Hi Guys,
I read the sticky post but now im just plain confused , i just need to know please, the best oil to use in my 2013 zx14r?
castrol, mobil, rock or something?

I do 160 kilometers a day, 90 kilometers on the freeway. 4 days a week, gosford to parramatta.

My old zx9r cant run synthetic oil as it gets clutch slip , any problems like that with the 14 ?

Thank you my guru friends, I'de be lost with out you all xx

* Last updated by: Maddy on 11/7/2015 @ 12:04 AM *

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make sure you use motorcycle specific oil, and you shouldn't get clutch slip. Everyone has a different favorite. I don't put on a lot of miles, so I use amsoil once a year. Just don't use the cheap crap, and synthetic or petroleum will be fine. I've used synthetic in my last 3 bikes with no problems.

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One, two, three, four,
Maddy declares an oil war!

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1. Mobil 1 is syn and may slip the clutch.
2. Delo from costco is thick and won't cause clutch slip.
3. 10w30 Chevron oil from costco is not syn.
4. 50w racing is 30 plus year old oil.

I run a blend of 50% 50w racing and whoever is around in 10w40 or 5w30. Those open containers are the other 50% oils that top off the engine. So if I run half racing, 1/4 syn and 1/4 plain, does not smoke or lose oil, nor slip when the next service is due @3,000mi/4828km, mine runs fine all mixdiditup.

If you ride in the cold, then a 10w30 or a 5w30 would be more for cold starts, thinner oil down the galleys when cold, etc., is why the change in weights. 20w50 for summer and the 5w range for winter. Want part syn, then mix a blend of half and half.

It's all about how you break-in a new bike, not the oil used. I've broke the bike in hard and broke a bike-in by the book. The book shows no oil loss, where the hard break-in caused excessive oil loss... Ask me how much R&D I've played with so oil/break-in fallacies show their side of the misinformation and the rest of the story.

Run full syn but do not cause the clutch to slip till a few 1000km are on it. Ask me how I know. So without someone mixing up all sorts of blends, did I say conjecture comes next?

* Last updated by: Hub on 11/7/2015 @ 6:56 AM *

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I use only motorcycle specific oil, only 10w-40 (which is right for my climate).

I've used Valvoline conventional twice ($3.60/qt) and Mobil 1 4T ($10/qt) two changes. Never had any clutch slippage. I just put Valvoline full synthetic in for off season storage but haven't ran it yet.

Most people that experience clutch slippage probably do so because they have abused the clutch and have caused wear and tear which results in clutch slipping. I watch youtube videos of some people riding and claiming they have to slip the clutch because they have a 1000 or 600 to ride the bike. These people, are obviously and even dangerously full of shit.

Here's an example of a full on retard. I know, the guy thinks he's some elite shit rider. Elite riders are smooth without bumping the clutch.

THE STORY ON MOTORCYCLE OILS <<CLICK

Two similar bikes. One broke in by the book, one redline break in. Book procedure, oil leaked when I switched to synthetic, had to start adding oil between changes. Race break in, always used conventional and no leaks, never need to add. Synthetic cleans away deposits and seeps into seams in the engine case and gaskets. Synthetic will leak easier if there is potential for leakage. Synthetic should retain its lubrication properties a lot longer than conventional and clear out the gunk in your engine better but it's more likely to leak.

I use Rotella T6 Synthetic and now that the valve cover gasket has been changed and the bolts torqued, NO oil use AT ALL and no leaks. Clutch grips just fine. It's no more expensive than Kawasaki oil so I change it every 2500 miles just like I would conventional. I don't feel the gearbox is smoother with Rotella than it is with conventional but since I change it much more often than I would with more expensive synthetics, the Rotella never gets in bad condition. I used a very expensive Repsol racing oil that was synthetic and it was amazingly smooth for a very short time. By 500 miles, it was no better than conventional and I ended up dumping it at the usual 2500 miles. $80 of oil --maybe for a track day but never again on the street. Some other expensive synthetics last a long time according to others but I have never tried them. I prefer to just change it often to fresh Rotella.

...or stick to Kaw 10W-40 conventional. Change it often. No problems no questions about compatability with a wet clutch. Cost you about the same and stay about as clean as an expensive oil you will change a lot less frequently.

* Last updated by: Rook on 11/7/2015 @ 11:13 AM *

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Look for the JASO MA certification on the label. Any oil with
the JASO MA certification will work.

"JASO MA 4 Stroke Engine Oil. Japanese standard for special oil
which can be used in 4-stroke motorcycle engine with a single oil system
for the engine, gearbox and wet clutch system. Fluid is non-friction modified."

