What oil to use?

[Tagged]

What oil to use, and how many km before change? Mostly long touring trips, max 7000/8000 rpm. 

 

Kawasaki Versys 1000

 

oil to choose 

 

 

 

[VocalNeal]

Like the manual says 

 

SAE 10-40  with MA rating 

 

Personally I would choose fully synthetic. Semi Synthetic is a waste of money. It is neither fish nor fowl.

 

For me brand is irrelevant. Shell Advance Ultra should be at Shell gas stations. If convenient. 

From your picture I would chose second from left HiTech 100. 

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, Tagged said:

What oil to use, and how many km before change?

I use to change oil every 8000 k or every year.

Oil make is up to you I used Castrol power 1.

I revved my Versys 650 to the red line from time to time never did it any harm. ????

 

[Tagged]

Well, I did my first service now, and this is what Kawa deliver of oil, therefor my choices! 

 

 

[VocalNeal]

This changes things a bit...

I believe at first service conventional wisdom says use regular dinosaur oil (non synthetic) and change to fully synthetic at first proper oil change.

[papa al]

Shell Ultra Advance 100% synthectic from natural gas is really good.

IpHO.                 B420/l

1/2 year ago, started running this in my ceeber150 at 43,200 km odo;

low time overhaul.

Now at 46,500 [3,300km]

oil is still super clean looking.

[no hab filter]

Added deciliter to top.

Some hiway running at sustained 8,000 rpm and up

10-ish.

Noticed my mechanic is now stocking Amsoil motorcycle oils.

This is the best oil.       B480.   100% synthetic.

Amsoil says can double factory recommended change interval.

Increases power/efficiency/economy.

"fully synthetic" not same "100% synthetic"

It's all good, but 100% synthetic in best.

Amen.

 

 

[VocalNeal]

3 minutes ago, papa al said:

Ams oil says can double factory recommended change interval.

Same with any fully synthetic if factory change intervals are based on Dino oil. 

 

60B a litre is negligible though.

[papa al]

it's all good for sure.

Amsoil is a PAO based group-4 oil.

Close to immortal in use.

Long-haul trucks in USA never change it,

million miles ++

just filtration.

Crazy.

Fuel costs down like 3%.

[Tagged]

I use what Kawasaki deliver since the bike is new, and follow their recomendations. 

 

I choosed this one 

 

https://www.louis.eu/artikel/motul-300v-4t-fl-road-racing-engine-oil-sae-10w-40-fully-synthetic-fuer-kawasaki-versys-1000/10037616?list=bebf802e94955e861124e3408baa29f1&filter_bike_id=2805

 

 

1000 baht a litre! 

 

[Tagged]

And this is what I feel is quite a good answer!

 

 

[papa al]

2 minutes ago, Tagged said:

I use what Kawasaki deliver since the bike is new, and follow their recomendations. 

 

I choosed this one 

 

https://www.louis.eu/artikel/motul-300v-4t-fl-road-racing-engine-oil-sae-10w-40-fully-synthetic-fuer-kawasaki-versys-1000/10037616?list=bebf802e94955e861124e3408baa29f1&filter_bike_id=2805

 

 

1000 baht a litre! 

 

I see ESTER on the label.

Highest performance protection.

They us it in jets/turbines;

very heat tolerant.

Expensive.

In the presence of water ester will break down

into an alcohol and carboxylic acid.

10x overkill for what we need.

[papa al]

3 minutes ago, Tagged said:

And this is what I feel is quite a good answer!

 

 

The guy is a Civil Servant Aspirant !!

How could one doubt ... ?

 

[Tagged]

4 minutes ago, papa al said:

The guy is a Civil Servant Aspirant !!

How could one doubt ... ?

 

And, do you have any comment about what he stated? 

[Kwasaki]

7 minutes ago, Tagged said:

And, do you have any comment about what he stated? 

I do !!   His salesman promoting expensive oil along with the BS.

[Tagged]

Anyway, will do 10000 km before next oilshift on this one! 

 

Same I do with synthetic on my 500x 

[Kerryd]

For Harley's, we use 10W50. Probably due to the air-cooling and high ambient temperatures (normal air temperature).

 

According to this site, 10W40 should be fine for your bike at ambient temperatures up to 40⁰ C, which is a bit higher than it normally gets in Thailand. Plus your bike is liquid cooled.
Note the chart on this site that shows the viscosity/temperature: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/824389/Kawasaki-Versys-1000.html?page=77

 
Note: That link is the full Versys 1000 maintenance manual. You may want to bookmark that for future reference.

[JonnyF]

I've switched from 10W-40 to 15W-50 or 20W-50.

 

As Kerryd's chart in the link above shows, 20W is good for temperatures as low as zero. You're much more likely to find temperatures over 40 in Thailand than anything approaching zero so 15W-50 or 20W-50 is better for this climate than 10W-40 IMO. According to my car, it was 44 outside last week in Korat town at around 1pm so in theory that's outside the spec of 10W-40.

