Old Bike, Old Oil

[Lrobby99]

Hi

My new-to-me '86 Virago 1100 wants 20W-40. I would imagine Dino oil too. 20W-50 synthetic is all I'm finding at Motul, Bel-Ray, Valvoline. Small difference, right? And a switch to synthetic is also no problem. Right? I don't know what the PO used.
This is real. Here is a pic. thanks

 

[EvoMan]

Amazon has Spectro, Klotz and Indian 20W-40 motorcycle oil.

 

[jcarr0314]

I ran a 10w40 in my V Star specing 20w40. Manual said 10w40, sticker on the frame said 20w40.

 

[DCDG]

Hi

My new-to-me '86 Virago 1100 wants 20W-40. I would imagine Dino oil too. 20W-50 synthetic is all I'm finding at Motul, Bel-Ray, Valvoline. Small difference, right? And a switch to synthetic is also no problem. Right? I don't know what the PO used.
This is real. Here is a pic. thanksView attachment 343452

Bel-Ray has a conventional v-twin 20w50

https://www.amazon.com/Bel-Ray-20w5...motive&sprefix=20w-50+,automotive,178&sr=1-16

 

[Bonz]

Nice looking bike! My Japanese air cooled engines (inline 4's) from the 80s call for 20w40 in the manual in normal riding season temps I use 20w50 and call it good.

I looked up the oil change interval for that bike, looks like 4200 mi. I'd start with conventional and see how it goes. Blow-by/contamination from byproducts of combustion is fairly high on those old air cooled engines with greater tolerances for piston ring expansion, etc. I have run synthetic in my 1980s UJM's however the oil change intervals are 2500 to 3,000 Mi on the Yamaha inline fours that I have. Not worth the cost of synthetic when I'm changing it that often.

 

[Rygrego]

Hi

My new-to-me '86 Virago 1100 wants 20W-40. I would imagine Dino oil too. 20W-50 synthetic is all I'm finding at Motul, Bel-Ray, Valvoline. Small difference, right? And a switch to synthetic is also no problem. Right? I don't know what the PO used.
This is real. Here is a pic. thanksView attachment 343452

A full synthetic 15w40 diesel oil works great. I have used Delvac 1, Rotella T6 and for the last few years SuperTech Full synthetic 15w40 diesel oil. These have all the ZDDP an older engine needs and I believe they all include a SN rating.

 

[Nessism1]

I agree with using 15W-40 diesel. The JATCO police will be by shortly to scold the supporters, though.

20W-40 is a Yamaha thing. Any 10W-40, 15W-40, or 20W-50 will work just fine.

 

[Allaned]

Coming from a different application but I think the 25w-50 from Quicksilver (4 stroke marine oil) would work just fine.

 

[car54]

Coming from a different application but I think the 25w-50 from Quicksilver (4 stroke marine oil) would work just fine.

You mean 25w-40.

 

[Japanese]

Taking in account that the engine is V-twin and air cooled. I would use any 20W-50 motorcycle oil. You have plenty of choices synthetic oils. I wound't use marine oil. If the summer is not that hot you can use 10W-40 with no problems too.