away from Rotella. Acquired a perfect '02 Ducati 900 Sport with 10K. Used Rotella and at 15K blowby was so bad the catch tank was overwhelmed with oil everywhere. Rings shot. Now use either Castrol turbo car oil 0W40 (Group IV oil and not energy conserving) or for bikes with weak clutch Castrol semisynthetic motorcycle oil. Have had no clutch issues with 0W40. I know the engine protection is superb and factor into my thinking that clutch plates are cheap but engines are not. If you want a long read that will add to your oil knowledge click the link. See what it says about Rotella and many dozens of other oils. It's a little out of date now but the research is compelling and concepts still useful.

 
I run Valvoline motorcycle specific oil. Never understood running an oil because of cost. Good oil is cheap insurance.
 
Most Rotella is rated JASO MA-2. It has served me well in GoldWings for years. I run T6 in the Spyder now.
Most any oil will work. You could probably use olive oil and be OK for awhile. Diesel oils offer good protection in low revving diesel engines along with low cost and long change intervals. They offer poor protection to a high revving gasoline engine because they were not designed for that application and will essentially double or quadruple your engine wear. I'm just trying to save people from wearing out their engines and that's why I gave two real world examples in my post. Read the diesel section and opinion in the oil blog and tell me whether your thinking has changed.
 
No thanks. I don't waste my time or money on such drivel. Thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of GoldWing (and other motorcycle) riders have been perfectly happy with the performance of Rotella in their bikes. I've not heard of one oil-related failure (although I had an oil passage plugged totally by RTV, I don't blame the damage on the oil). However, I won't shout it's merits, just as I reject your bashing of it.
 
Don't run the Rotella. Diesel oil is kind to a wet clutch but is not designed for gasoline engines. Use a gasoline engine oil. I used the Rotella diesel for years before putting two and two together. When hot I began hearing a bearing knock on my '03 SV1000S at idle. Bike only had 15K miles. Bike is at 32K miles now and no problems after changing away from Rotella. Acquired a perfect '02 Ducati 900 Sport with 10K. Used Rotella and at 15K blowby was so bad the catch tank was overwhelmed with oil everywhere. Rings shot. Now use either Castrol turbo car oil 0W40 (Group IV oil and not energy conserving) or for bikes with weak clutch Castrol semisynthetic motorcycle oil. Have had no clutch issues with 0W40. I know the engine protection is superb and factor into my thinking that clutch plates are cheap but engines are not. If you want a long read that will add to your oil knowledge click the link. See what it says about Rotella and many dozens of other oils. It's a little out of date now but the research is compelling and concepts still useful.


You need to do more research as Rotella t6 is also designed for gasoline engines as well.
 
You need to do more research as Rotella t6 is also designed for gasoline engines as well.
I would agree with you if Rotella were actually designed for gas engines. Unfortunately when you go to the Shell website you clearly see that Rotella is for diesel engines. Use almost any gas engine oil and you'll save wear on your engine compared to Rotella. Did you not read the most comprehensive oil wear research ever conducted that I offer as proof, especially the diesel section? My mother used Crisco oil but there are better choices. Nobody knew back then that hydrogenated molecules very similar to plastic were bad for you. Now any reader doing his due diligence knows there are better oil choices than diesel for a gas engine.

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So even though it states it is designed for auto use as well as diesel on the bottle, it still shouldn't be used in motorcycles?
 
So even though it states it is designed for auto use as well as diesel on the bottle, it still shouldn't be used in motorcycles?
I wouldn't use it because tests on diesel oil reveal that none of them offer the best protection for gasoline engines. Read the oil blog at the beginning of this thread. Rotella T6 is Shell's flagship product for diesel engines. The additive package is designed specifically to protect them. That's a different package than used for gasoline engines. I don't know what's hard to understand about this. Any oil will work in any engine provided the weight is somewhere in the ballpark. That doesn't mean you use diesel oil in a gas engine. MA and MA2 don't measure wear. The designation is whether the oil is kind to a wet clutch period. A marketing genius at Shell, who probably rides a motorcycle, said let's slap MA/MA2 on the oil to increase sales. It's like the marketing guy at the shampoo company who suggested: "Lather, rinse, repeat."
 
A motorcycle oil should be used, as it is designed for use in engine-gearbox combination. The molecular chains of car oil are quickly destroyed and the lubricating effect decreases. JASO Ma2 is important because of the clutch in the oil bath. Synthetic oils are no problem with it.
 
Wonder what these guys say about car tires on motorcycles (ducking for cover).
About 15 years ago I experienced poor handling from a brand new Shinko where I couldn't hit my line consistently. I've had similar problems with worn and cupped fronts of other brands. I'd have to experience the handling of a rear car tire. Maybe people are just living with the quirks and accept the tradeoff. It could be tempting if your were out west and ride around like a geezer / Harley rider. Now I'll duck for cover.
 
There are specifications for all oils and it has nothing to do with marketing. Modern high-performance engines also require modern oils with certain spicification. You don't have to stick to them, but if you love your engine and want to have fun with it for a long time, you should stick to the specifications. In my old GL 1200 SEI also comes no longer the long outdated mineral oil, which was recommended 36 years ago. The development is much further today and the change intervals are also extended by the better quality. As already said, everyone decides for themselves. It's the same with tires. Only that here in Germany it is illegal to drive other than approved tires for the specific model. The motorcycle would be shut down immediately.
 

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