Really Mobil1?????

[biguglyman]

Just came from buying the oil for an oil change. As usual, got the Mobil1 synthetic. Noticed that they had "V-Twin motorcycle oil 20w-50" for $4 MORE a quart than the 15w-50 "normal" Mobil1 that I got. Really? that extra 5 in the lower number costs $4 a quart? I think somebody is getting hosed.

[czuch]

I ran Mobil 1 for 300 miles and didnt really dig it. The 98 Mazda did though.
I went to Royal Purple and the Valk loved it. She shifted smoother and seems to run smoother.
 $15 a quart and I'm not complaining at all. I used Honda syn for years.
BTW, the lable says "V-twin". All they need is a shield and bar. Then they could charge double.

[old2soon]

The V-twinky folks figure paying more for oil goes right along with paying more fer their ride of choice. Got a guy I ride with-nuttin but 91 octane and the same brand of oil his M/C is and paying 50% to 60% more for it than I am. And when he went to the Dragon last year he trailered it.  Well on the other hand he WUZ at the Dragon-I ain't been YET.  RIDE SAFE.

[Fudd]

Motorcycle specific oil has an additive that's necessary for your bike's wet clutch.  Whether you choose "V-twin" 20w50 or "Racing 4-T" 10w40, you need to pay the extra and get motorcycle oil.

Oil is the cheapest component in an engine.  Mobil 1, 20w50 in the summer and Mobil 1, 4-T 10w40 in the winter is what I use.  Everyone has a different theory about oil.

[..]

Motorcycle specific oil has an additive that's necessary for your bike's wet clutch.  Whether you choose "V-twin" 20w50 or "Racing 4-T" 10w40, you need to pay the extra and get motorcycle oil.

WHAT!!!  Pray tell what is the additive in motorcycle oil for a wet clutch???

[Fudd]

Motorcycle specific oil has an additive that's necessary for your bike's wet clutch.  Whether you choose "V-twin" 20w50 or "Racing 4-T" 10w40, you need to pay the extra and get motorcycle oil.

WHAT!!!  Pray tell what is the additive in motorcycle oil for a wet clutch???

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Car_Care/AskMobil/Differences_Between_Car_and_Motorcycle_Oil.aspx

[Gryphon Rider]

From the page linked to by Fudd:

 "In a motorcycle, where the transmission may be lubricated by the engine oil, an engine oil that does not have the same level of friction modification (for fuel economy) of a typical passenger car engine oil will provide better transmission performance in terms of transmission lock-up and slippage. So motorcycle engine oil does not contain the friction modifiers of a passenger car engine oil. The second area of concern for motorcycle engine oils is that they tend to shear (breakdown viscosity) more quickly than a typical passenger car. Mobil 1 motorcycle oils are designed to provide exceptional protection against viscosity loss."

So, motorcycle oils don't have the friction modifiers found in energy conserving car oils. Well, neither does any motor oil without "energy conserving" in the bottom of the circle that tells the API rating. And their motorcycle oils protect against viscosity loss; doesn't regular Mobil 1 do this as well?  I can't remember any motor oil company produce ANY documentation showing the FACTUAL differences between their motorcycle and automotive oils of equal viscosity and quality. They ALWAYS compare their synthetic motorcycle oils to standard non-synthetic automotive oils.  Of course it will perform better. Lets compare apples to apples.

[..]

Marketing, marketing, marketing can lead to fewer $$$ in your wallet.

[bagelboy]

I never had any motor problems, ever, using car oil In a motorcycle!

[Jess Tolbirt]

hold on guys, i need to go get a coke and a bag of pop corn,,, BRB!!

[Serk]

When politics and religion threads get too boring... Woot! An Oil War! (Not just for George Bush anymore!)

[..]

hold on guys, i need to go get a coke and a bag of pop corn,,, BRB!!

 

[FLAVALK]

HOTDAMN! A good old-fashioned oil thread!!! We haven't had one of those in awhile. Just like watching I Love Lucy reruns!!!  

[flcjr]

I use the mobile one racing 4t 10w-40 it makes me feel good and I am sure is not harmful to my ride. change it once a year wether it needs it or not.

[biguglyman]

Not necessarily arguing formulation (although I don't think there's much difference between the two) as much as I'm saying what could possibly justify $4 MORE per qt. for the "V-twin" besides the fancy container? Personally, I think they're taking advantage of the lack of "value sense" attributable to most Harley owners. Just my humble opinion...ymmv.

[BF]

Okay, I'll jump in the deep end.   

Even if it is 4 bucks more per quart, and unless you're gonna be changin' your oil every week, is 16 bucks really gonna break anyone here?

