01-08-2018, 01:37 AM
In support of what jedd is saying (and for the record, I do not yet have a CB1100 and when I do, I will evaluate the oil situation at that time), I have run the "automobile" Mobil 1 15W-50 oil in my motorcycles for 25 years or so with no adverse effects whatever.
These include a 1986 BMW R80RT (87K miles when I sold it), 1976 BMW R75/6 (72K), 2000 BMW R1100RT (only 42K miles), 1994 BMW K75RT (76K), 1995 BMW K75 (50K), 2007 Harley Road King (50K), 2009 Harley Ultra (27K), 2009 Kawasaki KLR 650 (15K). I bought two new Harleys last summer (Road King and Road Glide Ultra) and switched the RK to Mobil 1 at 5000 miles; the RGU only has 1600 miles so I'm still running conventional oil.
Note that most of these bikes have dry clutches, so are not relevant to any slippage problems, but the KLR certainly has a wet clutch and I have had no shifting or clutch slip whatever with it. (Although the Harleys have wet clutches, they run in separate oil from the engine and transmission.)
I think the issue with "automotive" oils is that the "energy conserving" oils have friction modifiers that "may" cause problems with wet clutches. The "automotive" Mobil 1 15W-50 does not. Check the labels.
I have been inside many of these engines; never have I observed unusual wear or any problems whatever. If there is a problem with the Mobil 1 15W-50, I haven't seen it, and I've put some pretty expensive bikes to the test. If I'm somehow wrong, the punishment will fit the crime.
I'd like to point out that Mobil (or any purveyor of oil) has a vested interest in promoting the more expensive oil. Check the price of a five-quart jug of Mobil 1 15W-50 at Wal-Mart and then see how much the "motorcycle" version of their 10W-40 is.
These include a 1986 BMW R80RT (87K miles when I sold it), 1976 BMW R75/6 (72K), 2000 BMW R1100RT (only 42K miles), 1994 BMW K75RT (76K), 1995 BMW K75 (50K), 2007 Harley Road King (50K), 2009 Harley Ultra (27K), 2009 Kawasaki KLR 650 (15K). I bought two new Harleys last summer (Road King and Road Glide Ultra) and switched the RK to Mobil 1 at 5000 miles; the RGU only has 1600 miles so I'm still running conventional oil.
Note that most of these bikes have dry clutches, so are not relevant to any slippage problems, but the KLR certainly has a wet clutch and I have had no shifting or clutch slip whatever with it. (Although the Harleys have wet clutches, they run in separate oil from the engine and transmission.)
I think the issue with "automotive" oils is that the "energy conserving" oils have friction modifiers that "may" cause problems with wet clutches. The "automotive" Mobil 1 15W-50 does not. Check the labels.
I have been inside many of these engines; never have I observed unusual wear or any problems whatever. If there is a problem with the Mobil 1 15W-50, I haven't seen it, and I've put some pretty expensive bikes to the test. If I'm somehow wrong, the punishment will fit the crime.
I'd like to point out that Mobil (or any purveyor of oil) has a vested interest in promoting the more expensive oil. Check the price of a five-quart jug of Mobil 1 15W-50 at Wal-Mart and then see how much the "motorcycle" version of their 10W-40 is.