- Joined
- Jul 15, 2023
- Messages
- 1,434
I know this is contentious but given the recent HPL foaming testing of Rotella vis a vis Motor Oil Geek, I now have doubts that Rotella is an optimal choice for a wet clutch motorcycle.
Post Your Latest (Motorcycle) Oil Change!
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You wouldn't happen to have a link to that video/info, would you?
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2022
- Messages
- 31
2023 Triumph Rocket 3GT
Bought NOS, 23mi on it. Figure that oil is 3yr old, plus has most of whatever new build break-in debris/swarf there’s gonna be, in it. Indeed, cut open and filter media had mild amt of metallic dust and some flakes, as expected. Changed today with Motul 7100 15W50 and triumph filter. Figure will do the same at the 500mi break-in service. Have HPL’s MC oil on standby for next fall’s change.
Used HPL diff fluid 75W90 in the final drive. The factory stuff of couse “looked” fine, though the magnet had a good thimble of black ferrous sludge material on it.
Probably a little overkill, but salved my conscience. Eager to ride this bike.
Bought NOS, 23mi on it. Figure that oil is 3yr old, plus has most of whatever new build break-in debris/swarf there’s gonna be, in it. Indeed, cut open and filter media had mild amt of metallic dust and some flakes, as expected. Changed today with Motul 7100 15W50 and triumph filter. Figure will do the same at the 500mi break-in service. Have HPL’s MC oil on standby for next fall’s change.
Used HPL diff fluid 75W90 in the final drive. The factory stuff of couse “looked” fine, though the magnet had a good thimble of black ferrous sludge material on it.
Probably a little overkill, but salved my conscience. Eager to ride this bike.
2024 Africa Twin AS ES
102 Miles
Out: Factory Fill (most likely Honda GN4) and Factory filter
In: Castrol Act-Evo 10W-30, Purolator Boss 14610
The oil had lots of glitter from the new engine and gearbox, as expected. I had the Castrol on the shelf, so that went in for the next short interval of 500 miles. Manual calls for 10W-30, but I'll change the oil and filter again at 600 miles on the ODO with Mobil 1 4T 10W-40.
4.25 qts seems to be the needed amount of fill oil after a good drain and installing the longer sized filter.
102 Miles
Out: Factory Fill (most likely Honda GN4) and Factory filter
In: Castrol Act-Evo 10W-30, Purolator Boss 14610
The oil had lots of glitter from the new engine and gearbox, as expected. I had the Castrol on the shelf, so that went in for the next short interval of 500 miles. Manual calls for 10W-30, but I'll change the oil and filter again at 600 miles on the ODO with Mobil 1 4T 10W-40.
4.25 qts seems to be the needed amount of fill oil after a good drain and installing the longer sized filter.
It's good to have positive discussion and not get undies in a bundle.
Millions of motorcycles and hundreds of millions of miles over decades and decades have shown otherwise even in the modern era using Rotella.
Imo, real world experience and results show saying Rotella may cause problems (because it hasn't) is moot and raises a question mark for me with regards to potential versus what reality shows and how it is being presented.
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- Jul 15, 2023
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- 1,434
Unfortunately I’m having trouble finding the exact video right now, but in it, the foam test on Rotella is rather terrible. I was surprised.
Let me pose a few questions:
How many people who run Rotella in their wet clutch motorcycles are testing the rate of clutch wear?
Is it worth the savings to run an oil which is proven to perform poorly in controlled foaming testing?
