Swapping Oil Out.....

[AdrianR]

Now as I write this...letting it drain completely.  Decided to try Honda's full synthetic 10w-30 with Honda oil filter...

I am expecting a nice *little* bump in smoothness and HP!

[AdrianR]

Update: Okay...yeah...WOW...a nice bump indeed!  Shifts even smoother...better torque...and the way the engine sounds...first time really getting into the throttle...sounds like a Porche man!  This *b*ucking  (literally) thing is gonna kill me!

For those of you on the fence with the recommended viscosity...TRY IT... you too will notice better performance....

[blackvalk]

Adrian,

Did you notice any louder transmission noise?

[mrtappan]

A significant increase in power?  Nah.  Not noticeable anyways.

I welcome any real proof otherwise.  Every study I've ever read showed negligible gains in engines and they used real dynos........

I think Torco did a decent study of it a while back.

[goldstar903]

Sorry, Adrian, but unless you had your butt calibrated for HP it's just wishful thinking. I know it sucks, but it's reality. Another thing that I find curious pertaining to HP is the claim that use of a certain pipe creates 3 extra ponies, as if that is noticeable? Negligible! Use caution when picking an oil to run. Some oils have molybdenum (for increased lubricity) and could cause clutch slippage problems.

[AdrianR]

I know, I did my homework man, been using full synthetic for years. Castrol and Mobil, as well as Valvoline, Lucas and lastly Amsoil make full synthetic motorcycle oils specifically designed for metric bikes that facilitate the usage of a wet clutch. This Honda oil is no different.  Also, dynos are probably only so accurate as well....  Now maybe this is somewhat psychosomatic, and I do question myself ...however I've experienced this little extra performance observation in not only my last two bikes, but also my Ford pickup...but this was more so switching from 5w/30 to 5w/20...synthetic oils.

The engines seem to rev faster...producing a sensation of more torque...which is probably what I am experiencing...negligible...perhaps... perhaps maybe not...

I know what I feel...and that bike freakin' ripped yesterday! 

[goldstar903]

I'm happy for you...I really am!

[AdrianR]

Update again:

Hey dude...Well got back from another ride with the new oil...still feel the same about the engine performance however, I think the bike shifted smoother with the 10/40w....

I think next year I will switch over to my old favorite..Castrol 4T synthetic...10/40w...

[mrtappan]

I'm just going to run vegetable oil in mine.  I'll be in the 200+ HP club then.

[AdrianR]

I'm just going to run vegetable oil in mine.  I'll be in the 200+ HP club then.

LOL...I think *peanut oil* may be even better!

[Robert]

What I have noticed in doing my changes are smoother shifting, quieter engine and gears, smoother throttle response. I have noticed that when draining the oil there was a shimmer to it, so I took a magnet and ran it through the pan and got nothing. Ive heard Honda uses a break in oil and maybe that is what I see. Looking at the engine construction anything in the oil in the sump really would not be a problem to the engine but you would pick it up on the gears and shifter assembly. I looked for bronze components and really there is almost nothing most internals are steel or cast iron. The construction of the engine is such that the splash from the gears never gets to the rods or crank. So the oil is from the pump that goes through the filter first then to the crank and oil gallies and some to gears and clutch. While this lubricates the engine the trans also uses a splash system so anything in the pan would get a bit of this residue. If I was to analyze the oil I would say what I was looking at was zinc and a bit of bronze to act as a break in formula. This again would not impact the engine but it would help the gears. So I believe this is why when changing the oil the shifting gets smoother along with the general feel of the bike. May not pick up hp but I also have picked up fuel milage by a few mpg so that may also translate into power or me not so hard on the throttle. 

[maddoggie501]

I just did a 4000 mile service myself.  I put in the Honda fully synthetic 10w-30 oil.   I also changed the rear end gear oil.  I put in the Honda 80w non synthetic gear oil.  Glad I did, the magnetic drain plug had some black residue in it.  I'll take it for a ride on Sunday and see if there is any improvement.  I suspect like other bikes, it should feel smoother.  I will see!

[98valk]

Some oils have molybdenum (for increased lubricity) and could cause clutch slippage problems.

please please, not true, unless the PPM of moly is over 500 and at elevated temps will the main clutch slip per SAE report.
most m/c oils including mobil have about 90 ppm. the starter clutch could start slipping at 200ppm.
the best oils are diesel oils, and rotella and delo are both offered in 10w30 now. the rotella semi-syn and full syn are the same oil except the full syn is rated -10 degrees more than the semi. oil specifications real much. Delo has a high dose of boron a great anti-wear additive.
http://www.pqiamerica.com/June%202014/consolidated%20HDEO%202015.html

oil analysis of honda oils always come back so-so, like low bidder. 

[bscrive]

Are there any downsides with this clutch when you go with synthetic?  I used the synthetic Rotella 5W40 in my old I/S, and I had to change out the clutches after 6 years.  I found out later that the plates were not made for synthetic because they were organic.  Is the new valk the same or did they change the plates to kevlar or something?  Mine sits in storage from Nov - April, so I think this may have been the reason why my clutch plates messed up with the synthetic oil.

[maddoggie501]

I guess if the Honda Synthetic oil is just so-so, I may use Amsoil 10w-30 in the future

[98valk]

I guess if the Honda Synthetic oil is just so-so, I may use Amsoil 10w-30 in the future

I've used this oil before
http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/motor-oil/diesel/synthetic-sae-10w-30-sae-30-heavy-duty-motor-oil/?code=ACD1G-EA

excellent oil. search for my used oil analysis reports I've posted. per UOA and I left the oil in longer than amsoil recommends (a whole another story, they want to sell oil, they changed their intevals to shorter, I have the older charts, use to be a dealer) the oil was still good to use at 8k miles. 10+k miles with oil filter change it would have lasted. I did change filter at 4k miles.
it was originally designed for wet clutches in diesel automatics.

[dans2014]

  I run synthetic in all my motorized items, even my lawnmower. they all run smoother and its not in my head. If you use any of them in the cold they start easier as well. My Yamaha Rhino is a different machine when I put in 75-90w in both diffs. Much smoother. My aircompressor starts much easier in the cold with 5-50w Mobil 1 in it. I will put it in the Valk as well following the Honda viscosity charts. It is the best handsdown. Is it necessary? of course not. All oils these days are good.

[mrtappan]

"The cold?"  What the hell is that?  I live in northern Mexico based on latitude.  No wonder oil doesn't matter to me.  It's all like water here.