At what miles did you guys change your oil and what kind will you be using ?

On mine i will be running the Rotella T .... easy to find on sundays..... stuff worked really great in my last two bikes.

dino 15w/40

t 5w/40

not able to downoad the vid you guys post ..... i just have web tv.... and still don't understand your broken english....so im not sure what you are trying to say.

Planning on buying the bike first and then the oil... just getting ready that's all.

Should be pulling the trigger wed on a blue one if nothing funny happens on the way. lol

I thought we would start are own.... i just figured there would be two much informations over there i know how oil threads go. lol

Been real busy watching the Knicks kick ass.... every body in new york is really excited... been 39 years that's a long time.

But they look like they might do some damage this year!!

Still talking in broken english.... hard to understand what you are trying to say.

Have no way to show bike just have web tv... you would have to take me for my word. I knew the bike had a filter just wanted to know if the filter was on the front or side and how much stuff would need to be removed.

* Last updated by: mark43 on 2/21/2012 @ 12:45 PM *

Are you a dallas mavs fan .... and were you watching the game yesterday ?

Seat height and reach to bars ... on look over.

Forgot to look for oil filter location and faring removal screws and bolts and were they metal or plastic.

did you see the game .... you live in texas right !

THAT 24 guy... is that the dude with the sexy wife... that he would cheat on when she was not around.

I realize this topic has veered off course a bit but since the topic is motorcycle lubrication I thought I'd offer a thought or two. Below is a link to a .pdf which incorporates the current 2011 addendum to the JASO T 903 standard.

http://www.jalos.or.jp/onfile/pdf/4T_EV1105.pdf

The four motorcycle specifications are MA, MA1, MA2 and MB. MA is broken down into two separate categories which covers the upper and lower limits of the frictional performance of the rated oils. The 2012 model year ZX14R states to use a oil that meets any of the MA ratings (MA, MA1 or MA2). MB oils are the low friction fluids that are suitable for dry clutch bikes where grip is not affected by a lubricating fluid.

I will use MA2 in my 14R and suggest it for all sport bikes and hard ridden machines.

Cruisers and easily ridden bikes should have no troubles with MA1 rated oils. Because MA covers such a broad range of frictional coefficients within defined parameters I'd much rather see precisely which performance level is provided rather than a broad stroke MA classification.

Oddly enough, we often see how quickly oil shears out of grade in motorcycles. This too is addressed within the JASO ratings and allows for a slight deviation toward decline of the Xw-30, Xw-40 and Xw-50 grades. For example, a 10W-40 MA rated motorcycle oil may start life with a kinematic viscosity of 15cSt @ 100ºC but is allowed to drop out of grade and shear to a Xw-30 with a kinematic viscosity of 12cSt @ 100ºC. This is not a large shift for the rated grade but it is fairly large for the specific product.

To make a long story short - it does make a difference as to which product we choose to lubricate our high performance bikes. It's akin to building a engine that is built to exacting design blueprints or building one that is simply within specs. They both run.. but one is vastly superior.

For this reason I will use MA2 rated oils built on PAO/Ester base fluids and minimal VII (viscosity index improvers). You won't notice the benefits within a few years.. but you certainly do as the machines age.

fowray what's up..... don't think the rottela has all those ratings, but i heard the stuff is great for bikes with wet clutches.

with those ratings you might be talking motul or bel ray oil.. just made for motor bikes...let me know the brand when you decide.

Rotella claims to meet MA specifications but they don't have JASO certification nor do they disclose precisely which MA specifications they meet.

JASO specifies that a oil start with the minimum qualifications:

API SG,SH,SJ,SL,SM (except SM/EC) and SN (except SN/RC)
ILSAC GF-1, GF-2 or GF-3
ACEA A1/B1, A3/B3, A3/B4, A5/B5, C2, C3, or C4

None of these specs are for a heavy-duty lubricant. Only the ACEA "B" specs even cover diesel engines and they're for light duty, high MPG automobiles. The B3/B4/B5 specs are certified on a Volkswagen diesel engine for example.

All of the performance standards set the evaporative rate at between 13% for the Euro specs (ACEA) and 15% for the ILSAC and API specs. JASO MA allows for 20% evaporation yet requires the base oils be based on a spec that can be no more than 15%. This is one of the read-between-the-lines situations where knowledge of the differing norms is handy.

Metallic additives are of concern when dealing with heavy duty diesel oils. Ensure that the Rotella doesn't have more than 1200 PPM of sulfated ash and 800 - 1200 PPM of phosphorus. These are the limits for the JASO MA spec and some heavy duty oils will exceed these limits. In the lubrication industry these are known as the SAPS level (Sulfated Ash/Phosphorus/Sulfur). Also, the 14R has a electroplated cylinder which is plated with a nickel/cadmium plasma that is susceptible to corrosive wear when sulfurs become too high in the combustion chamber. Sulfurs are found in the fuel at a standard of 30 PPM but often runs up to 80 PPM allowable and also in the lubricating oils with limits set by the regulating authorities (ACEA/API/ILSAC).