Does it matter in the real world? Perhaps, perhaps not. But what benefit is there to continuing to run Rotella when there is a big red datapoint against it (besides having to admit to yourself you might have been mistaken in the past because the data wasn’t available yet)?
grabbed a new ride...slightly leftover '23 Genuine Buddy 170i; gonna be a few hundred miles before its first oil change...
found a bottle of Amsoil synthetic 15w-40 (ck-4/sn) in the house...I'll combine it with one of the following filters (depending upon what's available locally): prima, hiflo filtro hf183 or hf297
found a bottle of Amsoil synthetic 15w-40 (ck-4/sn) in the house...I'll combine it with one of the following filters (depending upon what's available locally): prima, hiflo filtro hf183 or hf297
All good points. Many motorcycles over 100,000 miles on Rotella and going strong. Never heard of one with a clutch failure that was claimed to be premature. Way too many variables with respect to clutch life and oil will play such a small part IMO.
2008 Yamaha Royalstar Venture 1300
removed Supertech 6607, drained out Rotella 15w40 T4/T6 mix
Installed a Premium Guard 4612 filter, refilled with rotella 15w40 T4/T6 mix
removed Supertech 6607, drained out Rotella 15w40 T4/T6 mix
Installed a Premium Guard 4612 filter, refilled with rotella 15w40 T4/T6 mix
2024 KTM790 Adventure
10,267 miles
Out; Spectro platinum 10w50 / K&N filter
IN; Amsoil 10w50 Dirtbike / K&N filter
10,267 miles
Out; Spectro platinum 10w50 / K&N filter
IN; Amsoil 10w50 Dirtbike / K&N filter
2017 HD 107 Ultra., Stage II, NOT HD. Woods 22XE, Cobra ProPipe, plus lots of other goodies. Has 45K miles.
I change the oil and primary every 5K and 3 hole at 10K.
Only use Lucas oil, 20w-50w oil and Lucas diff gear and trans fluid. Works great for me.
I only use the K&N171c because it has the 17mm nut which makes it very easy to spin off and back on.
I change the oil and primary every 5K and 3 hole at 10K.
Only use Lucas oil, 20w-50w oil and Lucas diff gear and trans fluid. Works great for me.
I only use the K&N171c because it has the 17mm nut which makes it very easy to spin off and back on.
2007 Harley Dyna, about 25K on it, IIRC
Out - RL 20W-50 V-Twin, Harley filter
In - ditto.
I’m probably going to recommend a Wix 51348/Fram 3614 or the PG equivalents for the next oil change. The owner also asked me about alternative oils. I recommended M1 20W-50.
Out - RL 20W-50 V-Twin, Harley filter
In - ditto.
I’m probably going to recommend a Wix 51348/Fram 3614 or the PG equivalents for the next oil change. The owner also asked me about alternative oils. I recommended M1 20W-50.
I’m currently running a PG made STP Extended Life oil filter P/N: S3600XL along with Mobil 1 V-Twin 20W-50 on my 2018 Tri Glide. I have the same filter along with Castrol Power 1 V-Twin 20W-50 on my ‘89 EG.
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2023
- Messages
- 45
21 CB500F
Out: Honda 10w30 and Honda filter
In: Honda 10w30 and Honda filter
Chain cleaned and lubed. Hosed off winter garage dust.
Out: Honda 10w30 and Honda filter
In: Honda 10w30 and Honda filter
Chain cleaned and lubed. Hosed off winter garage dust.
2022 Royal Enfield INT650: OUT, Smitty’s 20W50 motorcycle oil. Ecogard oil filter. IN, Mobil 1 15W50 car oil. Ecogard oil filter.
2024 Royal Enfield Bullet 350: OUT, Smitty’s 20W50 motorcycle oil. Royal Enfield oil filter. IN, Mobil 1 15W50 car oil. Royal Enfield oil filter
2024 Royal Enfield Bullet 350: OUT, Smitty’s 20W50 motorcycle oil. Royal Enfield oil filter. IN, Mobil 1 15W50 car oil. Royal Enfield oil filter
- Joined
- May 16, 2022
- Messages
- 80
Harley has a new OEM oil filter supplier "MAHLE" picked one up at the HD dealer and ordered my Trusty Fluid of CHOICE, Bel-Ray V-Twin Semi-Synthetic 20w-50 from J&P!
it's Spring its riding season so my 2023 Harley Street Glide as of today has new Bel-Ray fluid and a new Harley ( Made by MAHLE 5 micron oil filter ). I hit the highway today and have that "my bike just got a oil change feeling"...
it's Spring its riding season so my 2023 Harley Street Glide as of today has new Bel-Ray fluid and a new Harley ( Made by MAHLE 5 micron oil filter ). I hit the highway today and have that "my bike just got a oil change feeling"...
