Oil etc

[Jazzscot]

I guess that this has been covered before but I would like some advice please. As the weather is getting worse my bike is in the garage and its time to do some winter maintenance. What type of oil and cooling fluid do all you guys use??

Any pro's and con's?? and where is the best place to get them?

Cheers Jazz

[Phil-VTwin]

Oil - 10w40 semi synth motorcycle oil, i just use the stuff from Halfords but its down to personal choice and how often you want to change it.

Coolant, this HAS to be a Type 2 coolant that doesn't have silicants present, the Honda bike stuff is expensive so i went along to the Honda car dealership and got 5 litres of type 2 ready mixed :-)

[IgorVigor]

Nothing wrong with Halfords oil (used it in the last bike because it was cheaper, due to the rate it burnt oil )

Personally, I have just done an oil change, and used my old favourite...

Castrol Power1 GPS 10w40 Semi synthetic.

I get it from halfords...Its a bit more expensive (£28 for 4 litres) but personally I have found the engines I use it in seem smoother...

And if fully synthetic is your preference Castrol do a version called Power1 Racing...

TBH though, as long as you use a good bike oil you should be fine...

Mostly depends on how much your willing to spend.

As for coolant, I will probably do the same as Phil when I change mine...

[tony.mon]

there's a link to Opie Oils in the Workshop Knowledgebase, where you get discounts by quoting this web address.
Works out quite cheap in my experience, although they didn't used to do an oil/filter package for the Storm.

[bazza696]

I am lucky as my car uses Mobile 1 Super S 10w40 so I buy in bulk and use it for both. I have found Opie oils work out expensive if you want just one 5 litre bottle due to the cost of delivery, sometimes Halfords do deals on the oil and I buy 2 or 3 x 5litre.

I worked out that you need to buy at least 2 x 5litre to equal Halfords price. I usually pay 22 quid for my oil.

[Jazzscot]

Lots of helpful advice guys thanks

Jazz

[sirch345]

I personally stick with proper motorcycle engine oil. 10/40W semi-synth. OK it might not be so cheap but, remember car engine oil does not have to allow for the clutch running in it, also most average car engines don't rev as high as motorcycle engines, not even as high as the fairly (by todays standards) low revving Storm engine.

Chris.

**EDIT**
Just found this quote:-

So how is Mobil 1 for passenger cars different from Mobil 1 for motorcycles?

First, let's be clear about Mobil 1's overall benefits compared to those of conventional motor oils, whether for passenger cars or motorcycles:
Superior long-term engine protection.
Superior high-temperature stability.
Excellent low-temperature starting.
Outstanding engine performance.
Low volatility/low oil consumption
It's a little hard to generalize about the difference between Mobil 1 passenger-car motor oils and Mobil 1 motorcycle oils. That's because not all viscosities of Mobil 1 passenger-car oils have the same levels of zinc and phosphorus, and there are even greater differences among the three Mobil 1 motorcycle oils.

In general, Mobil 1 motorcycle oils have:
Additive packages balanced differently for motorcycle engine and transmission operation. For passenger vehicles, fuel economy and emission system protection are higher priorities. These require low phosphorus systems and the use of friction modifiers. Motorcycle oils do not require friction modifiers for fuel economy and for better clutch friction less/no friction modifier is optimum. Motorcycle oils allow the use of higher levels of antiwear additives such as ZDDP (phosphorous).

[AMCQ46]

I was advised by a honda mechanic NOT to use fully synthetic oil in the Firestorm, he said that it was found to be a cause of clutch issues on the big torque twins. Best suited to high revving IL4's

His advice was 10/40 semi synthetic.

although I have not researched this any further, to be told to stop wasting my money on top spec syntheitic oil, as it was not helping the slower revving V-twin [and may be having a -ve effect] was a good enough reason for me to start saving money................You can take the boy out of Scotland, but you cant take Scotland out of the boy

I tend to use a brand name like Castrol in my bikes, but more than happy to put Halfords in the cars

[Gerrit]

Hi all, I came across this website http://www.motoroilbible.com/, and I bought the ebook.

U wanna know about oil in laymans terms, I suggest that u get this, it is an awesome read.


regards,
Gerrit de la Rey

[Collywog19]

I just use halfords 10/40 semi synthetic motorcycle oil. Used it for years and its always been spot on!

Col

[Twinpotter]

Castrol Power1 GPS 4T 10w40 Semi synthetic.