Two of the most popular used oils are...

Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 Motorcycle Oil ($60 a gallon)
Mobil 1

Shell Rotella T6 5W-40 Full Synthetic (this is changing to 0w-40) ($23 gallon)
Rotella T6

I've used the T6 for many, many years. Road, track, drag strip (no clutch slippage there)

Last couple of years I've switched to....
Castrol Actevo Xtra 20W-50 4-Stroke Motorcycle (synthetic blend $23 gallon / 3 gallons $69 delivered)
Castrol Actevo

I just can't fathom spending $60 a gallon for a boutique oil.

I change oil "a lot" track bike 400-500 miles. road 1500-2500 miles.

It's shearing that causes most of these oils to wear out quick. The more or quicker an
oil shears it becomes closer to it's base weight thus causing less protection at higher temps.

Just use any oil with a JASO MA certification and change often and you're golden.

* Last updated by: piken on 11/7/2015 @ 12:22 PM *

Just use any oil with a JASO MA certification and change often and you're golden.

I was about to say the same thing. I think you'll find those words on most oils marketed for motorcycles and I am sure that is something you can rely on for good motorcycle performance. But there are oils not marketed as motorcycle oil out there and they are just as good (maybe better) and cost the same or less than MC specific oil.

Rotella has been a very popular choice since I've been following these boards. Also Mobil 1. You can't go wrong with those. The oils that have ENERGY CONSERVING on the circular logo on the label might be too slippery for the clutch plates to hold together. ...but I can't say that for certain. I doubt you'd find that on any MC specific oils though.

* Last updated by: Rook on 11/7/2015 @ 5:35 PM *

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I was about to say the same thing but Rotella does not have JASO approved on the label.

Rotella added the JASO MA cert to T6 a few years back.

Most people that experience clutch slippage probably do so because they have abused the clutch and have caused wear and tear which results in clutch slipping.

Disagree, Vic. I ran full syn, had the clutch slip, let it blow off for a 1000 or so miles so it more or less let the sheering take care of the molecules. Then, no slip when oil itself is broken-in or breaking-down if you will.

JASO MA certification and change often and you're golden.

This is where I've been around engines long enough to see oil either kills an engine instantly or within miles... if it's oil related. So, poor guy built this engine, forgot to add in the oil, took it out for a few laps in the dirt lot, seized within minutes... Literally. Next, guy flipped his inserts and closed off the oil holes to the crank. This ate the crank within 60mi or less.

Now my turn. I hear this chemical mix with oil and we are talking light sweet crude that is boiled into a vapor which turns into a liquid, which has weight, which turns into so many fuels, so many oils out of the same barrel. So no matter how much chemistry is built into that bottle, you need to explain to me about oil loss, oil grades, oil chemically treated; against my shelf life oil with less [letter grades], separating that chemistry as it sits like old wine in a bottle. I now add literally thousands of miles up, us the same MO on each of the three 14's going thru my hands...

... Maddy, just buy bulk oil from costco, pick a grade or mix it with the car needing its own grade. Oil is oil. Only secret to a long lasting engine is to change the "air cleaner and oil"... A LOT... and now you are golden.

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Hub, keyword is most. Age/mileage of bike can be a factor. I suppose 14s are pretty hard on their clutch anyway it goes. Consider this Hub, can someone fry a clutch in bad 1/4 mile pass? I don't have to answer that for you know the answer.

Modern sport bikes? A few little flukes here and there, not too many times and all the sudden the clutch is slipping. Must be synthetic oil. That guy in this video, riding the clutch repeatedly (pulling in clutch and coasting to a stop). Absolutely horrible. Feathering the clutch like the throttle, he probably goes through a clutch in 10-15k miles and thinks that's normal! Guy probably replaces his chain every 15k miles, sprockets, and clutch, and just thinks it's all normal. Thinks it's cause he's hot shit, when in reality he's just shit.

Hey I knew someone that thought replacing their car's clutch every 30k miles was normal. Apparently they never realized that driven properly (even aggressively) a clutch is meant to last the life of the vehicle.

To your other point Hub, there are people that use auto oil in their bikes. I wouldn't ever do it, automotive oils have friction modifiers that damage friction plates as adding to clutch slip/wear issues. But people do it, I won't ever be one.

That was simple,wasn't it LOL.Now I'm confused!;)

J/K Motul(Kawasaki)10/40 full syn or semi syn...most excellent IMO.Reliable...fairly long lasting...(mine at about 5K per oil change)

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 11/7/2015 @ 2:38 PM *

In laymans terms telling someone to just look for the JASO MA cert
is the easiest thing to do if they do not know what oil to get.

