Probably going to drop the oil (with around 300 miles on it) that came in it and put in Mobile 1 V twin 20W50. That's what I put in the KLX230 but that bike always shifted smooth and quiet. BTW I wondered if the 20w50 would cause a hit to the gas milage of 74 mpg on the KLX. Then at it's next fill after oil change up it jumped to 78 mpg. Could be variance of the gas pump with this two gal tank. Also just filled up the W and it figured at 94 mpg. It's last fill was 84 mpg. Still breaking in I guess.
My new Kawasaki W230 shifts starting to feel gritty
- Thread starter faltic
- Start date
Nice motorcycle!
Before you waste good oil check clutch for unwanted drag...
Manufactures warn owners that our gears can't shift smoothly if
our clutch is part way engaged...
Here are the steps how to check and eliminate unwanted clutch drag...
1 Place your bike on the center stand...
2 Start engine and establish a steady idle at 212ºF (operating temp)...
3 Squeeze in the clutch lever and shift into first gear...
4 Continue holding in the clutch lever and note if the rear wheel coast to stop or not...
if it continues spinning that's unwanted drag... adjust...
To adjust a cable equipped bike turn the small knob clock wise (out)
1/4 turn and test for clutch drag... if your bike is equipped with
hydraulics bleed system for bubbles...
Ultimately you want the rear wheel to coast to a stop when the engine
is idling and first gear selected with the clutch lever is squeezed in...
Manufactures warn owners that our gears can't shift smoothly if
our clutch is part way engaged...
Here are the steps how to check and eliminate unwanted clutch drag...
1 Place your bike on the center stand...
2 Start engine and establish a steady idle at 212ºF (operating temp)...
3 Squeeze in the clutch lever and shift into first gear...
4 Continue holding in the clutch lever and note if the rear wheel coast to stop or not...
if it continues spinning that's unwanted drag... adjust...
To adjust a cable equipped bike turn the small knob clock wise (out)
1/4 turn and test for clutch drag... if your bike is equipped with
hydraulics bleed system for bubbles...
Ultimately you want the rear wheel to coast to a stop when the engine
is idling and first gear selected with the clutch lever is squeezed in...
Regarding your gas mileage discrepancies, it'a small gas tank and an ounce or two more or an ounce less at a fill up would probably not be noticeable but could account for a difference in mileage. It's going to take a few more tanks of gas and some more miles before you get an accurate average.
As far as your shifting issue, change the oil.
As far as your shifting issue, change the oil.
Dump the oil and try something else. I bought my Ninja 650 new and experienced notchy shifting during break-in. I did a short change early on and had the bike serviced again at the 600 miles. I used the Kawasaki oil but not sure what the dealer used but most likely the same. After break-in I switched to the Castrol 4t blend which didn't really help and sometimes when I would have to stop fast it would get hung up in between gears so you couldn't shift up or down.
I ended up just draining that out and reusing the filter since it had very little miles on the change, I went with Valvoline full synthetic 10w40 motorcycle oil that I picked up from WM and has been fine ever since. It used to be $6-$7 qt which was a steal even for back then but it's more like $8-$9 now. Your bike is air-cooled so I'd see what the manual recommends but most likely either 10w40 or 20w50.
I ended up just draining that out and reusing the filter since it had very little miles on the change, I went with Valvoline full synthetic 10w40 motorcycle oil that I picked up from WM and has been fine ever since. It used to be $6-$7 qt which was a steal even for back then but it's more like $8-$9 now. Your bike is air-cooled so I'd see what the manual recommends but most likely either 10w40 or 20w50.
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Let's have a ride report! That's a proper motorcycle 
It is a new bike with the factory fill at 300 miles... How long do you recommend keeping the factory fill in, in order not to waste oil?
The described "gritty" shifting is a common signal the oil viscosity is breaking/broken down, and again, it's the factory fill... Nothing was mentioned about clutch drag. The clutch gets checked/adjusted at the 600 mile service interval, however if the OP reports back, I wager the shifting will be just fine after dumping the factory fill.
Something that was shared with respect to motorcycles on this forum. Valvoline 10w 40 conventional motorcycle oil rates as a 20w40 with respect to initial viscosity.
I have the competitors older version of the W230 which is the suzuki tu-250x and the valvoline 10-40 motorcycle oil works very well. Shifts excellent.
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Someone shared on the motorcycle ester oils thread about Valvoline Full Synthetic 10w-40 having an 80 to 90% GTL base. This seems to be pretty uncommon with OTS big brand WCMO's, most of them seems to be primarily group 2+ to group 3.
If the add pack in the Valvoline is good, then it should be a very good oil for the price, as GTL is a step above the former mentioned bases. But add packs also can make or break an oil to some extent. I haven't seen a VOA on it yet either.
If I didn't have so much oil now, I would try it in my bike. You can get better oils that use high percentages of PAO's, Esters, An's, and/or GTL's, etc but they are boutique, expensive oils.
If the add pack in the Valvoline is good, then it should be a very good oil for the price, as GTL is a step above the former mentioned bases. But add packs also can make or break an oil to some extent. I haven't seen a VOA on it yet either.
If I didn't have so much oil now, I would try it in my bike. You can get better oils that use high percentages of PAO's, Esters, An's, and/or GTL's, etc but they are boutique, expensive oils.
I was at the dealership picking up the klx230 I had bought over the Internet. Almost axed that deal when I saw the W230 in person. Kept thinking about it after and after some haggling brought the thing. Well approaching 700 miles I'll first state the obvious, it's not going to water your eyes with acceleration LOL. the fuel injection means touch the button and ride now, I like that. Two or three times shortly after leaving the house I've experienced failure to accelerate shifting into 5th or 6th. Just down shifted and go back up thru the gears everything fine. Hope that doesn't become a thing. Engine performance over all is pretty old school smooth and torguey for what it is. I haven't done a top speed test but it does 55 60 no problem. Waiting till I hit 1000 miles. Shifting was flawless the first 200 miles then overnight became gritty to me. Never refused to take gear just didn't have the effortless feel it started with. The six speed is matched well to the power. The seat looks comfy but after 20 minutes you'll rethink. Glade I've still got my "Air Hawk." Brakes are a little on the soft side but if you get into them they will let you stop on a dime. I like that. Every time I pull it out I catch myself just looking at it. It seems very well made.Let's have a ride report! That's a proper motorcycle
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Thanks for sharing that. I'm not sure, but I would be surprised if the ad pack would still be the same 7 yrs later. It's also not called Synpower anymore.
I'm considering running the Valvoline one in between the HPL and Renewable Lubricants OCI cycles. The HPL and Renewable Lubricants would be for cleaning and extended OCI, but I wouldn't need to run them all the time (I also have Mobil 1 Euro FS 0w-40 for the colder part of the year-probably not very necessary but I got a good deal on it and it is a good oil that so far is working in the bike).
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You're welcome...
The grittiness went away with the change to Mobil 1 V twin 20W50 but the original effortlessness didn't return.
A thinner factory fill is going to have less resistance to moving thru the gears, but I don't know what to say otherwise. Anything happens to that engine or transmission is not due to the oil you've chosen. M1 20w50 is good stuff. With that said in such a small displacement engine, M1 10w40 4T maybe you worth a shot, I suspect oil change intervals are pretty short on that bike.
BLS, the VOA below is from 7 years ago... This not a historical oil thread. The poster wants something he can buy in the store today not at an antique shop.
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