Oil choice for Bandit 1200-Finally found it

[B12Teuton]

20W50 in in summer, more power, bike runs cooler

I can't say that it will make more power, in fact a "heavier" oil usually makes less power (more drag and rsistance to the oil pump).  Ever so slightly, but still.  A thicker oil will also not make the engine run cooler.  It will however not thin out as much when hot and thus provide a bit higher oil pressure under extreme heat conditions.

I ran Mobil 1 15w-50 (red cap) for a long time.  Then I found the Shell Rotella T Synthetic 5W-40 and never looked back.

I was at a Wal-Mart down in Homestead, FL that sold it in what looked like 10 gallon buckets!  It is very popular with boaters too, apparently.

[scooter trash]

MMM +1 with garlic.

How much garlic ?!?!?!?!?!?!  I think a whole clove will be too much. It might burn the valves !!

 

[B12Teuton]

You can never have too much garlic!
Unless you have to go back to the office after lunch.

And I have yet to have a problem burning my valve from garlic.  Chicken wings are a different sorty, especially the morning after.

 

[NCBANDIT]

Manny, how'd the rotella 5-40 work in cold weather? I'm running rotella 15-40 which was great in the summer but is like maple syrup now. at 30 degrees the sump will barely pick it up it's so thick. I have to change it this week, just wondering what to switch to. I left work the other morning and it was 24 degrees, it took it awhile to warm up and get the oil thinned out.
Thanks, Josh

[B12Teuton]

Great!  I rode year round and oil pressure always came up fast.
15W is just too think when over night temps get down to and below freezing.  Suzuki thinks it's too think ANY time of the year, which is why it says 10W-40 on the side of the engine.
The cold oil will starve the top end for a LOOOOOOOOOONG time at startup. Long in terms of an engine running w/o oil.  It may only be 4 seconds, but by that time (at full choke) the engine will have turned as many as 200 revolutions!

It's know that the majority of engine wear happens at start-up, so you want oil to get going ASAP, so a 0 or 5 weight oil is preferable.

My favorite oil of all time was Mobil 1 0W-50.  They only made it for a couple of years and replaced it the 15w-50.  I don't know if they actually changed the oil, but sales went way up because the range wasn't so radical to the consumer.

[NCBANDIT]

Thanks for the info, i'll switch to a 5 weight this week.
Josh

[rg54669]

I just made the switch to Mobil 1 10W-30 and my start up time has been reduced a few minutes.  The temps in Memphis right now are 30's in the morning, high 40's in the afternoon on my ride home from work.  I have not seen any significant difference other than the warm up.  Shifting is about the same, I will have to stick with what Manny said on the thick versus thin stuff.  
The manual says 10W-30 is fine up to 86 degrees.  I should be good until spring hits, probably want to need to change until at least March.  I am not planning on riding when the highs are below 40.

[rocketman1]

Yeah,
Boy what a change,
Refilled with Motul 5100 10W 40
Better shifting, smoother, alround like anew bike to ride, I would not have thought there could be so much difference in a bike,mighty

[Desolation Angel]

I just this moment decided to try the Mobil One 15w50.  Stupid question maybe, but do I just get this at any Mobil gas station, or is it an auto supply house thing?  Who's got it?

[PaulVS]

Shifting is about the same

I first used Mobil 1 15w50 and was amazed at the results... then I tried Mobil 1 10w30, and did not have nearly as much improvement in shifting, warm up time, or engine heat reduction as I did with 15w50, so I went back to the 15w50.

The cheapest I've seen Mobil 1 is at Wal-Mart in 5 qt. jugs,  but it's also sold at just about any auto parts store.  (Pep Boys, Autozone, etc.)

[Desolation Angel]

Shifting is about the same

I first used Mobil 1 15w50 and was amazed at the results... then I tried Mobil 1 10w30, and did not have nearly as much improvement in shifting, warm up time, or engine heat reduction as I did with 15w50, so I went back to the 15w50.

The cheapest I've seen Mobil 1 is at Wal-Mart in 5 qt. jugs,  but it's also sold at just about any auto parts store.  (Pep Boys, Autozone, etc.)

 

[Vlad]

Mobil 1 15w50  Noticably smoother shifting.    

+1

[Red01]

Mobil 1 15w50  Noticably smoother shifting.    

My experience with Mobil 1 15w50 is the shifting was notchier than it was with any of the other oils I've tried except Castol RX 15x40 (which was about the same). So far, I've tried:

Castrol GTX 10w40
Quaker State Syth Blend 4x4 15w40
Chevron Delo 400 10w40
Shell Rotella T 15w40
Shell Rotella T Synth 5w40

All of the above seemed to perform about the same, so I usually go with Shell Rotella T or Castrol GTX, whichever one is on sale cheapest.

[Red Bandit]

MOBIL 1 15w50, TASTES GREAT,LESS FILLING.

[Heaven Bound]

Time for an oil change.  Let's see, tastes great or less filling