Synthetics & Shifting

Discussion in '6th Generation 2002-2013' started by fitzharris, Jan 16, 2014.

  1. fitzharris

    fitzharris New Member

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    If you have switched over to synthetic oil I'd like your input. My question: Is there any noticeable difference in the smoothness of shifting? Just wondering...I have been on "dry clutch " BMWs for 25 years and never used synthetics.
     
  2. Allyance

    Allyance Insider

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    The big difference between synthetics and petroleum based oils are the number of polymers they have to put into petroleum oils. These polymers start breaking down immediately!
    There is a characteristic of oil call sheering, where the molecules actual sheer under stress, synthetic rarely sheer. I read an article by a lubrication engineer with 30 years experience, he went 28,000 miles on one oil change (in a diesel truck engine)! He sends his oil samples to a lab to find out when to change! Lot of articles on Google about the differences.
     
  3. Scubalong

    Scubalong Official Greeter?

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    I found Synthetic help smooth out the shifting.......Or maybe just my imagination :noidea:
     
  4. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    Try "shear".

    This is sheer:

    http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51uMd6+UqDL._SY445_.jpg

    Low mileage on those two . Thankee Jesus.
     
  5. Scubalong

    Scubalong Official Greeter?

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    :pound: nice one billy I will take two :thumb:
     
  6. ridervfr

    ridervfr Member

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    How do you know if there is low mileage on "them two" if you dont pop the hoods and check your "dip-stick?"

    Too many wives tales on oil to join in on this here thread. My belief is, buy the best Walmart oil you can afford, and change it frequently. Nuff Sed. ; )
     
  7. Allyance

    Allyance Insider

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    Badbilly, I like your sheer better!
     
  8. GreyVF750F

    GreyVF750F Member

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  9. Allyance

    Allyance Insider

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    Excellent site!
     
  10. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    So the question might be is how many dudes here have blown an engine because of using the "wrong" oil ? How many dudes here have had seal failures when switching from dinosaur to synthetic oil?

    No mention of clutch slippage on bikes using cork plates either. ..and how bout them Harleys or Ducatis or BMW's . How bout what to use in two-strokes?

    How many of these "swear to God" chunks of information are from dudes selling brand A to brand X?

    Me? I believe every fucking thing I read or see on the net.

    Whoops, for those who showed interest, the chicas are in the mail..
     
  11. Timmay

    Timmay New Member

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    I use BMW 10w-40 synthetic (Because I work for BMW and know what makes their oils better, and I get a discount) and the syn did help make the shifts a bit smoother. I never used synthetic in my 1989 K100RS due to its age and mileage it was just asking for a rear main leak that would kill the clutch, as I am sure you already know. I have included a link below that highlights the differences between a couple different brands of oils.

    http://www.ibmwr.org/otech/oilreport.html
     
  12. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    What oil would you suggest I use in my 79 R100RS. Krauser 4 Valve heads, Luftmeister three paw clutch, chopped flywheel , static and dynamic balance, big coils, 40mm Mikuni flatslides, 2into1 Luftmeister pipes and some other frarkles that makes it fast, pretty and unreliable. Sharing your discount would be great too.

    How come you don't list your beemers and what should I be using oilwise on my clutch cable?
     
  13. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    From day one I have been using Motul Semi Synthetic just because someone told me it was better. That was 105K miles ago. I cannot say if it made any difference in the shifting cause when the bike was new, I was also a new rider. My shifting likely was kinda rough anyways at that time. I will use Motul again on my next oil change only because I have it. Then I am switching to a cheaper semi synthetic that I can use in my Diesel truck too. I have read several places, and have received advise from someone I have mega confidence in, that I can use the same oil in my diesel truck as I use in my bike so long as there are no friction reducers in the oil. Seems to me, Rotella is the cheaper oil out there. After all, I am on fixed income now...still. And those fuckers in Ottawa refuse to index my pension because they want that money to bolster their gold plated pensions.
     
  14. Maggot

    Maggot New Member

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    I love Amsoil. First oil company to get an API approval for a synthetic in 1972. Much written on their motorcycle oils. Check out www.amsoil.com

    Go to the type of oil you like and click on "Data Sheet".
     
    Last edited: Jan 18, 2014
  15. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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  16. Allyance

    Allyance Insider

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    For a definitive dissertation on synthetic lubricants for types of vehicles, download and save "Motor Oils and Engine Lubrication" By Dave Mann

    http://orangeroads.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/motor-oil-engineers.pdf

    Great Bonus Section too, on brake disks: "....that first of all is that brake rotors do not warp.
    The second problem is that replacing a brake rotor with a new brake rotor or machining the rotor on a bench lathe will only fix the problem temporary. The problem will almost always re-occur after a period of time, thus necessitating further repairs."

















     
  17. fitzharris

    fitzharris New Member

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    Badbilly,
    Any motor oil will work on the old beemers. Just make sure the weight is correct.
     
  18. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    You may be right but I wouldn't print that on a Tshirt and wear it to a Beemer Rallye.

    With all this years of information on oil I may just buy them all and mix them by the CC until I have enough for my next oil change. I figure what I would have left over if I followed all that advice would amount to about three 55 gallon drums full.
     
  19. ridervfr

    ridervfr Member

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    My Mach 1 aka black bike (wife learned that official colour was "granite blue-but commented that it looks black.) one of those things, if you have to explain, then its not worth it. Told her, you have to see it in the sun light...

    Kind of a rambling but imho worth it ; )

    Only Amsoil in it/her...Would love to have a split bumper camaro one day or a ford MACH 1 :thumbsup: hope the sea-hawks win today.
     
  20. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    You only think she's rambling...;)

    I'd settle for a Ferrari or the ultimate in your dreams car a Mercedes-Benz W125.
     
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