Hey there hows it going? I have been just wondering about engine oils. I am running a 2015 KTM 450 SXF this year and they call for their Special Motrex oil or a Bell ray oil for best results. At $100.00 bucks for a jug and you might be able to get 3 oil changes done out of a jug if you don't spill a drop. Just wondering if anyone using a Shell Rotella full synthetic T6 5W/40 in the KTM's much cheaper in the long run. But I also don't want to risk hurting the motor at all so if everyone is using a Motrex or the BellRay that's what I will continue to run. Thanks for your help. I ran a KX450 last year and had good luck with my Motul oil as well.
Engine Oils
- Thread starter sorsy1
- Start date
I run the Maxima MX530 (5w30) full ester based synthetic in my KTM500 w/boondocker. I believe this is the best oil money can buy regardless of price.
Rotella diesel oil does simply not contain nearly the same amount of additives (Zinc and Phosphorus mostly) as the EPA simply does not allow these materials to be added to road going oils, that's a fact. (These metals added will ruin a 3 way cat.) If you peruse bobistheoilguy.com you can see loads of used oil analysis as well as new oil analysis for reference. Once you understand what your looking at and for, you will not feel comfortable running Rotella anymore (as much as it's completely common for people to do so). It'd kind of like being a hiker who smokes and thinks that smoking is good for you, because they aren't dead it must be good right?
That's all I have on the subject you can form your own opinion, and if I informed one person then my job here is done
Jon
Rotella diesel oil does simply not contain nearly the same amount of additives (Zinc and Phosphorus mostly) as the EPA simply does not allow these materials to be added to road going oils, that's a fact. (These metals added will ruin a 3 way cat.) If you peruse bobistheoilguy.com you can see loads of used oil analysis as well as new oil analysis for reference. Once you understand what your looking at and for, you will not feel comfortable running Rotella anymore (as much as it's completely common for people to do so). It'd kind of like being a hiker who smokes and thinks that smoking is good for you, because they aren't dead it must be good right?
That's all I have on the subject you can form your own opinion, and if I informed one person then my job here is done
Jon
R
Rush44
Well-known member
Jon has his opinions and I'm not going to debate them, but I will say that Rotella T6 5w-40 (blue bottle) will be just fine and save you more than a couple dollars. We are swapping oil not because we are burning it up or running it long past it's intended shelf life... we are swapping oil to keep moisture out and provide a little insurance. We could probably get by on longer than 8-10 engine hours and be fine but, when moisture is the reason, I flush oil regularly. I won't take a chance when it only cost $5-$6 to swap it.
I really dont buy that. If it has a JASO spec then its fine in my opinion. I have run oils like T6 and Mobil 1 in everything from Duramaxes to KTMs to Yamaha streetbike motors pushing 300hp for 9 years. Never even seen a oil related failure ever ! If the word motorcycle on the jug makes u feel better have at it but i just dont buy into that anymore. Just because it was on Bob is the oil guy doesnt mean much imo. Its like when Amsoil tells everyone their oil is the best because yada yada yada. Ask a Amsoil rep where their refinery is lol. Skidoo used to tell their customers they had to run Doo oil because it had the additives the other brands lacked and Amsoil was poison for the Etec motor. I know guys who have run Amsoil from day 1 with many many kms and zero issues. KTM says Motorex only in the KTM, wonder where their refinery is ? Prob at Shell LOL. Oil is a contentious topic, always has been always will be. Some like to pay 95 a jug, it makes them believe they have the protection the bulk Rotella doesnt have.
I prefer whatever has the best graphics on the bottle, if it has a picture of a bike going like super fast... I'm SOLD.
I'm thinking about trying delo synthetic 5-40 diesel oil next time. I also added an oz of archoil 9100 to the mix. I'm feeling experimental.
Curious to see how that goes. Usually friction modifiers are a no-no when dealing with wet clutches, but their website says they are wet clutch compatible. Not sure how that works.
That would be my concern with the Delo as well. I have used it in the past before friction modifiers were added. I'm curious to hear the outcome.
I've had good luck running Rotella 5w-40 in almost all of my vehicles. I will change it regularly in my snowbike.