Rotella doesn't carry the JASO certification label for some reason. I'd find what that reason is and then make a educated decision as to whether you use this product or some other appropriate fluid.

Rotella doesn't carry the JASO certification label for some reason.

It does now:

Great info, though!

Rotella t6 rated at :

1100 sulfated
1200 phosplorus

Tech said it's the best stuff they sell for motorcycles with wet clutches.

10-40 AMSOIL motorcycle specific,I'll run Kawi mineral for the first oil changes then switch to Amsoil at 1000km

I had a rather disappointing afternoon. I telephoned Shell's technical information center and had a lengthy conversation about Rotella, Shell V-Power fuels, and their business in general. The gentleman had no specific data on the JASO tests other than to say that they tested the Rotella 15W-40 and the T-6 synthetic to the JASO requirements and both products passed. He did say that it hadn't been tested against the most recent 2011 addendum but the update doesn't make any changes to the performance tests so it doesn't really matter.

So, I ran by the autoparts store and looked at a bottle of Castrol synthetic motorcycle oil. It doesn't have the JASO certification yet states it meets MA2. I went to the bike shop and the Honda, Yamaha, and Spectro oils did have the JASO certification label but the Kawasaki oils didn't. Kawasaki simply states that their product meets JASO MA2. So, the Kawasaki synthetic and the Castrol synthetic, two of my preferred products, haven't paid for the certification.

So I don't have a argument if the Rotella maintains shift quality and it's likely as good as any other product that claims to meet the standards.

I did learn some specifics about the synthetic 5W-40 that were impressive. It's the one I'd use if I weren't going to use a motorcycle specific fluid.

Even though I don't even have my '12 yet, I love oil threads

I'll be running Rotella T6 synth as I do in all my bikes. I think it's the cat's ass, JASO MA rated, available everywhere, and cheap. I think it would even be good on pancakes.

I had a KTM 950 Adventure for a while and they recommended Motorex Synthetic at only $18/qt. Wtf. It got Rotella also.

Good stuff !!

And my bikes always seem to shift like butter.. and my motors sound as tight as the day i bought them... whatever that put in there it works for me.

* Last updated by: mark43 on 2/21/2012 @ 8:11 PM *

Fowvay....Thanks for the heads up !

hey, I'm always glad to chew the fat about topics of interest. There's a lot of good information on here and interesting people to learn from.

If i don't run will the rotella.. i might use the castrol m/c oil if the stuff is available at auto store on sundays.

That stuff been around forever... always heard good things about there oils.

Fowvay when you did your research.. between the two which one had the better goods for bikes ?

hub..you seem to know alot about bikes almost as much as me.
what's your take on the rotella ?

* Last updated by: mark43 on 2/22/2012 @ 3:32 AM *

I run castrol power 1 racing 5w40. Love it.
Did over 70000km with power 1 gps 1040 without issues

It's purely opinion but I think the Castrol product would be fantastic. I received the Material Safety Data Sheet from Kawasaki on their synthetic 10W-40 and I was amazed with the short list of ingredients that the MSDS listed. This oil is composed of 60-75% PAO base stock with another 10-15% ester to make up the PAO/Ester that they advertise. On top of that, there's 2000 PPM of Zinc thrown in for good measure. And to clarify, Kawasaki's newest oil offering is manufactured by Citgo and bottled at their Corpus Christi refinery in Texas as verified by Kawasaki, the MSDS on the specific product and the bottling stamp on the bottle itself.

I went straight to my Kawi dealer and bought 5 quarts for my 600 mile service. The guys were gracious enough to discount the oil down to $8.95 a quart for me. I may stock up on this while the gettin's good and cover myself for the next couple of oil changes.

I know when i first bought the yamaha... i tryed their dino oil and syn and the stuff poured out like water and did not like the sound afterwards.... i hope the kaw stuff is better.

Still think the rottela is the shit for the money and access !

MOST NAME BRAND OIL today i who say are pretty good.. as long as your not running veg oil or olive oil don't really see anything really being an issue.

* Last updated by: mark43 on 2/26/2012 @ 6:10 AM *

I know back in the day alot of riders i knew would run castrol gtx car oil in street bikes and race bikes... and as along as they were not using energy conserving grade i never knew i one person that lost a motor because of the oil they used.

Sure this debate will go on forever.... NEVER passed a large oil refinery company yet.. that had a sign saying bel ray/ motul/ golden spectro etc.