New opinions on a old topic..

[OtisBlkR1]

In a few other posts ive talked about "the little ninja" My 2004 Kawasaki EX250R Ninja and my switch from many popular MC syn oils to Rotella T6. Well, let me put this to the motorcycle nuts like myself and see what you think ?

This motorcycle see's 65-75 mph wich is 8-9,000RPM daily and consistantly on the highway (10-mile jaunts) to and from work.. and i take the bike up to 10,000-11,000 RPM frequently (daily) shifting... yes, i wring the little ninjas neck fairly often.. the bike gets a max speed run atleast once a week that gets the RPM's up to 13,000 RPM and they stay there.. often for atleast 30-60 seconds at a time..

With this said, Ive complained in other threads about this bike going from smooth to "not perfect/a little clunky" after ony 200 miles on T6.. Well now its back to smooth again with 600 miles on this OCI..

Last night when climbing off this bike i knelt down by the viewing window and gave the bike a little rock back n forth.. the T6 was obviously good and hot and splached around the viewing window like water.. very very thin in the window..

So this poses the question.. How long would you leave this in your bike ? Winters on the way and im dumping the T6 for fresh before i store it, but the question will resurface next year after i get some miles on the fresh change..

NO way is T6 staying in the sump 6,000 miles like the book recomends.. thats insane, and im thinking even 2,000 miles might be a bit long considering how i ride this bike..


(again.. its getting dumped in a month or two when winter hits) im just asking in reference to next year.. I can and will follow my left toe, i just want more opinions on the topic.

what say you ?

 

[gathermewool]

I say you rocking the bike back and forth isn't a very good indication of viscosity. I don't have any experience with small, high-RPM engines, but if T6 can last >6k miles in my STI which frequently sees high RPMs at ~18# of boost, then it would be hard to believe that only 600 miles in your engine has taken it beyond its useful life.

The only way to know for sure is to send out a sample for analysis.

 

[OtisBlkR1]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
I say you rocking the bike back and forth isn't a very good indication of viscosity. I don't have any experience with small, high-RPM engines, but if T6 can last >6k miles in my STI which frequently sees high RPMs at ~18# of boost, then it would be hard to believe that only 600 miles in your engine has taken it beyond its useful life.

The only way to know for sure is to send out a sample for analysis.


Shared sump.... and i know its not scientific, (rocking the bike) its just a observations.. Done this for years on hot oil in motorcycles to see how thick the oil is when hot Plenty of other motorcyclist do this as well..

I agree only a sample would tell me, but thats actually the whole reason i went to T6, tired of paying high prices for oil and spending un-needed money.

I have a small fleet of toys, if i started pulling samples on everything id be in trouble

 

[AVB]

I don't even track the miles on my bike, I just change it when I feel like it. I don't put many miles on it though. I am running Motul 5100 10w40 this time and have been unhappy with the shift feel since it was fresh. I guess my CR250 transmission has spoiled me, you just bump it and it shifts with out the clutch.

 

[SlipperyPete]

As long as the bike shifts OK I'd go ahead and run it to 2.5k or 3k miles without a second thought. I use the 15-40 in my Triumph on a 3k OCI without any problem.

 

[OtisBlkR1]

Originally Posted By: AVB
I don't even track the miles on my bike, I just change it when I feel like it. I don't put many miles on it though. I am running Motul 5100 10w40 this time and have been unhappy with the shift feel since it was fresh. I guess my CR250 transmission has spoiled me, you just bump it and it shifts with out the clutch.


LOL, thats my R1, the shift is so completely butterys smooth and short, its just a ubber minor little "click" and she slides through the gears.. I love that about the bike.. The Ninja on the other hand has a very long throw gear shift and a very prounounced "click/clunk" I deffinately like the R1 better.

 

[AVB]

My street bike is a 2000 ZRX 1100, it actually shifts better by preloading the shifter and rolling off the throttle than clutching it. I am afraid I will end up bending or breaking something if I don't use the clutch though. It does shift better if you rev match it while using the clutch. It has a hydraulic clutch, I like the feel of a cable clutch better.

My theory is a heavier oil causes more drag between the clutch plates and helps with rev matching, that is why sheared oil doesn't feel as smooth.

 

[hal2626]

Seems like 2K or once yearly with T6 would be a very safe interval.

 

[stygz]

2k oci miles still seems alittle short. Have you tried a different oil? It does not surprise me it looses the smoothness after 600 miles. After owning many bikes as working as a service writer and parts manager at a Kawi/suz dealer I would suggest a different oil. I know T6 carries the MA rating and many have good luck with it. Try Mobil 1 4t or Motul Etec 100. The Etech 100 worked great in my Z1000. Specto semi syn also was also great in the vulcan for smooth shifting.

 

[OtisBlkR1]

Yeah ive tried many MC oils in the little ninja, T6 is only in there becouse of all the hype on BITOG. I decided to pull the trigger and try it, I love the cost.. but my left toe has sent me several mixed messages over this oil..

