09-04-2013, 07:45 AM
Count me in with the 'just use what they recommend" crowd. As stated, I'm sure Honda has spent hundreds of millions of dollars researching oil over the years. Unlike some products, there is no value in building in obsolescence due to mechanical failure. Motorcycles are shiny toys. We want shiny toys, we want new and different shiny toys so planned obsolescence is stylistic, not mechanical. They want their stuff to last a long time so when we see that next new model they come out with, we won't hesitate to buy their shiny new toy. The cost to do a thorough analysis of engine oil would offset any savings x 1000 since I would think to do a valid analysis, you'd need two bikes running brand X and brand Y. Place them on a dyno, run 5000 miles, disassemble the engines, measure wear, reassemble, rise repeat. That having been said, if someone wants to do a thorough analysis, I'll certainly read it.