I think (maybe) I understand what Hub is trying to say.

Straight grade oils are the best, period. It's these new fancy oils with
all there added chemistry, friction modifiers and multi grade viscosity modifiers
that mess things up.

Straight grade oils don't shear like multi weight oils do. So break out
your beakers buy a couple of straight grade oils of your choice and mix
them yourself. Walla, no shearing, ok for cold/dry starts and protection once
heated up. I think that's what he was saying? If not though, not a bad idea.

I just use 10w40 Mobil 1 synthetic MC oil and never worry bout it. I use the same oil in the beemer and much harder on it than the 14.

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Ditto on the Mobil 1 4T 10W-40. I change every 5000 miles (easier to remember than 6K) Most I've paid is $9/qt. I watch for sales and then buy enough for two or three oil changes. O'Reilly's usually has the best price. Cycle Gear and dealers charge $13/qt. and CG sometimes runs sales where you get 5 for the price of 4.

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Rotella added the JASO MA cert to T6 a few years back.

thanks, piken. I didn't notice that on my bottle when I looked. I edited my previous post to avoid misinfo.

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One, two, three, four,
Maddy declares an oil war!

I noticed we have a new tire thread too!

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Does not matter the oil blends... on average I dump the oil when the shift quality goes belly up. Not sloppy lever pulls; not a loose chain; more like 2,700 miles and it's time. Ask Grn. I think he was experiencing the same thing. I sure can tell something changed.

To your other point Hub, there are people that use auto oil in their bikes. I wouldn't ever do it, automotive oils have friction modifiers that damage friction plates as adding to clutch slip/wear issues. But people do it, I won't ever be one.

Your bike, Vic. I have junk science as my evidence. My cold compression numbers read higher than most warmed and tested: I'll bet. My clutch does not slip with the mixing. However, on average mind you, just those every so often low, robust rpm WOT's in 6th I can tell. This is the only time it was experienced was with fresh full syn. So I backed off, and miles later I had the urge again and it became a no show.
As for my bike, Vic, I use Delo [for diesel trucks] as the other 50% crankcase fill. I roll the bike backwards; down the driveway in 1st gear; creates super drag on the clutch plates. That's 15w40 mixed with straight 50w. After so many miles, the bike eventually begins to roll with less drag. Sound like shift quality going down hill?.. pun intended.

It's these new fancy oils with all there added chemistry that mess things up.

The additives in the 50w racing oil have separated and I do not shake the can up, I just pour. It's plain old bulk oil and if the industrial revolution just had plain oil keeping those machines running... couch-couch.

Walla, no shearing, ok for cold/dry starts and protection once heated up. I think that's what he was saying?

No, In layman's terms if we use 0w10, then left number is how thin and fast it flows when cold. Right number says it's at this range when warm. So if summer comes, the number runs up to 20w50. And if using straight 50w, it flows very thick and slow. So sheer happens either way with any weight. What I'm saying is distilled is still oil in bulk and if I think industrial revolution and how crude things were back then chemistry wise, oil is oil, bulk is bulk.