[biguglyman]

So What's YOUR limit on gouging? t's not so much the amount as the principle. I maintain the difference in oil is nowhere near enough to justify the difference in price. That's the point I'm making about Harley people too. Willing to spend 50% MORE for something just because it says "v-twin". And yes, $16 makes a difference to me. Maybe you've got that kind of money to throw away, but I don't.

[Stanley Steamer]

Motorcycle specific oil has an additive that's necessary for your bike's wet clutch.  Whether you choose "V-twin" 20w50 or "Racing 4-T" 10w40, you need to pay the extra and get motorcycle oil.

WHAT!!!  Pray tell what is the additive in motorcycle oil for a wet clutch???

A dab of KY jelly.......I thought everyone knew that????.......

[Fudd]

Hey, I'll concede that running "automotive grade" oil will most likely not cause harm to your bike,
provided it's not an "Energy Conserving" type.  EC oils contain friction modifiers that will, in time, clog a wet clutch and in some cases cause engine failure.

Additives that are in motorcycle oils, include Zink Dialyldithiophosphate or ZDDP.  It is one of the best metal to metal wear preventatives ever put in oil, but has been restricted in auto oil because of environmental reasons.

I personally want everyone to ride the bike of their choice, use the kind of tire they want, and run the oil they feel most comfortable with.  I will not alter my sleep schedule, even if everyone decides to use "Crisco" in their engine.

When I first switched from Valvoline to Mobil 1 years ago, I noticed less clunky shifts and less whining from the transmission.  That's all it took to sell me, until a better idea comes along.

[hotglue #43]

Crisco????? everyone knows yeer to use peanut oil.....  Drain it out and have a fishfry....

[3fan4life]

From the page linked to by Fudd:

 "In a motorcycle, where the transmission may be lubricated by the engine oil, an engine oil that does not have the same level of friction modification (for fuel economy) of a typical passenger car engine oil will provide better transmission performance in terms of transmission lock-up and slippage. So motorcycle engine oil does not contain the friction modifiers of a passenger car engine oil. The second area of concern for motorcycle engine oils is that they tend to shear (breakdown viscosity) more quickly than a typical passenger car. Mobil 1 motorcycle oils are designed to provide exceptional protection against viscosity loss."

So, motorcycle oils don't have the friction modifiers found in energy conserving car oils. Well, neither does any motor oil without "energy conserving" in the bottom of the circle that tells the API rating. And their motorcycle oils protect against viscosity loss; doesn't regular Mobil 1 do this as well?  I can't remember any motor oil company produce ANY documentation showing the FACTUAL differences between their motorcycle and automotive oils of equal viscosity and quality. They ALWAYS compare their synthetic motorcycle oils to standard non-synthetic automotive oils.  Of course it will perform better. Lets compare apples to apples.

This is one of the most comprehensive studies that you will find on motorcycle oils:

http://www.dualies.com/downloads/files/Oil%20Test%20Results%20-%20g2156.pdf

[Hoser]

All oils of any kind that I have seen that are 10-40 viscosity or higher do not have the conserving energy sticker on the container.  I use Mobil 1 15-50 viscosity at 5 bux a quart changing oil at 6000 to 8000 miles.  Been doing it for nearly 120,000 miles.  No problems.  I suspect any 10-40 or higher viscosity oil would do the same. Hoser     (I luv oil posts)  

[BF]

From the page linked to by Fudd:

 "In a motorcycle, where the transmission may be lubricated by the engine oil, an engine oil that does not have the same level of friction modification (for fuel economy) of a typical passenger car engine oil will provide better transmission performance in terms of transmission lock-up and slippage. So motorcycle engine oil does not contain the friction modifiers of a passenger car engine oil. The second area of concern for motorcycle engine oils is that they tend to shear (breakdown viscosity) more quickly than a typical passenger car. Mobil 1 motorcycle oils are designed to provide exceptional protection against viscosity loss."

So, motorcycle oils don't have the friction modifiers found in energy conserving car oils. Well, neither does any motor oil without "energy conserving" in the bottom of the circle that tells the API rating. And their motorcycle oils protect against viscosity loss; doesn't regular Mobil 1 do this as well?  I can't remember any motor oil company produce ANY documentation showing the FACTUAL differences between their motorcycle and automotive oils of equal viscosity and quality. They ALWAYS compare their synthetic motorcycle oils to standard non-synthetic automotive oils.  Of course it will perform better. Lets compare apples to apples.

This is one of the most comprehensive studies that you will find on motorcycle oils:

http://www.dualies.com/downloads/files/Oil%20Test%20Results%20-%20g2156.pdf

Thanks for posting that.  I'll stick to the Mobil 1 20w-50 V-Twin (came in second on their tests) and a Puralator filter. 

