Preferred Brands: Difference between revisions
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[[Category:Engine]] | [[Category:Engine]] | ||
'''Q: Are there preferred brands of oil for motorcycle use? | '''Q''': Are there preferred brands of oil for motorcycle use? | ||
A: Not really. | '''A''': Not really. The two most important rules when it comes to oil are: 1. Make sure there is enough in the engine. 2. Change it regularly. What you change it with or what specific change interval you use are secondary. Pick a quality, name-brand oil with the correct viscosity for your climate (5w40 up to 20w50 - see your owners manual). It can be for either autos or motos. | ||
There is a club favorite when it comes to synthetic oil: [http://www.shell.com/home/Framework?siteId=rotella-en&FC2=/rotella-en/html/iwgen/products/zzz_lhn.html&FC3=/rotella-en/html/iwgen/products/product_rotellasynth.html Shell Rotella T] Synthetic 5W-40. It's made for turbo-diesel trucks, but it works great in the Ninjette. You can find it at Wal-Mart, truck supply stores (Flying J or other truck stops) and tractor/farm stores (Tractor Supply Co). Be sure to [[When can I change to synthetic oil?|do your research]] before you switch to synthetic. | |||
[[Image:Rotella.jpg|100px]] | [[Image:Rotella.jpg|100px]] | ||
Just keep in mind that nearly everyone who has run motorcycles for a long time uses [[Why Synthetic Oil?|synthetic oil]]. But, until you hit the [[When can I change to synthetic oil?|3500-5000 mile mark]], use a quality brand and change it more frequently than the manual calls for. | |||
Want to read more about oil? See [[Informative oil links]] | |||
'''Q''':Which oils should not be used? | |||
'''A''': You've probably had friends tell you that you have to run motorcycle-specific oil in your bike. You've likely also seen that $10-a-litre stuff at the dealer's. Riders usually use these oils because they are worried that non-moto oil will be detrimental to their [[Wet clutch Q & A|wet clutch]]. | |||
What they are really worried about is oil that is labeled [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycle_oil#Clutch_lubrication Energy Conserving]. Energy conserving oils are made to be more slippery than conventional oils, and your clutch may not like this fact. However, there is an [http://forums.ninja250.org/viewtopic.php?t=56989 ongoing discussion] on this board concerning this subject. One of our motorcycle mechanics has 100,000 miles of riding on energy-conserving oil. A couple of our daily riders used it for over a year without any negative effects. But we're going to assume that, if you are reading this, you are a relatively new rider. As such, we recommend that you play it safe and stick to the non-energy-conserving type until you get a little more experience and can join in the fights about oil, too. | |||
That doesn't mean you have to use oil that is labeled for motorcycles, though. When you're out buying oil, look on the back of the bottle for the American Petroleum Institute's "donut". Oil that is energy conserving will say so in the bottom half, as in the first two examples here: | |||
[[Image:5w30.jpg|100px]] | |||
[[Image:donut10w30.jpg|100px]] | |||
[[Image:20w50.jpg|100px]] | |||
[[Image:15W40_donut.jpeg|100px]] | |||
Nearly all energy conserving oils are 10w-30 or lighter. As the recommended weights for the EX250 are heavier than that, this is not really much of an issue, anyway. Pick the weight you want to run, keep the level full, and you're good to go until the next oil change. | |||
Revision as of 05:19, 25 July 2010
Q: Are there preferred brands of oil for motorcycle use?
A: Not really. The two most important rules when it comes to oil are: 1. Make sure there is enough in the engine. 2. Change it regularly. What you change it with or what specific change interval you use are secondary. Pick a quality, name-brand oil with the correct viscosity for your climate (5w40 up to 20w50 - see your owners manual). It can be for either autos or motos.
There is a club favorite when it comes to synthetic oil: Shell Rotella T Synthetic 5W-40. It's made for turbo-diesel trucks, but it works great in the Ninjette. You can find it at Wal-Mart, truck supply stores (Flying J or other truck stops) and tractor/farm stores (Tractor Supply Co). Be sure to do your research before you switch to synthetic.
Just keep in mind that nearly everyone who has run motorcycles for a long time uses synthetic oil. But, until you hit the 3500-5000 mile mark, use a quality brand and change it more frequently than the manual calls for.
Want to read more about oil? See Informative oil links
Q:Which oils should not be used?
A: You've probably had friends tell you that you have to run motorcycle-specific oil in your bike. You've likely also seen that $10-a-litre stuff at the dealer's. Riders usually use these oils because they are worried that non-moto oil will be detrimental to their wet clutch.
What they are really worried about is oil that is labeled Energy Conserving. Energy conserving oils are made to be more slippery than conventional oils, and your clutch may not like this fact. However, there is an ongoing discussion on this board concerning this subject. One of our motorcycle mechanics has 100,000 miles of riding on energy-conserving oil. A couple of our daily riders used it for over a year without any negative effects. But we're going to assume that, if you are reading this, you are a relatively new rider. As such, we recommend that you play it safe and stick to the non-energy-conserving type until you get a little more experience and can join in the fights about oil, too.
That doesn't mean you have to use oil that is labeled for motorcycles, though. When you're out buying oil, look on the back of the bottle for the American Petroleum Institute's "donut". Oil that is energy conserving will say so in the bottom half, as in the first two examples here:
Nearly all energy conserving oils are 10w-30 or lighter. As the recommended weights for the EX250 are heavier than that, this is not really much of an issue, anyway. Pick the weight you want to run, keep the level full, and you're good to go until the next oil change.