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2009 Honda Shadow 750
Out: ST6607, Rotella T4 15w40
In: ST6607, Rotella T4 15w40
2014 Honda CB1100
Out: MP6607, Rotella T5 10w30
In: Yamaha/Denso 5gh-13440-61, Rotella T5 10w30.
Last year I scored a bunch of MP6607 filters on clearance. These have the silicon ADBV, so well-suited to the air cooled CB1100, which runs hot.
This past autumn I "inherited" a lot of Yamaha Denso filters that also have the silicon ADBV, and these seem even more robust than the MP6607. The outer case is thicker and it's black, so color matched to my bike too!
2012 Honda Aero 750
Out: ST6607, Rotella T4 15w40
In: Fram PH6017A, Mix of Rotella T4 15w40, Rotella T5 10w30, and Castrol 4T Synthetic 10w40.
Normally I just use Rotella T4 in my Honda Shadows, but I had some leftover T5 from the CB1100, and I inherited a bunch of the Castrol 4T synthetic along with the Yamaha filters.
One quart of the T4, one quart of the Castrol, and a half quart of the T5, and I was able to change all three bikes and not leave any half empty bottles on the shelf!
FWIW, all three oils have the JASO MA2 letters on the bottle.
Out: ST6607, Rotella T4 15w40
In: ST6607, Rotella T4 15w40
2014 Honda CB1100
Out: MP6607, Rotella T5 10w30
In: Yamaha/Denso 5gh-13440-61, Rotella T5 10w30.
Last year I scored a bunch of MP6607 filters on clearance. These have the silicon ADBV, so well-suited to the air cooled CB1100, which runs hot.
This past autumn I "inherited" a lot of Yamaha Denso filters that also have the silicon ADBV, and these seem even more robust than the MP6607. The outer case is thicker and it's black, so color matched to my bike too!
2012 Honda Aero 750
Out: ST6607, Rotella T4 15w40
In: Fram PH6017A, Mix of Rotella T4 15w40, Rotella T5 10w30, and Castrol 4T Synthetic 10w40.
Normally I just use Rotella T4 in my Honda Shadows, but I had some leftover T5 from the CB1100, and I inherited a bunch of the Castrol 4T synthetic along with the Yamaha filters.
One quart of the T4, one quart of the Castrol, and a half quart of the T5, and I was able to change all three bikes and not leave any half empty bottles on the shelf!
FWIW, all three oils have the JASO MA2 letters on the bottle.
2022 Honda Africa Twin 9754 miles
OCI: 3084 miles/12 months
OUT: 4.2L Honda GN4 10W-40
OIL FILTER: Honda OEM
IN: 4.2L Honda GN4 10W-40
OIL FILTER: Honda OEM
2022 Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE 3388 miles
OCI: 2763 miles/12 months
OUT: 3.4L Castrol Power 1 10W-40 4T
OIL FILTER: K&N 204-1
IN: 3.4L Castrol Power 1 10W-40 4T
OIL FILTER: K&N 204-1
OCI: 3084 miles/12 months
OUT: 4.2L Honda GN4 10W-40
OIL FILTER: Honda OEM
IN: 4.2L Honda GN4 10W-40
OIL FILTER: Honda OEM
2022 Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE 3388 miles
OCI: 2763 miles/12 months
OUT: 3.4L Castrol Power 1 10W-40 4T
OIL FILTER: K&N 204-1
IN: 3.4L Castrol Power 1 10W-40 4T
OIL FILTER: K&N 204-1
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