K&N Oil Filters BEWARE!!!

[Houtman_imp]

I have used Mobil 1 Synthetic Motor Cycle oil for over 30 years , I truly believe that synthetic oil from a GOOD reliable company is better than other oils in extreme riding /driving environments. Our CB 1100 might not qualify for this but being air cooled I play it safe. The cost is not that much higher than "normal " oils.

[GoldOxide_imp]

I generally accept that synthetic formulas are beneficial at the extremes (e.g. cold and hot) and the formulated additives remain stable. I think the base stock is still the same as good conventional oils.

I am generally a conventional oil consumer, however I will say that the CB appeared to behave better in the heat extreme every time I used a synthetic. Nevertheless, I trust the engineering of the CB to be fine with the specified conventional oil.

[peterbaron]

^^ +1, for sure synthec flows better at lower temps and is more heat resistant.
For my CB, I use Motul 10W40 synthetic. No regrets.
Ferret's post #141, contains professional info.

[GoldOxide_imp]

^^ +1, for sure synthec flows better at lower temps and is more heat resistant.
For my CB, I use Motul 10W40 synthetic. No regrets.
Ferret's post #141, contains professional info.

(+1)

It is possible now that I may never need a synthetic again given the new lump is water-cooled, and hence, better regulated at the temperature extremes - except frigid start-up would be the same as air-cooled.

[LongRanger_imp]

Funny stuff. Nobody pays much attention to which piston rings and crankshaft bearings are “best” (OE or aftermarket?), but the fact that oil changes are DIY creates a bonanza for retailers and marketing hype.

[Searcher_imp]

Here is a link to a study showing improved performance from synthetic oils in motor vehicles. This assumes it is good quality synthetic. In machine design we usually specify high quality synthetic oils (only) for machinery. But machinery often operates 24/7 although the temperature is usually not as high as a motorcycle engine sees.

https://www.ilma.org/PDF/ILMANews/2017/AAAreport.pdf

[GoldOxide_imp]

Useful find Searcher.

[2017EX_imp]

I did not intend to take this OIL FILTER thread off on an OIL tangent with my post #138, and perhaps I was not specific enough in my explanation. What I was referring to was the example/comparison that while oil has industry standards "Most any oil bearing a modern industry standards certification will be an excellent oil. SAE/API, JASO, ILSAC, ACEA, etc." that allow us to make informed choices about what oil we choose to use, there are no industry standards that I am aware of for Oil Filters or Air Filters. This was only one of several reasons I mentioned to explain why I choose to use only OEM Honda Oil Filters and Air Filters for my CB.

As to the Dyno/Synthetic discussion that has resulted, as a matter of personal preference I use Honda HP4S full synthetic, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with good Dyno oils. I live in Texas, where summer heat can reach 105 degrees F, and sometimes higher. If Honda offered a full Syn 10 W 40, I would probably run it in the summer. My research tells me that a premium synthetic can withstand higher temperatures without breaking down than Dyno. Then too, there are plenty of documented incidents out there of how a small amount of synthetic oil in an engine helped to prevent engine damage after an accidental oil loss ( such as the infamous K&N oil filter failures ). Yes, the price of full Synthetic is higher than Dyno, but for me that cost difference is peanuts compared to the investment I have in my bike, not to mention a little extra peace of mind. When the dust settles, the only thing that matters is what each person is comfortable with.

[flynrider]

Rather than depend on marketing hype or opinions on Internet forums, I recommend just doing oil analysis to find out what's going on inside of your engine.

I was concerned about running my bikes in the extreme summer heat here in the desert (100F-115F), so I started doing analysis. I was running a high quality 10W-40 dino oil. Between the heat and the shear effect in the transmission, my oil was breaking down to a nearly straight 20 weight in 3K miles of summer riding. That prompted a switch a synthetic based oil the next summer (same brand). Oil analysis showed that the viscosity was holding up quite well after 3K. For me, the decision was a no brainer.

Given that, I suspect if I rode in less severe temperature extremes, I'd likely be quite happy with the original dyno oil.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Rather than depend on marketing hype or opinions on Internet forums, I recommend just doing oil analysis to find out what's going on inside of your engine.

I was concerned about running my bikes in the extreme summer heat here in the desert (100F-115F), so I started doing analysis. I was running a high quality 10W-40 dino oil. Between the heat and the shear effect in the transmission, my oil was breaking down to a nearly straight 20 weight in 3K miles of summer riding. That prompted a switch a synthetic based oil the next summer (same brand). Oil analysis showed that the viscosity was holding up quite well after 3K. For me, the decision was a no brainer.

Given that, I suspect if I rode in less severe temperature extremes, I'd likely be quite happy with the original dyno oil.