Whats the reccomended oil / what oil do you use?

[Fizzy Pies]

As title, what is the correct grade for a 1999 fzs600, as well which type do you use, semi or fully synthetic (what are the advantages / disadvantages of either)

Many thanks.

[JZS 600]

Oh no, the oil question!   


(This one will run for a while but just use any 10W 40 semi synthetic)

[darrsi]

Oh no, the oil question!   


(This one will run for a while but just use any 10W 40 semi synthetic)

Yep, leave it at that, and change it every 4000 miles and all will be good!

[Andy FZS]

A lot of people say it needs to be bike oil due to slippery additives in car oil and wet clutches in bikes so I play safe and use semi synthetic bike oil.
Andy

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

[kebab19]

Yes indeed, dont open this endless argument again. There are countless articles on the Web you can read, but frankly you'll go round in circles.

Safest to say, go with 10/40 semi-synth specifically suited to motorcycles, and leave it at that. And changed regularly (how often to change it is another endless argument), the engine's life should outlast the chassis. Let's face it, the vast majority of Japanese bikes are still runners when they are broken for spares.

[His Dudeness]

glad to hear a bit of common sense on this issue 

[JZS 600]

I don't know, I've got some time on my hands over Xmas to talk "oil"!


Fascinating stuff!

[unfazed]

Great to see everybody in agreement, 10w40 Semi synthetic motorcycle oil every 4000miles.

[Jamieg285]

Yam's service manual lists 4 different grades as 'suitable'.   If you ride in temps below 5 degrees, use 10w30 or 10w40.  30 is a bit thinner, 40 is thicker and will handle higher temperatures.


Both are fine

[darrsi]

Let's get this straight, we don't live in the desert, or neither the antarctic, 10/40 is tried, tested and works just fine.


If you're an Eskimo or Nomad reading this, how do you charge your laptop? 

[CharlieDee]

What about the brands? They all differ in what they offer in terms of macro/micro inhibitors etc...  what brands do foccors prefer?? or is it a personal thing?

[JZS 600]

I, personally, like an oil with a nice smell,,,,,   

[Jacko]

Wilko..  nuff said

[Major Rant]

There is no such thing as "Motorcycle oil" - just "oil that is marketed to motorcyclists".
 
I've never seen any evidence that oil with a picture of a bike on the can is any better for bikes than regular oil.
If anyone has any such evidence ... lets all see it now! 
 
I use any oil that meets the SL or CF spec and doesn't contain "friction reducing agents".
I change it twice as often as Mr Yamaha suggests (miles)
I don't worry about 'time in engine' as long as its been heated up every month or so to kill the bugs.
(Yes ... Bacteria live in oil! - they prefer cold damp oil.)
 
Wilko's, Tesco's or Asda's finest 10/40 semi synth is just fine.

[taylor]

garlic oil

[CharlieDee]

There is no such thing as "Motorcycle oil" - just "oil that is marketed to motorcyclists".
 
I've never seen any evidence that oil with a picture of a bike on the can is any better for bikes than regular oil.
If anyone has any such evidence ... lets all see it now! 
 
I use any oil that meets the SL or CF spec and doesn't contain "friction reducing agents".
I change it twice as often as Mr Yamaha suggests (miles)
I don't worry about 'time in engine' as long as its been heated up every month or so to kill the bugs.
(Yes ... Bacteria live in oil! - they prefer cold damp oil.)
 
Wilko's, Tesco's or Asda's finest 10/40 semi synth is just fine.

Major... can you confirm that the highstreet brands you mention above are suitable for API or and JASO spec?

[darrsi]

@CharlieDee are you on some sort of a wind up?
Are you that bored? Put oil in your engine and ride the bike, end of 

[CharlieDee]

@CharlieDee are you on some sort of a wind up?
Are you that bored? Put oil in your engine and ride the bike, end of 

There is a specific reason why I am saying this... motorcycle oil producers have spent millions of £'s/$'s in designing a lubricant that can support all moving parts, different heat and friction zones to help prolong the life of your engine and ultimately give you better performance. 15 years ago... even 10 I would have agreed that the oil you get off the shelve in tesco/Wilko etc was no better than the branded crap... but the Castrols, Motuls and Silkolenes of this world have given us a lubricant worth paying the extra for...      

[kebab19]

Why pay the extra if the cheaper oils can do the job just fine? From my experience, the cheaper oils do just fine for normal road use. I buy Halfords semi m/c oil 'cos you get 5 litres for the price of four, but I don't expect anyone else to buy it. If you're that worried about the oil you use then buy the best you can afford, it's your money.

My only caveat would be if you have a turbo/nitrous drag racer Fazer or regularly do trackdays in the 'fast' group; then worry more about the oil type.

Now we're reaching page 2 of the thread, the solitary mineral oil fan and fully synthetic oil fan will soon chime in with their views, causing another 4 thread pages of argument going round in circles

[darrsi]

Hands up anyone who's had engine failure or a shortened engine life (not sure how you'd know?) after using/changing cheaper oil at regular intervals?




Anyone.......? 

[His Dudeness]

Hands up anyone who's had engine failure or a shortened engine life (not sure how you'd know?) after using/changing cheaper oil at regular intervals?




Anyone.......? 

even if you had two identical bikes with one of them running a cheaper brand oil than the other you'd never get an accurate comparison there's just too many variables.

personally i'm not that worried about the brand of oil i use but i'll always use a bike specific oil. the main reason being that a bikes engine does twice the rpm of a car engine and i want to have the reassurance that the oil i'm using has been designed and tested for that application. sure at full wack a fazer engine would be rotating at 250 times a second! every time you count 1 the valves have opened 250 times, the pistons have gone up and down 250 times etc etc and the only thing stopping the whole thing eating itself is the oil,  it's mad stuff when you think about it. for the sake of saving 10-15 quid i'll go for the bike specific oil every time

[Jacko]

my bike's 14 years old and any oil out there is of higher spec than it
says in the book.
I just avoid the friction reducers which means using cheaper stuff. (Wilkos)

70,000 miles and doing ok.

I'd say put in what makes you happy. Bit like petrol, regular or supa dupa, you choose.

[phillywilly]

Oh no, the oil question!   


(This one will run for a while but just use any 10W 40 semi synthetic)

enough said 

[Jc72]

My bro had an rgv250 for 3years and did way over the mileage expected for those fragile engines to do, he used it on track days and all year round, and never had to rebuild it, my point being that he used to use silkolene oil can't remember which one but it was the most expensive oil you could get, he was at the time some sort of  chemical engineer for the military, don't know any more cos its classified, but he knows about molecules and that kind of stuff, anyway he sold his bike to my neighbour, told him to use the silkolene oil, the reply was not paying that cheap stuff will do the same, 300 miles later and it was being rebuilt! After that said neighbour used silkolene  and did 13000 miles on that bike before some tow rag nicked it and it was going great, I know it's 2 stroke oil but I personally will always get the best that I can for car or bike.

[wezdavo]

I use Motul 10w 40 semi synth..