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a few experts who take things a step further by blending products into their own “special formula” that they feel is better than what lubricant engineers and bike manufacturers recommend. While most bikes call for 10W-40 multi-viscosity oil, we’ve encountered guys who feel the need to mix in a percentage of 10W-30 or 20W-50 in order to “adjust” the viscosity to a grade somewhere in between. As logical as it sounds, is this possible?
THE TEST
Investigation of this myth required slightly more than a high school chemistry education so we contacted Royal Purple (RP) to get the facts from their Technical Services department. RP’s Chris Barker, a true expert on the subject of engine oil first provided us with the following information and key terms before delving into the theoretical explanation:
Viscosity is the measure of a fluid’s resistance to motion as it flows. For viscosity measurement purposes, the force for measurement is typically gravity. Measured viscosity is the value of fluid viscosity, typically presented in units of centistokes (cSt. for kinematic viscosity) and centipoise (cP. for dynamic viscosity). Centistokes is the most commonly used unit. The measured viscosity value must also include the temperature at which the fluid was measured.
Viscosity grade is the range of measured viscosity at a standard fluid temperature. Several viscosity grade scales exist; the SAE scale is universal for automotive engine oils. There are two parts to the SAE viscosity grade numbers: the first (and typically smaller) number with the “W” next to it; and the last (and typically larger) number which we’ll refer to as the “major grade”. This part of the grade is determined at the standard fluid temp. of 212°F (100°C) with each grade representing a range of measured fluid viscosity. The currently defined SAE grades are 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60. The first number followed by the “W” is the winter grade (note that W stands for winter, not weight), and these grades are determined at various very cold fluid temperatures with maximum allowed measured viscosity being the criteria. The currently defined SAE winter grades are 0W, 5W, 10W, 15W, 20W, and 25W.
With an understanding of viscosity and viscosity grade, you can now look at the accompanying Viscosity Grade chart that summarizes the SAE engine oil viscosity criteria. Notice how each major grade is in between the lighter and heavier grades adjoining it. Mixing multi-viscosity 30 weight (e.g. 10W-30) with multi-viscosity 40 weight (e.g. 10W-40) will get you either a heavier multi-viscosity 30 or lighter multi-viscosity 40, no matter what the mix ratio. And since the winter grade (e.g. 10W) is a maximum limit and not a range like the major grade is, you cannot reliably predict what the resultant winter grade will be unless you start with oils having the same winter grade.
MYTH: BUSTED
Chris says, “Yes it is possible to alter engine oil viscosity by mixing two different viscosity grade engine oils. However, you cannot accurately predict what the result will be just by the numbers on each bottle and the mixture ratio.” For example, mixing a 10W-30 and a 10W-40 (of any ratio) will result only in a heavier 10W-30 or lighter 10W-40. Both of these oils meet the SAE requirements for a 10W already, so the only things that will change is the viscosity grade at the rating temperature (100°C), and the resulting curve of measured viscosity vs.temperature.
Conversely, mixing a 5W-30 and a 20W-50 cannot reliably result in 12.5W-40. Such a viscosity grade does not exist and that the oil must fall within one of the available combinations of winter and major grades. There is no other possibility. Also, with respect to the winter grade, mixing oils with disparate winter grades will result in some undefined combination winter grade. The winter grade of a multi-viscosity oil is dependent on the viscosity characteristics of the base oils used, as well as additives designed specifically to alter the viscosity/temperature relationship of the fluid and there are many ways and recipes to make an oil that satisfies the viscosity requirements of a 5W-30 or 10W-40 or 20W-50

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Everything I've read supports with alg8er posted. Oils, their additive packages, are engineered to work in some specific manner to protect an engine. You can't say, mix Mobil 1 4T and Valvoline FS (4T) and know you're getting only the strengths of both oils. You may end up with a concoction that negates the strengths of either, or maybe the ultimate super oil, the thing is you just don't know.

Do I think if someone mixes some oil they'll likely blow their engine up? NO. But I don't believe it's because they're genius, it's just more like as long as you're running oil it's gonna be ok. I know people with cars 200k-400k miles that get their oil changed at Jiffy Lubes and Walmarts and don't even care what brand of filter or oil goes in their car. The important thing is, they get their oil changed.

Here's what I say. If you like the additive package of oil x more than oil y, run oil x. If you change your mind, run oil y or some other oil. For the most part, I think we all agree the most important thing is to perform oil changes and maintain oil levels between oil changes.

To my earlier point about the high mileage cars, despite where they fall in some exact test most modern oils are good oils capable of protecting your engine. I've used a lot of different oils in my life. The only oil I will never use again is O'Reilly's full synthetic (automotive). But that's only because my personal experience and I run extended intervals in my truck.

I once read that mixing different weights of oil doesn't yield a single, homogenized product, but a blend that is one weight in some places and another in others. Why anyone would mix oils when there are great lubricants out there in various weights is beyond me.

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...unless they want to use up some old oil they got layin around.

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I use Mobil 1 or Repsol Full synthetic and have no clutch issues. Have 60k miles on the bike now.

Mad

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I also use the rotella T6 5w-40. No problems. Just be careful with the Rotella t6 0w-40! I picked up a jug of it awhile ago and was looking for the JASO-MA designation, couldn't find it on the description? It was sitting right beside the 5w-40 same jug very easy to mix up the 2. I only use oil with the JASO-MA rating on my bikes. Wouldn't use anything else.

* Last updated by: CowboyCarl on 12/20/2015 @ 12:00 PM *

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Ending up with limited varieties to chose from, i bought the Castrol Power 1 4t,
it has the Jaso thingy on it ( I didn't know of Jaso before :-))

Before i open it, has any one had a problem with it , clutch slip is what worries me after having this problem with my F1 zx9r.

Thanks guys, i read every comment, even if they do make me dizzy lol.

You guys are great and i apreciate your help
Maddy xox

* Last updated by: Maddy on 12/26/2015 @ 3:45 AM *

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