Yamaha FZ8 and finding the right oil...

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Originally Posted By: badtlc
There is no dragging. You can let it go.


He will beat a dead horse till the cows come home, right or wrong. I have noticed the same issues with shearing on my bike. And I know I have the clutch cable adjusted properly as well.
 
I just did my 600 mile break in oil change on a new Kawasaki Ninja 1000 with Rotella T 15W-40 and the gearbox does shift a bit nicer than the original break in factory oil. Unless it changes a great deal, for now I'm sticking with the Rotella T.
 
Originally Posted By: BusyLittleShop
Something else is responsible because as oil shears 3 to 4 cSt in viscosity this small
amount is not enough to degrade good shifting into poor shifting according to the oil
companies and the manufacture...


Would be interesting to read what they say about that...

Gotta link ?

Copy of an article ?
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow


Would be interesting to read what they say about that...

Gotta link ?

Copy of an article ?



It is interesting and thanks for asking... I called Yamaha customer relations and got an
official technician on the line and asked if there was a difference in shifting quality
between the recommended 30 or 40 weight oil??? the response was a reassuring "no" an
owner will not experience "poor shifting" due to the 3 cSt freer flowing 30 weight...

So there is mounting evidence that if your 40 shears to a 30 poor shifting sounds
plausible but according to Yamaha its false... so is poor shifting imagined or real or
just clutch drag??? well according to my FZ8 customer Dillion poor shifting was clutch
drag... he reports smooth as butter shifts on Mobil 1 5W30 API SN...
 
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Originally Posted By: Robenstein
I have noticed the same issues with shearing on my bike. And I know I have the clutch cable adjusted properly as well.


Are you sure your rear wheel stops spinning when the engine is hot idling
and first gear selected with the clutch lever is squeezed in???
 
Normally I don't use the clutch when up shifting, my C14 is silky smooth no matter what oil is in. I don't understand how oil could fix a bad shifting transmission or make a good shifting one turn bad. If certain oils are bad for the clutch that's another thing, why would it be bad (clutch drag) after it shears down ???

Just for the sake of conversation I'll say that oil shear and bad shifting is mechanical hypochondria ...
 
Originally Posted By: BusyLittleShop


So there is mounting evidence that if your 40 shears to a 30 poor shifting sounds
plausible but according to Yamaha its false... so is poor shifting imagined or real or
just clutch drag??? well according to my FZ8 customer Dillion poor shifting was clutch
drag... he reports smooth as butter shifts on Mobil 1 5W30 API SN...


There are thousands of riders out there who experience the change in shifting over an OCI. It isn't imagined and i'm sure it isn't supposed to happen but it is real. If it was the clutch, the shifting wouldn't magically smooth out at the exact same time as you change the oil, every time.
 
Originally Posted By: badtlc

There are thousands of riders out there who experience the change in shifting over an OCI. It isn't imagined and i'm sure it isn't supposed to happen but it is real. If it was the clutch, the shifting wouldn't magically smooth out at the exact same time as you change the oil, every time.


In a blind test with 10 FZ8 with some at OCI and some running fresh oil... do you believe you can get 10 out of 10 right just by their shifting quality???
 
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Originally Posted By: BusyLittleShop
Originally Posted By: badtlc

There are thousands of riders out there who experience the change in shifting over an OCI. It isn't imagined and i'm sure it isn't supposed to happen but it is real. If it was the clutch, the shifting wouldn't magically smooth out at the exact same time as you change the oil, every time.


In a blind test with 10 FZ8 with some at OCI and some running fresh oil... do you believe you can get 10 out of 10 right just by their shifting quality???


based on their typical commentary and what I have seen with my brothers bike, if they are familiar with their bikes and pay attention, i'd bet at least 8 would be right.
 
Originally Posted By: badtlc

based on their typical commentary and what I have seen with my brothers bike, if they are familiar with their bikes and pay attention, i'd bet at least 8 would be right.


Their??? the question was out of 10 FZ8 how many would YOU get right just going by the shift quality???
 
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Originally Posted By: BusyLittleShop
Originally Posted By: badtlc

based on their typical commentary and what I have seen with my brothers bike, if they are familiar with their bikes and pay attention, i'd bet at least 8 would be right.


Their??? the question was out of 10 FZ8 how many would YOU get right just going by the shift quality???


that isn't how it works. Everyone's situations, driving styles, oil used, etc. are all different. What somebody can notice in theirs might not be noticeable to someone else because they don't pay attention to every minute detail 5 times a week for years.
 
Originally Posted By: badtlc
That is my current stance too if nothing will hold up longer than 2-3k.

From UOAs I've seen here I expect Mobil 1 4T and Motul 300V both to last longer than that in a bike like his. They cost more, but if your research (or UOAs) agree with mine, you might change your oil less often. Is it worth it? Maybe depends on the deal you get, how much you value your time changing oil, how long you'd leave either one in, etc.

Lately I've been using Rotella T Triple Protection 15W40 about 4k miles, and Mobil 1 4T about 5k miles. I don't remember Rotella UOAs very well, but my guess would be it would have sheared out of grade by then, but not too badly. My guess with the Mobil 1 is it's still in grade by 5k miles, assuming fuel contamination wasn't an issue.

With those intervals I haven't been having shifting issues. When I used lesser oils in the past I have had shifting issues develop, and at shorter intervals (2-3k mile range). Don't remember having them with any of my current bikes though.
 
Originally Posted By: badtlc


Everyone's situations, driving styles, oil used, etc. are all different.


The question is not asked to Everyone... the question was out of 10 FZ8 how many would YOU get right just going by the shift quality???
 
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