Don not use valvoline motorcycle oil.
#11
09-04-2010, 03:08 PM
Oil threads are almost useless discussions...almost. And hey, I'm not dissin' oil discussions, but I think you usually find so many variables with the results that users get that it becomes impossible to make many definitive and absolute conclusions. You even have to be careful about some of the independent tests you read, as the test and application can even have variables as they apply to motorcycles. It's slippery slope...pun intended.
#12
09-04-2010, 03:30 PM
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SW Ontario, Canada
Posts: 869
That's the problem. You don't.
There are expensive oils that are marginal, and inexpensive oils that are good.
There are expensive oils that are marginal, and inexpensive oils that are good.
#13
09-04-2010, 03:35 PM
YGWYPF doesn't seem to always apply to automobile/motorcycle parts and fluids.
I know from experience, MAN!
I know that all OEM parts for cars/bikes are a LOT more expensive then aftermarket counterparts, and in a lot of cases the aftermarket versions are much better quality.
I think YGWYPF applies to a lot of things, this is not one of them.
I know from experience, MAN!
I know that all OEM parts for cars/bikes are a LOT more expensive then aftermarket counterparts, and in a lot of cases the aftermarket versions are much better quality.
I think YGWYPF applies to a lot of things, this is not one of them.
#14
09-04-2010, 04:07 PM
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Cedar Creek (fayetteville) NC
Posts: 131
Yay another oil thread.
Since the KLX only holds 1.5 quarts I run that expensive Amsoil 10-40 motorcycle oil.
If they come out with a $50 dollar a quart super who done it oil I would probably buy that stuff.
Since the KLX only holds 1.5 quarts I run that expensive Amsoil 10-40 motorcycle oil.
If they come out with a $50 dollar a quart super who done it oil I would probably buy that stuff.
#16
09-04-2010, 05:15 PM
I usually use whatever "synthetic" is on sale, and that's NEVER a "motorcycle-specific" oil. When there are no "synthetics" on sale, I use Rotella or Delo 15w-40 HDEO's.
I found Valvoline Motorcycle oil on sale last year one time, and thought: what the heck, I'll give it a try. It didn't stay in the bike more than 500 miles in a KLR650. It was ALWAYS balky shifting, even going to neutral during the 1-2 shift. Went back to cheapo Rotella 15-40, and it immediately was back to smooth shifting. I have Valvoline 20w50 "synthetic" now, NOT motorcycle-specific, and it's performing great.
Also have Valvoline 20w-50 in the KLX, it's shifting great. I ride in the desert, where it's often well over 100 degrees, I try to run 15-40 during the cool months. Probably doesn't make a hill-of-beans difference which viscosity grade I'm running, as both these bikes are water cooled.
I found Valvoline Motorcycle oil on sale last year one time, and thought: what the heck, I'll give it a try. It didn't stay in the bike more than 500 miles in a KLR650. It was ALWAYS balky shifting, even going to neutral during the 1-2 shift. Went back to cheapo Rotella 15-40, and it immediately was back to smooth shifting. I have Valvoline 20w50 "synthetic" now, NOT motorcycle-specific, and it's performing great.
Also have Valvoline 20w-50 in the KLX, it's shifting great. I ride in the desert, where it's often well over 100 degrees, I try to run 15-40 during the cool months. Probably doesn't make a hill-of-beans difference which viscosity grade I'm running, as both these bikes are water cooled.
#17
09-04-2010, 09:12 PM
HDEO doesn't stand for "diesel", it stands for Heavy Duty Engine Oil.
Look at the back of Rotella now...it's JASO-MA rated! That shows that all us idiots using it knew what we were doing all those years after all....
Look at the back of Rotella now...it's JASO-MA rated! That shows that all us idiots using it knew what we were doing all those years after all....
#18
09-04-2010, 09:24 PM
dude your crazy,
not sure on the capacity of the 650 but i know the non "motorcycle-specific" oil has problems in bike because of the little amount in the bike appose to a car where it is larger.
i dont think you would see an immediate difference but its service life must be decreased.
i would think that the "motorcycle-specific" oil has a better tolerance to temp and burning
for 10 or $20 more its cheap insurance not to have to replace heads and cams etc.
not sure on the capacity of the 650 but i know the non "motorcycle-specific" oil has problems in bike because of the little amount in the bike appose to a car where it is larger.
i dont think you would see an immediate difference but its service life must be decreased.
i would think that the "motorcycle-specific" oil has a better tolerance to temp and burning
for 10 or $20 more its cheap insurance not to have to replace heads and cams etc.
Sorry, the UOA's don't show your concern to be factual.
I'm not saying using a Motorcycle-specific oil is bad...but, if you follow the science of UOA's, you'll see that MANY of the motorcycle-specific oils don't perform nearly as well as Exxon 20w-50 for example, or how about Walmart's Supertech in 10w-40 or 20w-50? Look up the results!
The HDEO's (Rotella, Delo, etc.) turn in stellar results too...but, Rotella just put the JASO-MA rating on their bottle label lately, so, that's not nearly as surprising as it used to be, that it performs in a stellar manner in Motorcycle applications.
The newer oil formulations are much better than they were in the old days. Valvoline Motorcycle specific oil looks like it's a clay-filtered Group 1 oil, based upon the last MSDS sheet I looked at....and it's poor function in UOA's especially regarding resistance to shearing, backs up the fact that it's not one of the good oils at all.
The information is out there, you just have to go look. I'd advise anyone NOT to believe the old myths, even if they are written on an internet blog by someone that seems to really know what they are talking about (and they may be an otherwise really knowledgeable motorcycle-info person), and go to sites that are dedicated to the science of Tribology. It's worth the effort.
#19
09-04-2010, 09:28 PM
[QUOTE=zomby woof;429064
There are expensive oils that are marginal, and inexpensive oils that are good.[/QUOTE]
100% agreed! There are also motorcycle-specific oils that are marginal, and non-motorcycle-specific oils that are excellent in wet-clutch, low oil volume motorcycles.
There are expensive oils that are marginal, and inexpensive oils that are good.[/QUOTE]
100% agreed! There are also motorcycle-specific oils that are marginal, and non-motorcycle-specific oils that are excellent in wet-clutch, low oil volume motorcycles.