15W40 In dirtbikes

[Wayne Kelln]

My focus is more on the "chemistry" of oils. The average person doesn't even know that synthetics exist. Even those who know about "synthetics", don't even realize that there are 3 different basic kinds of synthetics. To them, synthetic is synthetic (pathetic!). And no thought at all in regards to additive packages.........

Personally, I'm no big fan of group III oils. Their only real advantage is price. Group IV PAO's are way supereior to petroleum oils and group III, but the group V esters are superior in many ways to the PAO's.

Actually, the esters and PAO's compliment each other in some ways, and the ideal oil is probably some type of blend of the two. And, there are a whole bunch of different esters for the blender to choose from, each with different properties, so the possibilities are endless!

 

[Jaybird]

Fancy websites and alluring product info sheets do not a fine oil make.

When there is information...real world information...that shows me that a conventional oil held up and worked as good or better than one of it's overpriced competitors, I no longer need to use the "assumtion theorum".
Nor do I need to depend on glitzy websites and biased magazine articles by non-proffesionals to formulate my decisions.

You talk a good one, Wayne...but I have seen alot of good talkers here that seem to disagree with your stance. Good talkers that DO know base oils, and DO know add packs.

I think you'd be surprized just how many average folks DO know what synthetics are. Many of us are here, and looking for real answers, not website and product info sheet hype.

 

[rheddog]

I have about 150 miles on the 15w40 Rotella in the 650r, and I am convinced the shifting even when cold is quieter than the Honda 10w40 that was in it. It takes a little more kick at startup when the temps are 30f like this am, but maybe a new knee is what I need...Sunruh, thanks and I ordered a kit from Blackstone. I'm really just hoping that the bike will run longer and stronger due to using oils like the Rotella or Delvac.