 

[Ausfahrt]

I too am running Rotella T6 in my KLR650 and I am not impressed. Granted, the engine is not at all like your Ninja mill but it is a shared sump and my shifting has gotten noticeably notchy after about 1500 miles on this oil.

I am going back to Rotella T1 15w40 conventional which I was happy with and seemed more stable. Nothing scientific here, just relating my opinion and thoughts.

 

[ammolab]

Do we know just what shows up on a oil analysis that confirms a bike oil is shot and is giving you shifting problems?

Is it just a drop in viscosity? Anyone have notchy shifting and a perfectly fine OA on a oil?

Our Ninja 250 runs T6, 2000mile/ one year interval. No complaints.

 

[OtisBlkR1]

Originally Posted By: ammolab
Do we know just what shows up on a oil analysis that confirms a bike oil is shot and is giving you shifting problems?

Is it just a drop in viscosity? Anyone have notchy shifting and a perfectly fine OA on a oil?

Our Ninja 250 runs T6, 2000mile/ one year interval. No complaints.


Mind you im not saying its "BAD" its just more notchy/clunky/etc.. Ive had Mobil 1 Valvoline syn and Motul 300v Honda GN4 Spectra.. (all Bike Specific) just to name a few in this bike.. i can tell you without a doubt that the bike felt smoother durring shifts (by a small fraction) than all the above mentioned.. this particular bike may just not like this particular oil in the shifting department, When the weather was hot this oil was not smmoth durring shift.. it wasnt awfull, it just wasnt smooth.. im goingt to try the 15-40 Rotella next and see what i think of it.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: OtisBlkR1
im goingt to try the 15-40 Rotella next and see what i think of it.

Can't wait to hear your experience with it as compared to the other oils you mentioned.

 

[Phishin]

With how little oil these bikes hold, why not change more frequently?

My Honda Ruckus....yes a scooter, no snickering please....is only 50cc, but it spends 95% of it's time between 9-11k RPM's. I've never gone more than 750 miles on an OC. Right now I'm running a 50/50 mix of Mobil 1 Racing 0w30 and Mobil 1 0w40.

 

[car54]

My vino 125 scooter spends it's life at the same rpms, WOT all the time, and after 2000 miles the used oil analysis on Mobil 1 20w-50 looked good. Running schaeffers 5w-40 this interval, and valvoline VR1 synthetic 20w-50 the next. Whichever oil looks best will continue to be used for 4000 mile intervals.

 

[Black_Thunder]

I've run Rotella T6 in my R1 since I first changed the oil on the following spring after i bought it in 2009.

Never had any problems, shifts fine.


I think the most I've put on this oil is around 2K, mainly because i don't drive it all that much and i change it yearly.

and Yeah mine sees high RPMS as well

 

[Sonic]

I was a big believer in T6 for a motorcycle because of what I've read on this site. The price was right for a full synthetic you can run with a wet clutch, the 5w was great for startup during the fall and spring. I ran it last fall and earlier this year but have had a change of heart. I can't say I felt any problems with it I just decided that I'd rather go with a 50 grade oil becasue of having a shared sump. I run my v star 650 pretty hard sometimes and it sees a lot of highway use. I'll have it at 5000+ rpm's for 40 mile stretches. If the shear stability of the T6 isn't that great compared to the Rotella 15w40 or any of the 20w50's out there I think I will avoid it from now on. If I were just going to be puttin' around town in cooler weather I'd still use it but that's not what I do. I want to make sure my engine is getting the protection it needs. I've run a mix of 20w50 and 15w50 all summer and will continue to do so for the future.

 

[OtisBlkR1]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: OtisBlkR1
im goingt to try the 15-40 Rotella next and see what i think of it.

Can't wait to hear your experience with it as compared to the other oils you mentioned.



Next spring my friend, Rotella T 15w40 conventional is going in.. i will have a opinion on it, it will just be a bit before i post it

 

[Phishin]

Originally Posted By: car54
My vino 125 scooter spends it's life at the same rpms, WOT all the time, and after 2000 miles the used oil analysis on Mobil 1 20w-50 looked good. Running schaeffers 5w-40 this interval, and valvoline VR1 synthetic 20w-50 the next. Whichever oil looks best will continue to be used for 4000 mile intervals.


Can you post your results of your used oil analysis with Mobil 1 20w50? I'd love to see them. I'd love to see what the viscosity was after 2000 miles.

I think 4k mile OCI's is WAY too long. And I mean, WAY TOO LONG. But it's just a gut opinion. I have no scientific proof to back it up.

But I do know with the Honda Ruckus, you RARELY see these little motors go over 10k miles unless synthetic oil was ALWAYS used and the oil was changed all the time. I only go about 600 miles on an OC. The bike only hold 0.6 quarts....so big deal...it's not like you are wasting a bunch of money by changing your oil all the time.


I want to see your lab results and take a look at what your oil did. Please post.