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Author Topic: What motor oil should I use?  (Read 5218 times)

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Offline HawaiiMike

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What motor oil should I use?
« on: October 10, 2009, 10:30:12 PM »
What is your recommendation for motor oil?  I have a '76 CB550F.

Thanks, Mike
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Offline Frankenkit

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2009, 10:35:02 PM »
OH NO YOU DIDN'T! :o
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Offline Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2009, 10:58:23 PM »
Oh geez, you're not going to do this to us are you?!

Lock it quick!
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Offline Deltarider

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #3 on: October 10, 2009, 11:55:07 PM »
Just any old cooking oil.

Check it at What good is for a Honda Supercub (over 40.000.000 sold) is good enough for mine.
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Offline Honda?

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #4 on: October 11, 2009, 12:12:22 AM »
SWEET JESUS WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!?!?!?!?!?

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #5 on: October 11, 2009, 12:31:31 AM »
I think he means "what weight"... 10-40.
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Offline HawaiiMike

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #6 on: October 11, 2009, 01:13:06 AM »
What the *%#@ are these responses?  I don't have a Supercub so cooking oil won't work.

All I want to know is what brand of oil you recommend?
« Last Edit: October 11, 2009, 01:21:29 AM by HawaiiMike »
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Offline lordmoonpie

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #7 on: October 11, 2009, 03:18:12 AM »
Quote from: Qingdao on October 11, 2009, 12:31:31 AM
I think he means "what weight"... 10-40.
Yeah - about 3.2 kilogrammes should do it....someone pass the popcorn :D
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Offline bucky katt

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #8 on: October 11, 2009, 06:04:58 AM »
HM. you might have noticed that an oil thread brings out the worst in folks  :D  there are as many opinions about what oil to use as there are types of oil. i personaly use shell rotella t non synthetic. really, any oil that is high enough in zinc comment that does not have any friction modifiers in it should be ok for out vintage hondas with the wet clutch.
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Offline Gordon

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #9 on: October 11, 2009, 06:33:09 AM »
Quote from: HawaiiMike on October 11, 2009, 01:13:06 AM
What the *%#@ are these responses?  I don't have a Supercub so cooking oil won't work.

All I want to know is what brand of oil you recommend?

Use the search function from the main page and then pick whichever opinion you like the most. 
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Offline Kevin400F

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #10 on: October 11, 2009, 06:47:07 AM »
How much do you want to spend, how far do you ride the bike per year, what is the climate where you live, how hard do you ride the bike (street, race, etc.), how close do you live to a Honda shop, a WalMart or other convenient source for your oil purchases, do any of your friends or relatives work for an oil company and get a discount, what is your favorite color?..... blah blah blah.......
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Offline MCRider

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #11 on: October 11, 2009, 06:51:09 AM »
Quote from: HawaiiMike on October 11, 2009, 01:13:06 AM
What the *%#@ are these responses?  I don't have a Supercub so cooking oil won't work.

All I want to know is what brand of oil you recommend?

Oh you poor newbie. Oil threads are the bane of EVERY motorized forum, often degenerating into the most vicious of flamings and hate mail.

Here we have ingeniously recognized the fact and so turn it into levity as quickly as possible, rather than be drawn into the cesspool drain.
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Offline CycleRanger

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #12 on: October 11, 2009, 07:29:00 AM »
Quote from: Gordon on October 11, 2009, 06:33:09 AM
Quote from: HawaiiMike on October 11, 2009, 01:13:06 AM
What the *%#@ are these responses?  I don't have a Supercub so cooking oil won't work.

All I want to know is what brand of oil you recommend?

Use the search function from the main page and then pick whichever opinion you like the most. 

