08-26-2013, 08:26 AM
(08-26-2013, 06:03 AM)Rboe_imp Wrote: Years ago I had extremely good luck with Golden Spectro but I also changed oil and filter every 2000 miles. I think that had as much to do with the excellent shape the motor was in than the oil I choose.
The Guzzi guys really like Rotella but the engine and tranny are separate with different oils so no clutch worries. After owning a Guzzi I think one could make a very good case to keep the engine and tranny separate. It would be easier to do on the inline fours if the motor was length wise like the Triumph Rocket or the Henderson Four but that makes for long bikes (which is fine by me; but I got long arms).
My biggest gripe about the oil change; the weather is conspiring to keep me off the darn bike so I can get the miles on to justify its' first oil change. It's enough to make you shake your cane against the sky.
One of the better oil threads I've ever read was over on ThumperTalk.com. Some guy went through a bunch of oils (and miles; the data was staggering) and sent the oil out to be analyzed. Turns out, on the XR650L, with that four valve head, without an oil cooler ANY oil was toast at around 500 miles. He installed an oil cooler. I will too.
But like anything else; if you don't know squawt; stick to the manual. The more you know the more you can experiment and still be safe. Me; I'm going to experiment with chain lube oil for now.
But a hearty thank you to the original poster regarding Rotella oil. Good to know and fills in wee bit of darkness.
Oil analysis is the key. I ran a series on my CB750 several years ago and learned some equally surprising things. Mainly that an air cooled motorcycle that operates in 100+ temps for about 6 months out of the year will cook/churn a multigrade dino oil to its base weight in less than 2K miles. The combination of high operating temps and shearing by the tranny gears is pretty brutal on the polymer chains that are responsible for keeping the oil thick at higher temps.
As a result, I cut my oil change intervals to 1500 mi. on the CB750. I went to a synthetic on the CB11, as it is supposed to hold its properties better under high temps. Of course, I won't know for sure until I get several samples analyzed.
If you really want to know what's going on inside your engine, a consistent series of oil analysis will tell you more than any post in a forum.