PRO-HONDA HP4S 4-STROKE FULL SYNTHETIC OIL - 10W30

[DaveD(MI)]

Has anyone tried the honda brand synthetc oil yet? Any thoughts?

[f-Stop]

I did my last oil change this winter with the HP4S 10W30 Synthetic.  Have gone about 1500mi so far and it seems great.  Checked the oil level this morning before a ride with Laser Pat and it still looks clear!  Will probably change to a 10W40 in May or June when things start to get little hot here in the Texas Hill Country. 

I've seen alot of folks on this board running heavier viscosity oils in their Valks.  Laser Pat and I actually talked about using the Amsoil synthetic today as we wandered around Luckenbach.

[MP]

I am running Amsoil 20/50, and like it.

[f-Stop]

Hey MP...do you run that heavier viscosity in the winter there?...I mean your winters are known for being brutal (I always think of the movie "Fargo" when I think of cold winters - I know, nothing new) and that initial cold start would be tough to get that crank moving.

[YardBoy]

Ran the Honda Synthetic 10w30 for 4000 miles, it did quiten the gears a bit and the transmission shifted good.  However after about 1500 miles I noticed after the motor/trans got heat soaked the clutch release point was futher out than when running 10w40 oil.  The clutch handle had no free play whatever, touch the clutch lever and you had slippage.  I took about a 64th of an inch off the clutch lever pin and drove another 2500 miles before changing the oil.  I changed to 5w40 Rotella and within 500 miles the clutch was back to what I remember as normal less the 64th I removed from the clutch lever pin.  Anyone else tried the 10w30 or was it just time for an adjustment on the fat lady?



 

[Ricky-D]

In reply to #4.  I am of the opinion that there is more problem than what appears with your clutch. Hydraulic clutches are self adjusting and are the most consistent in feel. Milling the pin, I know nothing about but I have 95k miles on my Valk and the clutch is showing no signs of letting up. I think you have a problem there buddy!

[YardBoy]

No problem with clutch.  The only reason I shortened the pin was to make a little cushion to insure no pressure was being applied to release the clutch while riding.  Any movement to clutch handle you were at the point of slip.  Before using the 10w30 oil the clutch started to engage about half inch from full out.  After the 10w30 you were at the last eighth inch.  The motorcycle at that time had approximately 6k miles.  Roughly 1000 miles driven since last oil change, clutch is perfect.  The point being if I put in a new clutch pin the release would be seem as when the motorcycle was new.

[f-Stop]

Have not noticed any kind of slippage with the clutch since using the HP4S.  It feels real solid.  I did, however change my clutch fluid last Sunday - along with front and rear brake fluids - and did a 200mi ride through the Texas Hill Country yesterday, and before that, a lot of in town driving.  Oh yeah, "in town" includes the wonderful Austin Friday afternoon commute...a real clutch - and nerve - test!