Guffaw!  :D

My bike came with oil already in it.....
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Offline Johnie

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #13 on: October 11, 2009, 07:30:21 AM »
Yah, don't take offense Mike. The guys are just funnin' ya'. As said, every so often a new member asks that question and you have to understand everyone has a different oil, weight, spec, etc. that they follow. Those threads get long and just go on and on. As you spend time here you will see it happen again. In all honesty go to the FAQ area and there is a oil thread there you can look at. Then make up your mind on what fits you best. Then next time you see a new guy ask that question, you can sit back and enjoy the fun. Welcome to the forum Mike...
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Offline wrenchmuch

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #14 on: October 11, 2009, 07:58:45 AM »
Make sure to look up oil coolers while your thinking about oil . Cooler threads are just as much fun as oil threads . Change your oil often and put the used stuff in your lawn mower . ;)
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Offline bucky katt

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #15 on: October 11, 2009, 08:10:34 AM »
oil threads are as popular as gun and political threads ;D
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Of all God's creatures there is only one that cannot be made the slave of the lash. That one is the cat. If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat.
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Offline MCRider

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #16 on: October 11, 2009, 08:30:35 AM »
Quote from: wrenchmuch on October 11, 2009, 07:58:45 AM
SNIP

Change your oil often and put the used stuff in your lawn mower . ;)

Now THERE's a good idea!
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Offline Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #17 on: October 11, 2009, 10:12:55 AM »
Mike,

It's not that we don't wish to help you but OIL topics are nothing more than pissing contests here and elsewhere. Kinda like the opinions/#$%*s thing. Goes on forever and no one agrees. Seems the main thing with modern oil is the zinc (top end lubricant for flat tappets ie non roller cams) has been removed which is not good for cams, etc due to increased wear. Then there is the wet clutch issues and how some oils negatively affect that. Then there is the synthetic oil arguement. Might be best to just go to your local Honda dealer and ask them what that have that is now appropriate. 

Don't know what is best for you. I use Castrol GTX 20w-50 currently. However I am about to spend $6,000 on a rebuilt engine soon and will probably rethink that. I can report back in with top end wear info when I tear into my engine that has 30,000 hard miles with 24,000 miles on the Yoshimura kit.   
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Offline TwoTired

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #18 on: October 11, 2009, 12:10:13 PM »
It's hard to understand why you think this forum has better understanding and knowledge about engine oil than the manufacturer of the machine you wish to drive.

In other words, use the oil that Honda recommends for the Honda machine you own.  It's right there in the owner's manual.  Why would you think it doesn't apply?  If you don't have the owner's manual, it says to use 10W-40.  Personally, I would avoid modern auto formulations, that say "energy conserving" on the label, as they have additives that weren't intended for wet clutches, and they have removed the zinc (for catalytic convert reasons) that Honda assumed would be in the oil back in the 70's.

For ease of selection, buy oil from a Honda dealer.
For wider availability, almost any oil labeled for motorcycle use will be fine (in the weight specified).

For experimentation or replicating other's experimentation/suggestion for oil, use whatever you want.



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Offline HawaiiMike

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #19 on: October 11, 2009, 02:11:46 PM »
Jerry, Castrol GTX 20-50w sounds great, thank you!

Two Tired, I don't have an owners manual and figured there might be something better suited to a 33-year old bike than what the manufacturer suggested way back when.

Aloha, Mike
« Last Edit: October 11, 2009, 02:16:02 PM by HawaiiMike »
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Offline bender01

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #20 on: October 11, 2009, 07:30:56 PM »
I use Honda GN-4 10w-40. Its $27 a gallon but i dont worry that its not the correct oil.

 Oil price @ $23

  cost of not worrying = priceless
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Offline MJL

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #21 on: October 11, 2009, 08:16:32 PM »
Quote from: bucky katt on October 11, 2009, 08:10:34 AM
oil threads are as popular as gun and political threads ;D
And tires.
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Offline mick7504

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #22 on: October 11, 2009, 08:37:18 PM »
And how to create the longest threads known to mankind ;D ;D
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Offline jbailey

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #23 on: October 11, 2009, 10:59:45 PM »
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Offline Motoguy23

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Re: What motor oil should I use?
« Reply #24 on: October 12, 2009, 03:20:02 PM »
I don't recommend the "motorcycle specific" oils out there.

Idk if it was just a coincidence or what but I had a 1990 XR200 and used the "motorcycle specific" oil and then after about 2 hours of riding my transmission took a dump. 
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