I don't have one of the orange bikes but I have run Rotella in every 4 stroke I own and never had a problem. Rode the baja 500 two years in a row and ride to work half the days all summer....same motor same clutch so long I feel guilty. It is an XR650r but still....tons of compression and no clutch slippage. 30 miles of fire roads to work and burn about 70 of mostly nasty clutching super rocky singletrack home, same clutch I bought it with. Bought a new clutch for Baja and when I pulled it apart it looked new so I bolted it back together and have Honda discs in their wrappers.
I run it in my Harley that has 98500 miles on it, I use it in the motor and the primary. I run it in my beater Suzuki DRZ, BW200 yamaha, and the CA70 and Z50 Hondas. I also run it in a fleet of Internationals, 1 travelall, 2 travelettes, and a scout and I run it in My cummins 12 valve.
Short story I have never blown anything up on Rotella and I'm a huge fan...all that said I think most oils are pretty good these days.
As a side note Tractor Hydro is the best stuff ever in the tranny of a 2 stroke...all 3 500's get that.
I run it in my Harley that has 98500 miles on it, I use it in the motor and the primary. I run it in my beater Suzuki DRZ, BW200 yamaha, and the CA70 and Z50 Hondas. I also run it in a fleet of Internationals, 1 travelall, 2 travelettes, and a scout and I run it in My cummins 12 valve.
Short story I have never blown anything up on Rotella and I'm a huge fan...all that said I think most oils are pretty good these days.
As a side note Tractor Hydro is the best stuff ever in the tranny of a 2 stroke...all 3 500's get that.
My clutch is different than typical arrangement however as it spins on the crankshaft itself. That means it's running over 2x as fast and has less torque on it. I guess I've always heeded to the wet clutch warnings but I'm also of the mind that hey, if it works then it works. My problem is shifting on this bike.
C
capulin overdrive
Well-known member
M
MFJ
Well-known member
I just double checked and it meets JASO MA, but have heard of more than a few people complain of clutch slippage when using the full synthetic 5w40.
I believe that Rekluse clutchs even recommend Shell Rotella.
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Sent from my SM-G903W using Tapatalk
Oil is a sensitive and controversial subject, so I won't tell you what the best oil brand is, but I will tell you that clean oil is the best oil. Fresh oil is the best oil. The snow bikes are subject to moisture in a way we don't see in the dirt. Frequent oil changes. Paper filters, because metal mesh does not trap moisture, and keeping an eye on things will go much farther to help engine life than an endorsement from a local expert.
and what I found out
I read this post and thought about my good experiences with changing my 4 stroke oil often.
But the seed of doubt was planted, so I searched the net and found several articles about bike oil vs car oil. The difference:
the last ten years car oil has been formulated to minimize emmissions, to make engines most efficient at the expense of additives that maximize engine protection andcar oil has detergents to clean in cars that go 259,000 miles....... is huge.
the bike oil mfg are adding far more friction, anti wear, bearing protection addatives to their oil, and with small sales in specialty stores the price is HIGH.
BUT....running good quality car oil and or synthetic car oil really nobody has oil related failures because we really don't see that kind of abuse of bearings 99% of the time. SO all is well for most car oil buyers in their bikes.
So if you really pound it /turbo pound it /nitro pound it...........you might save a rod bearing with bike oil at about 4 times the money.
I read this post and thought about my good experiences with changing my 4 stroke oil often.
But the seed of doubt was planted, so I searched the net and found several articles about bike oil vs car oil. The difference:
the last ten years car oil has been formulated to minimize emmissions, to make engines most efficient at the expense of additives that maximize engine protection andcar oil has detergents to clean in cars that go 259,000 miles....... is huge.
the bike oil mfg are adding far more friction, anti wear, bearing protection addatives to their oil, and with small sales in specialty stores the price is HIGH.
BUT....running good quality car oil and or synthetic car oil really nobody has oil related failures because we really don't see that kind of abuse of bearings 99% of the time. SO all is well for most car oil buyers in their bikes.
So if you really pound it /turbo pound it /nitro pound it...........you might save a rod bearing with bike oil at about 4 times the money.