 

I use 100% Synthetic on my big bikes (any "name brand" is fine IMO) and I use pretty much anything on my small bikes, as long as it's bike specific oil I don't think it matters much on things like Honda Wave's, just change it every few thousand kms. I use Amsoil for the gearbox oil on my 2 stroke dirtbike. Most oils can be found on Lazada at OK prices.

 

[whaleboneman]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

I've switched from 10W-40 to 15W-50 or 20W-50.

 

As Kerryd's chart in the link above shows, 20W is good for temperatures as low as zero. You're much more likely to find temperatures over 40 in Thailand than anything approaching zero so 15W-50 or 20W-50 is better for this climate than 10W-40 IMO. According to my car, it was 44 outside last week in Korat town at around 1pm so in theory that's outside the spec of 10W-40.

 

I use 100% Synthetic on my big bikes (any "name brand" is fine IMO) and I use pretty much anything on my small bikes, as long as it's bike specific oil I don't think it matters much on things like Honda Wave's, just change it every few thousand kms. I use Amsoil for the gearbox oil on my 2 stroke dirtbike. Most oils can be found on Lazada at OK prices.

 

Manufacturers recommendations are a better guide to follow regardless of ambient temperature. Also, the 40 refers to viscosity of the oil not the ambient temperature. 

[Lacessit]

It depends on how often the oil is changed, and what one is prepared to pay. Mineral-based oils are the cheapest, and have lowest durability. Full synthetics are dearest.

Personally, I change the oil on my scooter every 4000 km with a full synthetic. That's probably overkill, given 80 km/hr is the highest speed I do. However, I'm a fussbudget with a bit of OCD mixed in.

[YayaManos]

There many players in the lubricant market, there is a company based out of Chicago, USA their product is "Lenco" and this company blends fully synthetic. In US, the border patrol have run their vehicles in excess of 50,000km without any oil change.

[JonnyF]

36 minutes ago, whaleboneman said:

Manufacturers recommendations are a better guide to follow regardless of ambient temperature. Also, the 40 refers to viscosity of the oil not the ambient temperature. 

Manufacturers guides normally take into account the ambient temperatures since they don't know where their bikes will be ridden, as you would have seen if you clicked on Kerryd's link. 10W-30 is recommended up to 30 degrees C. 10W-40 or 20W-40 is recommended up to 40 degrees C and 10W-50 and 20W-50 is recommended up to 50 degrees C. 

 

See below. You can see that 20W-50 covers from zero degrees C to 50 degrees C. That is better for Thailand than 10W-40 (minus 10 to 40 degrees C) since as I stated, it's quite likely is will go over 40 here (as it did last week) but not very likely it will go below zero. 

 

[VocalNeal]

^ 

 

Hmmm. Versys 1000 is liquid cooled so the engine will run at pretty much the same temperature regardless of the atmospheric ambient temperature. 

[JonnyF]

58 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

^ 

 

Hmmm. Versys 1000 is liquid cooled so the engine will run at pretty much the same temperature regardless of the atmospheric ambient temperature. 

Even liquid cooled engines are affected by ambient temperature. They still run cooler when going 100 kph as opposed to 10 kph because they still get cooled by the air to a certain extent. What do you think cools the liquid in the radiator before it is returned to the engine?

 

Kawasaki are aware of this which is why they recommend different types of oil depending on the temperature the bike is being ridden in. This is from the same (Kawasaki) manual as the chart I previously posted...

 

[krbkk]

the absolute best one is: Mobil1 5W-50

[Tagged]

Only one have answered what I asked for so far ????????

 

Thank you all for your interest and answers! I already serviced the bike as said before, with one of those showed in the pick. I asked for wich of those should I choose. I know it is overkill, and any of those showed would have been fine! 

 

Have a G day

 

[VocalNeal]

Yes but you didn't use my suggestion!  

[VocalNeal]

28 minutes ago, krbkk said:

the absolute best one is: Mobil1 5W-50

Originally introduced in about 1973  It wasn't MA rated but I did try in in my Cagiva. I now know why the clutch started slipping.

[jackdd]

Somehow i doubt a manufacturer would recommend an oil which is bad for the engine, so in my Triumph i use the Motul 3100. I just had a look at the oil in my bike (using it since 9000km, 10k is the oil change interval), and imho it just looks a little bit darker than when it was new and it feels completely normal. Obviously this is just my subjective impression of its current state.

[Tagged]

7 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

Yes but you didn't use my suggestion!  

Next time I will do

[Isaanbiker]

Considering the heat, I'd go for Mobil Super Moto 20/40. One bottle around 120 baht. I buy three 1 liter ones and that's how much I need for an oil change.

 

            I change my oil every 3,000 km and my engine is as good as new. 

oil II.jfif