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Anonymous
Guest
Castrol GTX 10w40 Use it and change it every 3000 miles and you will never have a problem with it. Wouldn't use anything but Castrol, been using it exclusively since 1969.
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Anonymous
Guest
I own a 1978 GS750. I use Castrol classic 20W50, despite the oil cap having "use 10W40" stamped on it. The manual says 20W50. So long as you use a quality brand, of the correct viscocity range and ensure it EXCEEDS the required SAE spec (most oils today will) and you change regularly then you are doing all you can. I agree that you shouldn't use any aftermarket oil additives, avoid slick50 like the plague, and don't use magnatec. Just stick to what the bike was designed to use, miniral based 20W50 in my case.
J
Jay B
Guest
Oils
Oils
Since I bought my bike I was using Quaker State 10-40 Synthetic. After about 2000 miles it would darken and shifting would get a little rough, thats how I knew when to change it. But I got good gas milege and a very smooth running engine. This year I switched to Valvoline 20-50 synthetic and after 2500 miles it had only darken very slightly and I still had silky smooth shifts. Gas milege is about the same.
Oils
Since I bought my bike I was using Quaker State 10-40 Synthetic. After about 2000 miles it would darken and shifting would get a little rough, thats how I knew when to change it. But I got good gas milege and a very smooth running engine. This year I switched to Valvoline 20-50 synthetic and after 2500 miles it had only darken very slightly and I still had silky smooth shifts. Gas milege is about the same.
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Anonymous
Guest
i have always used 20w50 in all 3 of my gs including the dragbike - just use the more expensive spectro 20-50 in the drag bike;
i have read on several dragbike engine builders that running mobil-1 10-40 is the choice - but i'm sceptical;
i do run mobil-1 in my cars - and it is the best;
dave-1100
i have read on several dragbike engine builders that running mobil-1 10-40 is the choice - but i'm sceptical;
i do run mobil-1 in my cars - and it is the best;
dave-1100
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lecroy
Guest
I run a Torco synthetic in my drag bike that is suited for the Methanol. In my street bikes I normally run a 20W50 Kendal in the summer months. Nothing foams like it.
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Anonymous
Guest
Motor oil
Motor oil
I just changed my oil and filter and I used Spectro 4 MC blended oil 10W40. It is a dino oil and comes in a nice 4 lt. jug. A friend of mine who rode Beemers for 20 years and now has a Yamaha V-star who swears on synthetics. I'm not sold on the newer oils but to each his own.
GY
Motor oil
I just changed my oil and filter and I used Spectro 4 MC blended oil 10W40. It is a dino oil and comes in a nice 4 lt. jug. A friend of mine who rode Beemers for 20 years and now has a Yamaha V-star who swears on synthetics. I'm not sold on the newer oils but to each his own.
GY
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Anonymous
Guest
For the last 9 years, I have been running Golden Spectro synthetic "blend" in my bikes and have had no problems whatsoever. I have not yet put it in the GS yet until I know that I have the fuel problem fixed. MCN had a couple of good articles a year or so ago that broke down a bunch of oils, car, bike, synthetic, you name it, and broke it down to all the ingredients and how much they had, etc. Then they got a bunch of gold wing guys to run the oils for 1500 miles or so and drain it and tested it again for breakdown. I don't remember all the facts, but a lot of the facts would suprise you!
Mike: 81GS1100EX, KZdragbike, 84 Honda interceptor.
Mike: 81GS1100EX, KZdragbike, 84 Honda interceptor.
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Anonymous
Guest
New bikes can handle synthetic motor oils but bikes like the old GS's have clutches that will slip or fail to engage all together if a synthetic is used.
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Anonymous
Guest
which old gs bikes are you referring to pleaseMichael Falke said:
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Anonymous
Guest
Well at least my 1979 can't use it and I know another 1980 GS1000 that can't. When it gets into the mid 80's I haven't a clue.
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Anonymous
Guest
Its definitely not a cut and dry thing Mike--the guys have had both good and bad experiences with synthetic oil.Michael Falke said:
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Anonymous
Guest
I read everything I could find on the web on this subject. As a result, when I change the oil before putting my bikes to sleep for the winter I'll be putting in 10W-40 automotive synthetic oil. If you avoid the "energy conserving" notation in the circular logo on the rear of the bottle (usually found on the 5W-30 and 10W-30 weight oils we wouldn't use anyway) you should be okay, based on all I learned. The API starburst logo on the front of the bottle is probably universal, and not a concern for me. If I wasn't springing for synthetic, I'd use auto dino oil of the appropriate weight range, and without the energy conserving notation. I'll let you know come spring if I have any problems!
R
redliner1973
Guest
If you use synthetic, and your clutch starts to slip under hard acceleration, usual cause is worn springs, and that the synthetics are usually more prone to 'de-varnish' and engine moreso than dino's do. and, when this happens, it does it unevenly on the clutch plates causing them to slip. use of new springs (usually because the old one are 20+ years old anyhow) will usually remedy this problem. 
