Semi or synthetic oil?

Need advice on which oil to use or which tyre best suits you? Share your topic and get help here.
User avatar
MacV2
Posts: 18027
Joined: Sun Jan 21, 2007 12:07 pm
Location: Grain

Re: Semi or synthetic oil?

Post by MacV2 »

I've been using Silkolean semi 10w 40 since I've owned the bike...7 years...never had a problem with it.
Making up since 2007, sometimes it's true...Honest...
scouse645
Posts: 270
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2013 3:34 pm
Location: northants

Re: Semi or synthetic oil?

Post by scouse645 »

Glad you mentioned that macV2 as i have just had silkolene delivered today, now i know its ok.
User avatar
seb421
Posts: 4840
Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2009 1:06 am
Location: Bolton Lancs

Re: Semi or synthetic oil?

Post by seb421 »

MacV2 wrote:I've been using Silkolean semi 10w 40 since I've owned the bike...7 years...never had a problem with it.
It's brilliant oil, all I used in the CRF450 (fully not semi) and that got raced and abused never missed a beat, used it a few times in the VTR too, would have got it more but Halfords near me don't stock it

Has the sweetest of smells too

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
Last edited by seb421 on Sun Apr 21, 2013 12:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
ヨシムラ

MOT - 10/04/2015
TAX - 30/11/14
INSURANCE - MCE - Expires 12/04/2015 (Midnight)
ACCIDENT CALL - 0871 2227910
RAC - 0800 1977830 - 03_MCECAB90013033
User avatar
seb421
Posts: 4840
Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2009 1:06 am
Location: Bolton Lancs

Re: Semi or synthetic oil?

Post by seb421 »

alexmac wrote:YES !!! just like the old wife's tale about, not useing FULLY SYNTHETIC in a vtr motor ???
Totally different....

99 percent of people that have tried fully synthetic on here will be a testament to clutch slipping under hard loads with that oil

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
ヨシムラ

MOT - 10/04/2015
TAX - 30/11/14
INSURANCE - MCE - Expires 12/04/2015 (Midnight)
ACCIDENT CALL - 0871 2227910
RAC - 0800 1977830 - 03_MCECAB90013033
alexmac
Posts: 66
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 3:52 pm

Re: Semi or synthetic oil?

Post by alexmac »

hi mate, (quote} SILKOLEAN COMP 4 SYNTHETIC. APi sf sg sh sg sj (meet's and exceedes semi/synt spec's)
ester base & high quality component's
ensure's rapid oil curculation on cold start up.
excellent lubrication under all condition's.
SUPERIOR WET CLUTCH PROFORMANCE'
particularly recommended, for certain late model HONDA MOTORCYCLE'S. (inclueding vtr's) how do i khow ???
because yesterday i did a service on my bike,useing comp 4 oil.
after an 80 mile run, of A-B road's, d/carriageway, and a few traffic light launce's.
happy to say NO CLUTCH SLIP.
motorcycle oil has come on leap's and bound's since honda launced the vtr.
i know that the oil, is the life blood of the engine, the pump's the heart, and the filter's the lung's - - -
(ZEN AND THE ART OF MOTORCYCLE MAINTAINANCE) not a bad read, but ferk all to do with motorbike's
you use what you think is best for you, and your bike. everyone to there own.
it may be the the guy's, who have had issue's with a slipping clutch, have a clutch problem, and not an oil issue.
BTW i don't think this is totally different. this is a debate about, semi or synthetic oil, so i think my reply was relevent ??? be also good to hear from the other 99 percent who have experianced this issue with synthetic oil. as it is at the moment, only appeare's to be you. and no disrespect fella, but from reading your post's. over the last few month's. your not what i,d call mister lucky. all the best
User avatar
seb421
Posts: 4840
Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2009 1:06 am
Location: Bolton Lancs

Re: Semi or synthetic oil?

Post by seb421 »

Use the search engine and ye shall see

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
ヨシムラ

MOT - 10/04/2015
TAX - 30/11/14
INSURANCE - MCE - Expires 12/04/2015 (Midnight)
ACCIDENT CALL - 0871 2227910
RAC - 0800 1977830 - 03_MCECAB90013033
alexmac
Posts: 66
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 3:52 pm

Re: Semi or synthetic oil?

Post by alexmac »

try'ed the engine, but seeing now't. all the guy,s useing synthtic, not got a problem
User avatar
AMCQ46
Posts: 16742
Joined: Mon May 11, 2009 4:54 pm
Location: Worcestershire / Warwickshire border

Re: Semi or synthetic oil?

