Fully synthetic oil or semi

[hillbillyscott]

Hi. I bought my bike new and have had the bike serviced at the main dealers for the last two years. The bike is nearly out of warranty so now time to take over the servicing myself. I have now done 18k so the bike is due oil n fillter. I bought 10 40w shell ultra 4  fully synthetic oil  from opie oils as it was a  good price and thought it s time the bike has a bit of the good stuff in her not just semi. I went to my main dealer for a Suzuki fillter n plug washer told him I was putting fully synthetic in the bike n he said don't it will bugger the clutch Suzuki don't recomend fully only semi they don't even stock any fully. I know some of you use fully but now I don't know what to do. I do intend keeping the bike forever so I want to do what's best. what's your thoughts.

[stibbs]

I've always used semi. Never had problems

[mr_diver]

I've used both with no ill effects. The Shell one you mentioned is the exact one I used for a few changes as it was on offer in M&P (local to me).
I preffered the feel on the gearchange with fuch silkoline semi synth. But its a personal thing.
I wouldn't worry, the dealer is talking crap. Most likely to get you to buy some more from them.

[hillbillyscott]

Thanks mr diver. I got the fully because I was hoping the gear changing would be a bit smoother especially on a longer run than my commute. Nothing wrong with gear changing just though it would be better if that makes any sense.

[Jacko]

Fully will be fine, Suzuki don't recommend it for their own reasons, it's nothing to do with suitability. If the grade corresponds with the recommended grade in the manual the fully synth will be fine. I think they don't recommend it because that would then put onus on the dealers to provide it at service time, after all if Suzuki say fully synth is fine then why are they only using semi synth on your bike at its expensive service? Much easier to not sanction it to remove the need the fend off awkward questions.

[iansoady]

I found (or at least felt) that the gearchange on my 955i Triumph Tiger was a bit smoother using full synthetic Silkolene.

[Juvecu]

You'll be fine with that, ran that exact Shell oil for about 20k miles and also ran some Silkolene fully synth for even longer than I ran the Shell stuff. Much better than the dinosaur goop mixed with a bit of synth that Suzuki recommends. Next they'll be telling you not to use any oil filter other than the OEM ones and that iridium plugs will make your engine explode

[macvisual]

Had my V-Strom DL-1000 for nearly 5yrs now, always used semi-synthetic oil. Hassle free.

[thebigcheese]

I have 12litres of that castrol fully synthetic that was on offer in tescos last year. dealer also told me not to use it. one reason mentioned was it cud cause clutch slip?  going to try it anyway. few people have used it with no problems

[hillbillyscott]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to put it in over the weekend and give it a go.

[Jacko]

Semi is just mineral oil with some additives that let the manufacturers refer to it as semi synthetic. I'm not sure of the advantage to be honest.

[Juvecu]

Clutch slip caused by oil only happens if you put car oil in that has friction reducing modifiers in it (sometimes sold as "fuel saving" and other such nonsense names.) Not all wet clutches will be affected either and obviously dry clutches can't be affected. Just stay off the car oil unless you know what's in it.

[Jacko]

I have a mate who rode in Scotland with a bloke on an R1, he ran low on oil and had to put car oil in as that was all that was available. His clutch started slipping straight away and he had to have a new clutch once home. I used to carry a litre of oil around with me on tours, I stopped because I never needed it but I guess that's quite foolish.

[iansoady]

The thing to watch out for is an SJ rating which is the one that (may?) include the friction modifiers that make the clutch slip. Look for SF / SG which won't have these.

[Oop North John]

I used to carry a litre of oil around with me on tours, I stopped because I never needed it but I guess that's quite foolish.

So did I    now I take a used small mouthwash bottle, about 100ml, in case I'd like to top up the oil to above the minimum. If it needs anymore than that I probably need a tow hitch and oil tank behind the bike.

[hillbillyscott]

Well I put my fully synthetic in the bike on sat I have done nearly 200 miles and all I can say is WOW. The bike runs so much smoooother,  the gears flow through the changes both up and down, the lovely v twin growl has lost the harshness and now purs.
I now think to my self what shitte has the main dealer being putting in my bike.:?

[geekay]

been said earlier in the thread - but the worry is fully-synth 'car' oil - which has friction reducers and messes up the clutch on bikes - bike specific, fully-synth oil will be fine.

I always use castrol R4 in all my bikes - its very good value (under £30 for 4 litres - even from halfords!) which allows me to change it twice a year on the sports bike if I feel like it.

I always change filter too - with every oil change, but interestingly, the schedule on the strom doesn't require it - I still will though, doesn't make sense to me - the filter is what, £6? - and it holds 1/4 litre of old oil.

[greywolf]

It's not car oil vs. bike oil, but energy conserving vs. non energy conserving car oils. 10W-40 oils are basically non energy conserving.

[Andy M]

The scary thing in this whole thread is that the dealer is either prepared to lie to sell more over priced semi synthetic or doesn't know that fully synthetic and energy saving are not the same thing.

I went fully synthetic at 3000 miles. The bike won't see a dealer until the day it is sold.

Andy

[frez]

Now I assume that because they are being paid by Castrol they recommend Castrol's fully synthetic oil:

https://www.Suzuki-gb.co.uk/motorcycles ... strol-oil/