Two Wheel Fix - View Single Post

PhiSig1071 · 03-29-2008, 08:26 PM

Stands do make it easier, but as long as you remember to stand the bike up to drain out all the oil then you'll be fine.

Get a K&N! Sportbike oil filters go on tight, if you've changed the oil in your car then you know you usually spin it on til it makes contact then tighten it a quarter to half turn (and it can still be a bitch to get off). Sportbike filters usually go on until they make contact then two complete turns to tighten, so you might not be able to get it off without stabbing it with a screwdriver. The K&N has a nut (kinda) at the end of the filter which makes it easier to get it on or off, especially after it's been on there a while and it's tight.

I have used Castrol Act-Evo non-syn (20k plus miles with no problems), Castrol R-4 Superbike full synthetic (handful of trackdays with no problems) and Mobil 1 full syn with great success. I have also heard very good things about Rotella-T full synthetic, which is a car oil. You can use car oil in a bike, just make absolutely sure it does not have "friction modifiers" such as molybendium in it, they bind to clutch plates and cause slippage. Generally if it says "with energy saving additives" you can't use it. For the slight difference in price I recommend using motorcycle specific fully synthetic oil.

A couple general things, (this is what I do) run the bike and get the oil hot, then allow it to cool until it is only slightly warm, then drain the oil. This is because the oil passages in a motorcycle are very small, if you start the bike and get the oil a little warm then there will be oil in the passages when you try to drain it. If you get it hot, then let it sit, it'll still be warm and drain easily, and there will be enough time for it to drain out of the head. Also make sure you put something on the mid-pipes (newspaper works great) or oil will get on them when you take off the filter. Some oil will still get on the mid-pipes, so the bike will smoke a little when you start it. Also, put in the required amount of oil in the bike, run it for a minute or two, then check the oil level as recommended by the owners manual. This will give the oil time to circulate into the oil passages in the head. If I can think of anything else I'll post it up.

Good Luck!

03-29-2008, 08:26 PM	#9
PhiSig1071 Let go of my ears. Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Jacksonville, FL Moto: '03 GSX-R600, '04 625SMC Posts: 1,394	Stands do make it easier, but as long as you remember to stand the bike up to drain out all the oil then you'll be fine. Get a K&N! Sportbike oil filters go on tight, if you've changed the oil in your car then you know you usually spin it on til it makes contact then tighten it a quarter to half turn (and it can still be a bitch to get off). Sportbike filters usually go on until they make contact then two complete turns to tighten, so you might not be able to get it off without stabbing it with a screwdriver. The K&N has a nut (kinda) at the end of the filter which makes it easier to get it on or off, especially after it's been on there a while and it's tight. I have used Castrol Act-Evo non-syn (20k plus miles with no problems), Castrol R-4 Superbike full synthetic (handful of trackdays with no problems) and Mobil 1 full syn with great success. I have also heard very good things about Rotella-T full synthetic, which is a car oil. You can use car oil in a bike, just make absolutely sure it does not have "friction modifiers" such as molybendium in it, they bind to clutch plates and cause slippage. Generally if it says "with energy saving additives" you can't use it. For the slight difference in price I recommend using motorcycle specific fully synthetic oil. A couple general things, (this is what I do) run the bike and get the oil hot, then allow it to cool until it is only slightly warm, then drain the oil. This is because the oil passages in a motorcycle are very small, if you start the bike and get the oil a little warm then there will be oil in the passages when you try to drain it. If you get it hot, then let it sit, it'll still be warm and drain easily, and there will be enough time for it to drain out of the head. Also make sure you put something on the mid-pipes (newspaper works great) or oil will get on them when you take off the filter. Some oil will still get on the mid-pipes, so the bike will smoke a little when you start it. Also, put in the required amount of oil in the bike, run it for a minute or two, then check the oil level as recommended by the owners manual. This will give the oil time to circulate into the oil passages in the head. If I can think of anything else I'll post it up. Good Luck!