Post by AMCQ46 »

Alex, I can back up Sebs claim, after a few hundred miles with fully synth my clutch will slip when i pop wheelies, go back to semi and a few hundred miles later it works fine again.

Also been told by a good number of mechanics from various garages and race teams that older lower stressed engines work better with the semi synth, basicaly they were designed to work together...newer engines are designed to work with the latest lubrication technology.

There was also an article in practical sports bike magazine where they were advising against fully synth in the classic jap superbikes GS CBX and even the original GSXR engine....I will see if I can find it

So buying a lower cost oil that is better suited for your bike...it's an easy decision...or it that just because I am a Scotsman? :lol:
AMcQ
tony.mon
Posts: 16288
Joined: Wed Jul 25, 2007 10:46 pm
Location: Norf Kent

Re: Semi or synthetic oil?

Post by tony.mon »

I won't use fully synthetic in anything except latest bikes, I've had clutch slip using fully synth in a few bikes, and as A McQ says, changing back lets it fix itself, but you have to wait until it replaces the oil in the friction plates once again.
It's not falling off, it's an upgrade opportunity.
mart3442
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2013 3:26 pm

Re: Semi or synthetic oil?

Post by mart3442 »

seb421 wrote:
mart3442 wrote:Pretty much every Honda I've owned thats been '90's onwards has had the stcking tensioner issue, I always change them for manual jobs.
On the issue of Oil, my mate (a trained Honda mechanic) swore by Castrol oils for Honda engines. We always took this with a pinch of salt until a lad came into the workshop with an immaculate 1992 Blade.
A very well looked after bike but the engine was sounding like a bag of spanners. The poor lad was almost in tears, he'd had it almost from new and it was obviously his pride and joy. Turns out he always did his own Oil and filter changes and had bought 4 litres of Silkolene for the latest oil change. He told my mate he'd always used castrol up to that point, but as this had been on special offer he bought it. My mates advice was drop the oil and put Castrol in the bike.....This was done and the problem was solved, go figure.....
This i find hard to belive its sounding like one if these old wife's tales

Which oil from silkolene had he put in that caused this?

Hard to believe or not, tis true. I witnessed it with my own eyes....


Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
User avatar
VTRDark
Posts: 20010
Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2012 9:24 pm

Re: Semi or synthetic oil?

Post by VTRDark »

There must have been some other issue going on. If engine parts are worn and sounding like a bag of nails then suddenly putting a different brand oil in is not going to fix that. Yeh old oil may make an engine sound a little bit more rattly and gearbox clunky as it's lost it's properties but replacing that with any fresh oil would sort that out as long as parts have not worn to the point of permanent damage.

(:-})
==============================Enter the Darkside
adyf
Posts: 839
Joined: Sat Jun 02, 2012 10:09 pm
Location: Selby. n.yorks

Re: Semi or synthetic oil?

Post by adyf »

I can see what people are saying about semi-synth,but o swear mine feels better on castrol fully synth racing,I'm sure I went on the castrol website and it reccommended the racing for the vtr,because of Castrols history with Honda I trusted there reccommendation,must admit had no probs,done 220 miles today at a fair pace,hitting 140,cant say clutch feels as if It's slipping,could be wrong but oil seems good in my vtr.doesn't help I know just my opinion ,not a mechanic just sounds and feels sweeter.go figure?.
User avatar
popkat
Posts: 2804
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2012 9:32 am
Location: Devon

Re: Semi or synthetic oil?

Post by popkat »

