10W60 oil for our bike

Hi Pals!

I have question about oil. Some days ago I read in an italian forum about VFR800 that 10W60 oil is better than 10W50,

Have someone any idea about that? Would recommend or stay with 10W50?

Thank you!!!

 

I don't see why it would be better, heavier weight oils tend to run hotter and that is one thing the VFR doesn't need: more heat. I ran an air cooled Suzuki in the '80s. I installed an oil temperature gauge, and discovered that 20W-50 motor oil ran significantly hotter than 10W-40 motor oil. Same brand, just different viscosity.

And I've heard that oils with more spread in viscosity break down faster than others. This one could be urban legend, don't know.

And last, but not least, I have never in my life seen 10W-60 motor oil.

 

Well, it's a good point, with that oil maybe the VFR can be converted for an oven in summer (more!). I don't get very well the concept about viscosity relationship with that numbers.


PD:

 

If you plan on riding your vfr to the sun to see the next solar flare, then I guess 10W60 would be advised.

 

lol.

Well, may be the description of the manual have the answer

 

Guys come on we all know that a mix of 10w40 and 10w50 is the best

opcorn:

 

Why not just put gear oil in? Most street engines don't even need 50w oils. With the new polymers and synthetic oils there is no need to run a heavy oil. Quite a few car mfgs use 5-20 in their motors and they hold up fine because of the newer machining tolerances along with better metals. It's not like the old days of oils.

Plus your putting more strain on the oil pump. It needs to work harder. Whether that would show up in wear I don't know. I have seen it on some engines in the past. Run a good 10-40 and you will have all the protection you need.

Or if you want the best try Slick 50. May be they will make a Slick 60???

 

It is blatantly obvious that we need SOW to come to the rescue and sort this problem out once and for all

 

As much as I dislike bickering of oil, 10W-40 conventional is the worst pick of the litter based on independent test data. Motorcycle engines (especially gear-driven cams ones like some of ours) have a much higher shear factor and really abuse the oil much more so. 10W-40 will be churned into baby oil in a couple thousand. Now, if you are talking synthetics, all is quiet on the western front.

 

Shhhhh, don't wake it ... ...

ACE

 

That's why you need oil made for motorcycles. It has those qualities unlike automotive oils. Look at Spectro oils. They were designed just for that purpose and have some of the best polymers around. The biggest shear events happen in the trans. I've never had a problem with Spectro 10-40 on the street or the track since 1975. It has made all my transmissions shift better than other oils I tried.

It's not only the viscosity but what other amounts of additives like zinc and phosphorous being used.

 

One main factor to keep in mind when considering a higher viscosity oil is that the thicker the oil, the more it will be in its own way. In journal bearings (like crankshaft and camshaft bearings) (non-rolling element bearings) you rely completely on oil film to lift and maintain separation between the crankshaft or camshaft bearing race and the bearing journal. If you go with a thicker viscosity oil, you're then trying to make it fit through the bearing clearances that are not designed for that thick of an oil. That will generate heat, increase shear, increase wear at start-up, and could cause bearings to not operate at center.

Stick with OEM recommendations when it comes to oil viscosity. If you want to make an improvement, go with a full (PAO basestock) synthetic of the same viscosity specifically for motorcycles from a reputable oil manufacturer.

 

Slick 50 in a bike engine?? You were kidding right??
Personally I use Silkolene 10w-40 semi and change it regularly including the filter. By regularly I mean below 4k miles and before winter storage.
I can see from the pic of the manual that 20w-50 for temps from 0 degF (32 degC) but for easy starting and fast flow I won't go below 10w.
Gear oil? Let us know how you get on, if you try it!

 

I use 05-40, 10-40, 10-50. 10-60 only over 100 degrees. You can mix syn oil of the same brand only. Last change I did 2 qts of 10-40, 1 qt of 10-50 syn Castrol Racing rt which has the highest motorcycle rating. There are only a few syn m oils with the Highest rating better than 05-40 rottla only gets a ma rating, Castrol Ma 2-the best there is. 10-50 is quite a bit thinker than 10-40. I wouldn't use 3 qts of 10-50 -maybe a bit too think. Just a bit of 10-50 to take the edge off. Napa platinum is the best filter I could find for the vfr-high flow, holds a lot of junk and is a work of filter art work make also for syn oil, purculator pure one is a second choice but would not flow as well, so its not the best choice. remove carbon canister for easy oil filter install-use longer one. Check oil on level ground with both feet holding it up- center stand is not perfect for checking oil level.:vtr2:

 

I would have to say not to use 10-60w, by the way start up of 10-40,10-50, 10-60 is the same till the engine starts to warm up-10-60 w will take the longest and will stay warm the longest too. syn oil flows faster too.; Racing syn oil should have a lot of zinc in it.

 

One simple question: How do you check the oil if you're straddling the bike holding it upright? How do you bend over and actually see the level? Why would the centerstand not be better? Especially since the marks indicating High and Low levels are to be used with the bike on the centerstand. So what do you use to determine what the proper level is when it's on the tires, since the angle is not the same? The marks on the sight glass will no longer apply.