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Oil types and reviews, boiled down to preference of give and take

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    #16
    One thing that seems odd is that the GS550 gearbox is also presumably the same six speed and - I've never owned or ridden one - as yet I haven't heard the same complaint/opinion.

    I went through the same 600 miles and then increasing missed shifts and clutch grab syndrome. Used to get to about a thousand and then just give up and change it. Switching to Motul semi synthetic made it go away. Not only that, but consistent use makes the gearbox and clutch better over time. Full synthetic seems even better.

    There are laterally sliding operations in a gearbox and my hunch is that those aspects in this gearbox just perform better with synthetic, wheres the 5 speeds don't seem to notice as much. Maybe bigger parts and larger clearances or less tendency to bind on the shifter forks.

    While it's not quite the same gearbox, the six speed came out in the old T20 250 two stroke back in '66. Thus it had its own supply of cooler oil and all the zinc and such that the catalytic converter has made a baddie. The common wisdom is that the gears shear up the VI improvers, but gearbox less motors will do that too, but the tranny and clutch aren't there to complain about it. The other aspect to consider is that the old two stroke had the smooth power output of a four, what with two cylinders firing twice as often and less power, so the 'box had it easier.

    I've repeated the same syndrome and fix with quite a number of other's bikes. Sure, I don't like paying big money for oil that's on a one way trip to the recycle, but who wants a grabby and draggy clutch and a cranky gearbox? If you don't have a problem, or don't care or notice, disregard this message. If you do, try a high quality motorcycle synthetic and see if it helps.
    '82 GS450T

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      #17
      ^ well, it's good to know it's not just me and just my gearboxes then.... indeed I haven't mentioned my 5-speed 650 as having the same symptoms, but- I haven't owned it as long so I am using the same oil as I find for the 6 speed boxes....

      try a high quality motorcycle synthetic
      well! of course! but at $10 a litre! My disease is that I figure "peace of mind" plus retailer's markup on that "peace of mind" is $7 of that price... (The ratio 7/10 exhibits the progress of my illness ) However we may at least agree that what you might call a "flushing oil" might be chosen from a more generic plumage? because the core of "motorcycle oil threads" has the symptoms of my disease....low cost substitution. The vortex is in the details of these....

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        #18
        As I recall - not my area of expertise - is that the 650G used the sixth pair as a transfer to the output bevel gears. Thus it's a six speed but just revised. I seem to recall that the output pair was prone to wearing out a bit early as all the other gear pairs go out through it.

        The 5 speed bigger fours that I've owned, both chain and G model, never seemed to care so much about oil for shifting and clutch, but they certainly had a bit more enthusiasm on the expensive synthetic stuff.
        '82 GS450T

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          #19
          My go-to is olive oil. For high temp oil I like sunflower oil.

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            #20
            Good old salt and butter for oil on my popcorn.
            1982 GS1100E "Jolene"

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