Three or four bucks more per quart for 4 quarts twice a year isn't that much to me.  Maybe it's a lot to some, but I blow more than that taking the wife out to dinner and a movie once or twice a month. 

[Chiefy]

Motorcycle specific oil has an additive that's necessary for your bike's wet clutch.  Whether you choose "V-twin" 20w50 or "Racing 4-T" 10w40, you need to pay the extra and get motorcycle oil.

Had  a VTX 1300 before the Valk.  You absolutely, positively had to run motorcycle oil in it.  No regular oil.

[..]

Motorcycle specific oil has an additive that's necessary for your bike's wet clutch.  Whether you choose "V-twin" 20w50 or "Racing 4-T" 10w40, you need to pay the extra and get motorcycle oil.

Had  a VTX 1300 before the Valk.  You absolutely, positively had to run motorcycle oil in it.  No regular oil.

Why?

It would sieze up?

I'd better prepare myself for doom when next I ride my 108,000 mile ST1300

I'm trying to remember how many of my previous bikes had engine failure due to wrong oil.

The CB200 I rode 35,000 + miles in one year as a motorcycle messenger - Nope.
The CX500 I rode 45,000 + miles in one year as a motorcycle messenger - Nope.
The Gpz550 I rode 40,000 + miles in one year as a motorcycle messenger - Nope.

The Honda Valkyrie I rode 50,000 miles - Nope

And the other bikes.

I DO remember as a callow youth not checking the oil on my Honda S90 and having sparks come out of the exhaust. Once oil was added the freak illuminations ceased 

I'm too lazy to add up all the $$$ I didn't spend on hyped oil.

I did spend it on tires, gas, motels and meals.

[RP#62]

You know, its funny.  When Mobil didn't make a motorcycle-specific oil we wrote to them to ask if Mobil 1 automotive oil was ok to use in a motorcycle with a wet clutch.  Their response was that it was excellent for motorcycles with wet clutches and they went on to extol its virtues.  Once they started making motorcycle-specific oil, they put something out saying that you should never use automotive oils in motorcycles because of the wet clutch, that formulations had changed over the years and anyone foolhardy enough to use automotive oil, instead of motorcycle oil would surely come to grief, yadda, yadda, yadda.  Evidently, the marketing guys took over the technical responses and they killed off the engineers.

-RP

[steve 3054]

I do and have used Rotella T for years in everything I own....can't afford Mobil or Amsoil....

I have never heard of a engine failure due to quality of oil......

[BF]

Run whatever makes ya feel good.....or whatever you can afford.   Buy the hype, don't buy the hype.......that's what makes this country so great......choices. 

I'll buy what makes me feel good.   

[..]

Run whatever makes ya feel good.....or whatever you can afford.   

 

[biguglyman]

Three or four bucks more per quart for 4 quarts twice a year isn't that much to me.  Maybe it's a lot to some, but I blow more than that taking the wife out to dinner and a movie once or twice a month.

And that's exactly what I'm going to use the $16 I saved for. We're going to see White House Down. She likes Channing Tatum's guns.

[The Anvil]

$15 a quart and I'm not complaining at all. I used Honda syn for years.

You should be because that's a ripoff. That's about what we pay for jet engine oil.

[Jess Tolbirt]

Three or four bucks more per quart for 4 quarts twice a year isn't that much to me.  Maybe it's a lot to some, but I blow more than that taking the wife out to dinner and a movie once or twice a month.

And that's exactly what I'm going to use the $16 I saved for. We're going to see White House Down. She likes Channing Tatum's guns.

took the grand kids to the movies the other day,,and the ticket prices have gone down a bit in the past few years,, 15 bucs each to get in,, 5 dollars for a small popcorn and 10 dollars for a large....we didnt get popcorn or cokes...

[Hog Killer DS0048]

Did you say "$15" each to get in??? And the prices had dropped?? Took the wife and granddaughter to see The Lone Ranger for $6 each. You're right on about the soda and popcorn though. BTW, I don't know what movie the critics saw, but we thought it was a great movie. Johnny Depp is a stitch as Tonto.

[9Ball]

Did you say "$15" each to get in??? And the prices had dropped?? Took the wife and granddaughter to see The Lone Ranger for $6 each. You're right on about the soda and popcorn though. BTW, I don't know what movie the critics saw, but we thought it was a great movie. Johnny Depp is a stitch as Tonto.

We totally enjoyed it too.  I think the critics are saying that the movie missed the target for the younger demographic.  Those of us that actually remember watching TLR on TV aren't the group the financial people are shooting for regarding a return on their investment.

Our medium popcorn was $8 and the tickets were $6.50 each.

BTW, just bought 10 quarts of Mobil1 4T 10w40 last weekend for $10.40/qt (including sales tax).  I use it in the VTX, Valkyrie, and the Rocket 3.