Ok Im pretty new when it comes to motorcycles and I just got this 250 a week ago brand spanking new. So I have a few questions for some experienced motorcycle D.I.Y.'ers. Can you safely use car motor oil in 10w-40 rather than motorcycle designated 10w-40? And anyone have experience using Valvoline dino motorcycle 10w-40 in their bike? Im not a fan of using Fram filters in my cars but how do people feel about their motorcycle filters?
2012 Ninja 250R oil and other questions
- Thread starter yaris0128
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Check your owner's manual. It probably requires you to use an oil that meets JASO MA spec. Most standard 10w-40 car engine oils don't list this spec. Since this is a new bike, for warranty purposes, I would pick something that does meet the spec. Rotella T6 or Rotella T come to mind as far as easily available HDEOs.
Well I dont want to actually use car oil in my bike but if there is an oil like T6 possibly I'd consider it. Im really leaning towards the Valvoline 10w40 dino. Cheap and easy to aquire at walmart.
Yeah use a JASO rated oil. The Rotella 15w40 would be my pick as it will hold up to shearing better than the T6 in your shared sump motorcycle. The transmission tends to shear the less resistant 5w40 T6 a bit more than the dino 15w40 Rotella.
Originally Posted By: yaris0128
Cheap and easy to aquire at walmart.
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Congratulations on your new 250R. I have your Ninja's big brother, the 14R. Kawasaki dot com has a excellent resource for vehicle part numbers and a on-line shop like Ron Ayers (located in Greenville, NC) is a excellent source for OEM parts such as your oil filters, drain plug gaskets, air filters, etc.
Stick with a motorcycle specific oil. Valvoline (and Castrol for that matter) motorcycle oils are routinely on sale at most autoparts stores for $2.99 a quart throughout the summer. Get a few bottles to last your riding season and be done.
Stick to OEM filters and mail-order them along with your drain plug gaskets in quantities to last the season. It really isn't any more expensive to keep the bike OEM.
drain plug gasket: 11061-0417 is $1.19
oil filter cartridge: 16099-003 is $7.02
Add a couple of quarts of motorcycle specific oil and you're in under $20 for a season of riding.
Just a FYI, I spoke to Valvoline about the difference between their motorcycle oil and their ATV oil (all mineral oil, not the synthetic product). The motorcycle oil actually carries that JASO MA2 rating while the ATV oil carries the MA1. There's more friction afforded to the clutch with the motorcycle oil vice the ATV oil.
That's my $.02.. enjoy your new toy!!
Rotella 15-40 or 5-40 is a great choice since it has the motorcycle designation which means it will work with your wet clutch. I never had a problem with automotive 10-40 on my 500, though, but I was sure not to use "energy conserving" or now "resource conserving" oils. IIRC the 250 takes a non-automotive cartridge filter (vs most bikes that just take a car filter).
Take the MSF course if you can.
I've been using Rotella T6 in my 2006 Ninja 500 along with Purolator P1 filters (same size as many Honda cars) with great results. The 250 doesn't use a spin-on filter though. Many other riders do the same as I do. The Rotella dino 15W-40 is also a good choice. Read more about oil and filters here: CALSCI
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I have used the FRAM canister filter in my wife's Ninja 250 several times with no complaints.
I now use Spin off filters with this Bergman adapter installed:
http://www.bergmenengineering.com/Spin-On%20Oil%20Filter%20Adapter%20Kit.shtml
It is a very well designed and mfg. unit and it makes oil changes a snap! I do not know if it will fit the new generation Ninja 250.
Originally Posted By: yaris0128
Ok Im pretty new when it comes to motorcycles and I just got this 250 a week ago brand spanking new. So I have a few questions for some experienced motorcycle D.I.Y.'ers. Can you safely use car motor oil in 10w-40 rather than motorcycle designated 10w-40? And anyone have experience using Valvoline dino motorcycle 10w-40 in their bike? Im not a fan of using Fram filters in my cars but how do people feel about their motorcycle filters?
To yaris0128:
Respectfully: I don't understand your logic.
You say you just got a brand new motorcycle (worth several THOUSAND dollars) but you want to use the cheapest oil reasonably available..... Why would you not want to use a GOOD, high quality oil for your new bike? Seems like a classic case of "penny wise and pound foolish". Motorcycles like yours are MUCH harder on oil than cars because the oil also lubricates the gears and the oil has to endure the shear of the wet clutch.
If you have no long term interest in the bike and plan to trade or sell it fairly soon, then I guess I could see the point in a cheap oil. Otherwise, I sure would recommend using
a high quality oil. The difference in price is only a few dollars.... compared to the price of your new bike??!
ROTELLA +1
Quote:
If you have no long term interest in the bike and plan to trade or sell it fairly soon, then I guess I could see the point in a cheap oil. Otherwise, I sure would recommend using
a high quality oil.
Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
Nothing wrong with saving a few bucks and getting equal performance.
HA HA HA HA HA
yeah, um, about those diesels you say dont spin fast.
tell me, how fast are the twin turbos (that the oil is keeping alive) spinning?
20k, 40k, 60k rpm?
Yaris, start off with a motorcycle oil from your dealership or any motorcycle 4T 10W-40 oil (4T is the Japanese Automotive Standards Organization designation of an oil for a four stroke motorcycle engine). It will have a JASO MA (or MA1 or MA2) designation on it as well. You can't go wrong. Mobil 1 4T 10W-40 is another great choice. Use either Kawasaki filters or any motorcycle aftermarket brand...HiFlo is one. With your high rpm engine in your moderate to cool climate, I'd avoid the 15W-40 oil. Rotella synthetic 5W-40 would be a good choice. There are lots of good oil, but I'd avoid any automotive oil.
Your Ninja 250 is a great bike. Follow the maintenance guidelines in the owner's manual and have fun on it.
Originally Posted By: sunruh
HA HA HA HA HA
yeah, um, about those diesels you say dont spin fast.
tell me, how fast are the twin turbos (that the oil is keeping alive) spinning?
20k, 40k, 60k rpm?
Originally Posted By: RC46_Rider
To yaris0128:
Respectfully: I don't understand your logic.
You say you just got a brand new motorcycle (worth several THOUSAND dollars) but you want to use the cheapest oil reasonably available..... Why would you not want to use a GOOD, high quality oil for your new bike? Seems like a classic case of "penny wise and pound foolish". Motorcycles like yours are MUCH harder on oil than cars because the oil also lubricates the gears and the oil has to endure the shear of the wet clutch.
If you have no long term interest in the bike and plan to trade or sell it fairly soon, then I guess I could see the point in a cheap oil. Otherwise, I sure would recommend using
a high quality oil. The difference in price is only a few dollars.... compared to the price of your new bike??!
But because I can get T6 5w40 for a good price in a nice large jug and carries the JASO rating Im most likely to be pouring that into the sump of my 250.
Originally Posted By: azsynthetic
Originally Posted By: sunruh
HA HA HA HA HA
yeah, um, about those diesels you say dont spin fast.
tell me, how fast are the twin turbos (that the oil is keeping alive) spinning?
20k, 40k, 60k rpm?
Rotella in your 250 will be fine. It is not the first 14k RPM bike to be protected by a HDEO.- Status
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