I agree on the rotella. Been using it for a zillion miles. The trick is that it doesn't have the friction modifiers that show up as "energy or resource conserving" in that little circle.

Those things (modifiers) are really bad for the wet clutch.

Translation is don't use car oil. It will only lead to great unhappiness.

Because, as you state below:
Everyone has an opinion, and their opinion is usually the correct one. :x :nana:

I like my bikes like I like my women... well oiled

The old joke is that oil and tire threads get totally out of control with an overwhelming amount of diverse answers.

From what I can see, Rotella has gone the most miles in the hawk. For me I know it works so use it.

I find that guys who spend a bunch of cash on moto specific oil are not willing to say they may have got beat. Which I guess is understandable, just not sure why they always want to post about getting beat.

I used to want the best of the best fully synthetic moto specific shite until I jumped on the rotella/diesel oil bandwagon... people here intrigued me, doing my research and the no friction modifiers sold me, and not dropping $15/quart drove that nail home...

come to think of it, has MIHAWK responded at all to this thread or did we completely scare him off?

tough break for a first thread...

Im still trying to work out if the Rimula we get here is the same as your Rotella.....

Spokes, can you open this link ? Rotella and Rimula - same stuff, different names? | Motorcycles and Motorcycle Lubrication | Bob Is The Oil Guy

Not sure what Google shows you in kiwi-ville but I found a bunch of stuff saying that its really similar.

Shell Rimula or Rotella | Heavy Duty Engine Oil (HDEO) - Diesel/Gas Pickups/Trucks/Vans | Bob Is The Oil Guy

As long as it doesn't say energy or resource conserving I have read like 10 posts that say they are almost the same.

Let be Logical,, This topic has been discussed to the point that HELL, someone should have started a forum called "PICK A F@@KING OIL"...
Here is the truth Rotella is very good oil for any engine, simply it is designed to deal with a VERY dirt burning diesel engine.. So putting the oil in a gasoline engine-with tight rings, lower compression(than a diesel).. it makes an engine happy... The only draw back to using Rotella oil is?????


Starting with a very tight tolerance engine(MOST ALL jap engines) allows for running thinner oil.. Which the japs consider is way for gas mileage..
And if you think about the facts of the engine working to pump the oil, push exhaust out , and bring fuel & air in... The light the oil, the less work the engine has to do to move the oil...
So running THINNER oil helps create free H.P.

Now you have to take that information is from a 8 timer WERA champion..

Who believes in making HP, for a short period of time/ at HIGH RPMs between oil changes..
(ALSO has a sponsor to fund the REBUILD , when the engine scatters)

IT is practical on the race track. YET on the street... Run the Rotella
Millions of engines , can't be ignored....
VVVVVVVOOOOOmmmmm, RRRRRRooooo

Notchy shitty feeling shifts....

Attachment 22052

Thanks Man

So by extension, any diesel oil will be ok as long as it doesnt have friction modifiers?

I cant say that for sure but rotella has worked for me.

I don't know if its due to this thread but suddenly I am noticing the clunky shifts. I also need to align my linkage but it does seem notchy. Hmmm.

Psychosomatic? Conspiracy? Cuckoo for Cocopuffs?

Oil Thread-Opportunity-FWIW
I used to use Mobil 1, Switched to Amsoil 10-40 Synthetic Motorcycle oil. Shifting improvement noticeable, snicks into gear. Just look for an oil with the JASO MA/MA2 rating as follows; There is more than just this one.
GL-1 • API SG, SL/CF • JASO MA/MA2

Oil: Castrol 20w50 motorcycle specific.
Shifting: smooooooooooooth!:)

I use Red Line Racing Oils.

I call them, ask to speak with an engineer, and get their recommendations. Then I buy that and run it. Never any problems for me going this way in my cars, or motorcycles.

James

Just curious if anyone has used Royal Purple Max-Cycle in thier Superhawk?

Put some diesel oil in my Bandit 1200 yesterday. Seems to run just fine. Got a 200 mile ride today thats 2 up on it so that will see if there is a clutch issue.

If ok then I will put some in the Hawk.

Thanks to everyone that responded. I selected an oil I can sleep with. I'll make sure I never post a thread about the "O" word or the "T" word.

Hey MIHAWK... What tire pressures do you run?

James

And what color are you going to paint your oil pan?

Man... A guy can't even joke around here......

James

I don't think oil or tire threads are verboten. I mean how else would you exchange info?

If you don't want to be involved, you sure don't have to be.

What kind of air filter do you guys use? Lol

James

I'm totally kidding... Just trying to have fun and fit in with these crazies around here :)

I guess I will throw another oil joke, an old one, but still funny:
If a Harley doe's not leak oil, that means there is no oil in it...
Like these Hardly sportsters...

Agree, it's all just fun, see how people react to opinions, one may even say it's a social experiment... So, if you don't like it, why you even read my post right now? :roll:

Oh man, so I was in the parts store the other day stocking up on a bunch of things I needed and I found myself in the oil section just staring for minutes, trying to figure out what oil to buy for the bike... I made the switch to rotella 2 years ago but now they have all these different grades of the same weight, some offer high heat protection, some offer wear resistence etc... and I for the first time was baffled about oil. I dont think any of them said friction modifiers but most of them say something along the lines of "extreme wear resistence"or something like that. It makes me question that there might be friction modifiers i'm just not seeing the fine print...

Now I dont know what to think lol

I've had good results with Redline 20w50

I just changed oil for the first time on mine.
This stuff is surprisingly cheap compared to all the expensive bike oils!