alexmac wrote:hi mate, (quote} SILKOLEAN COMP 4 SYNTHETIC. APi sf sg sh sg sj (meet's and exceedes semi/synt spec's)
ester base & high quality component's
ensure's rapid oil curculation on cold start up.
excellent lubrication under all condition's.
SUPERIOR WET CLUTCH PROFORMANCE'
particularly recommended, for certain late model HONDA MOTORCYCLE'S. (inclueding vtr's) how do i khow ???
because yesterday i did a service on my bike,useing comp 4 oil.
after an 80 mile run, of A-B road's, d/carriageway, and a few traffic light launce's.
happy to say NO CLUTCH SLIP.
motorcycle oil has come on leap's and bound's since honda launced the vtr.
i know that the oil, is the life blood of the engine, the pump's the heart, and the filter's the lung's - - -
(ZEN AND THE ART OF MOTORCYCLE MAINTAINANCE) not a bad read, but ferk all to do with motorbike's
you use what you think is best for you, and your bike. everyone to there own.
it may be the the guy's, who have had issue's with a slipping clutch, have a clutch problem, and not an oil issue.
BTW i don't think this is totally different. this is a debate about, semi or synthetic oil, so i think my reply was relevent ??? be also good to hear from the other 99 percent who have experianced this issue with synthetic oil. as it is at the moment, only appeare's to be you. and no disrespect fella, but from reading your post's. over the last few month's. your not what i,d call mister lucky. all the best
Silkoline comp4 is NOT a full syntheyic oil, it's a semi synthetic. You won't suffer clutch slip with it. Pro4 is the fully synthetic stuff.
I don't use Fully synthetic in my bikes or the bikes i service (unless the owner specifically asks for it), some bikes have been known to suffer clutch slip, Early millie's even suffered clutch slip on high quality semi, but apart from that modern semi's meet all the requirements most bike engines need.
http://www.bidefordmotorcycles.co.uk
2014 CRMC Post classic Superbike champion.
2014 CRMC Post classic senior production champion. On a Suzuki Katana 1100
My bikes, Firestorm, Suzuki GSX-s1000 Katana, VFR800Fi. Projects, 1986 popup Katana, 3 XJ600’s
alexmac
Posts: 66
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 3:52 pm

Re: Semi or synthetic oil?

Post by alexmac »

popkat wrote:
alexmac wrote:hi mate, (quote} SILKOLEAN COMP 4 SYNTHETIC. APi sf sg sh sg sj (meet's and exceedes semi/synt spec's)
ester base & high quality component's
ensure's rapid oil curculation on cold start up.
excellent lubrication under all condition's.
SUPERIOR WET CLUTCH PROFORMANCE'
particularly recommended, for certain late model HONDA MOTORCYCLE'S. (inclueding vtr's) how do i khow ???
because yesterday i did a service on my bike,useing comp 4 oil.
after an 80 mile run, of A-B road's, d/carriageway, and a few traffic light launce's.
happy to say NO CLUTCH SLIP.
motorcycle oil has come on leap's and bound's since honda launced the vtr.
i know that the oil, is the life blood of the engine, the pump's the heart, and the filter's the lung's - - -
(ZEN AND THE ART OF MOTORCYCLE MAINTAINANCE) not a bad read, but ferk all to do with motorbike's
you use what you think is best for you, and your bike. everyone to there own.
it may be the the guy's, who have had issue's with a slipping clutch, have a clutch problem, and not an oil issue.
BTW i don't think this is totally different. this is a debate about, semi or synthetic oil, so i think my reply was relevent ??? be also good to hear from the other 99 percent who have experianced this issue with synthetic oil. as it is at the moment, only appeare's to be you. and no disrespect fella, but from reading your post's. over the last few month's. your not what i,d call mister lucky. all the best
Silkoline comp4 is NOT a full syntheyic oil, it's a semi synthetic. You won't suffer clutch slip with it. Pro4 is the fully synthetic stuff.
I don't use Fully synthetic in my bikes or the bikes i service (unless the owner specifically asks for it), some bikes have been known to suffer clutch slip, Early millie's even suffered clutch slip on high quality semi, but apart from that modern semi's meet all the requirements most bike engines need.

hi, sorry to disagre . but i think you'll find it is fully synthetic. ask the guy's at OPIE OIL'S (01209 202944)
DON'T know why some vtr's suffer with fully synthetic, and other.s don't
all i know is, i'v been useing fully synthetic, in both my vtr's for about 8 year's with no clutch issue's
oil preferance is a personal thing. it work's for me, so im happy. alll the best alex
User avatar
popkat
Posts: 2804
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2012 9:32 am
Location: Devon

Re: Semi or synthetic oil?

Post by popkat »

YOUR NOT USING FULLY SYNTHETIC......COMP4 IS SEMI SYNTHETIC

Think what you like mate but feel free to go ahead and contact fuchs silkoline direct if you like, they'll tell you it's semi. I sell the stuff.
http://www.bidefordmotorcycles.co.uk
2014 CRMC Post classic Superbike champion.
2014 CRMC Post classic senior production champion. On a Suzuki Katana 1100
My bikes, Firestorm, Suzuki GSX-s1000 Katana, VFR800Fi. Projects, 1986 popup Katana, 3 XJ600’s
Post Reply