best oil ?

[coolaid2201]

I have a 2010 voyager 1700 twin, wondering what is the best oil to use, 14,000 miles on it.

[kjsett]

I have a 2010 voyager 1700 twin, wondering what is the best oil to use, 14,000 miles on it.

My answer will always be Rotella T6, but I have the 1200 so am not an authority on your bike.
I run it in both of my watercooled bikes and a cummins diesel pu.
It's what Carl L. recommends for the 1200, but I couldn't find a post saying anything on the 1700. I will probably use T6 when I change (not by choice, but even the 1200 won't last forever) to the Voyager 1700 in the future, unless Carl recommends something better by then.

Check out this post:
http://www.amervoyassoc.org/forum/viewt ... =14&t=6087

[Turbo4x4]

I've been using standard Rotella T since I purchased my 1700 Voyager new in July of 2009. It not only meets all of Kawasaki's lubrication requirements, I feel that, if it holds up to diesel service, I can't hurt it with a motorcycle. 21,000 miles now without a hiccup, and use no oil between oil changes at 7500 mile intervals.

[1700Guy]

I use Mobil 1 Vtwin 20/50 synthetic. You have enough miles to switch to synthetic. It will also make it shift smoother. And you only have to change every 10000 miles.

[raw6464]

I've used Rotella T6 in 2 Goldwings the Voyager 1700 for over 140,000 miles without a single problem. I was impressed the GW's never needed valve adjustment with the solid lifters and never required adjustment because there was wear in the valve train. I rode in the winter and the 5W-40 gave me an added protection during cold starts. I would say you can not go wrong using the Sell Rotella T6 oil. And at Walmart it's under $22 a gallon.

[Mr Jensee]

Hard to beat Shell Rotella T Dino Oil 15w 40 in any context. We changed oil this last weekend on my XII and a friend's 2001 Concours and put it in both. Before we changed his, his clutch was experiencing slippage in 2nd and 4th gear upon accelerating, we suspected someone put in oil with friction modifiers just before he bought it. After the oil change we rode most of the beautiful Saturday afternoon and he reported no slippage. It didn't hurt that we picked up 2 gallons at a cost of only $13.99 each either.

[kjsett]

I've used Rotella T6 in 2 Goldwings the Voyager 1700 for over 140,000 miles without a single problem. I was impressed the GW's never needed valve adjustment with the solid lifters and never required adjustment because there was wear in the valve train. I rode in the winter and the 5W-40 gave me an added protection during cold starts. I would say you can not go wrong using the Sell Rotella T6 oil. And at Walmart it's under $22 a gallon.

I can only add that I run T6 in my Dodge Cummins diesel. My brother in law owned a newer one (98 vs his 2001) and he ran standard oil (not synth). Twice he had to replace his starter on his daily driver pickup during the years we both lived in Colorado. I still own my truck (290k now) and am still on the starter that was in it when I bought it). Only difference was the oil (well he also had the 24v to my 12v).
Just sayin - no reason to work the engine (or starter) any harder than you have too. A Cold start with thick oil means everything is pushing a heavy liquid around till it warms up.
Enjoy,
Ken

[Terros]

I think the number 1 thing is to change oil at least as often as the manufurer says. May make a few waves with this but I've never really believed the hype for any oil.
Changed oil every 3000 miles in a Susuki Cavalcade for 135,000 miles, sold it to my mechanic. 244,000 miles on Dodge shadow ES Turbo, sold it with original engine not burning oil.
Change oil often and use what you like.
Bob

[NSASarge]

AMSOIL 10w40 full synthetic. I have used AMSOIL since 2000. 2000 Dakota 4.7 custom built, 04 Sentra SpecV, 13 Civic Si, 08 Ram Big Horn Hemi, Craftsman 27hp twin garden tractor, Troybuilt trimmer, Craftsman chainsaw, Craftsman compressor, various motors and other engines, all my firearms and anything that moves. That being said, you can't go wrong with ANY FULL SYNTHETIC OIL.

BTW ... H.D. now recognizes AMSOIL for all H.D. bikes.

[seadog]

what about the Kawai Synthetic oil?
Any experience with this oil?

[Kevin B in Illinois]

Rotella for the XII and Royal Purple Synthetic for the Vulcan 1700 Vtwin..It definitely runs cooler with this stuff.


KB

[1st one]

I run Kawasaki full synthetic and change ever 5000 km. I am old school

[NSASarge]

Oh MAN! Another Oil Thread! OK ... Here goes. I have been selling Amsoil for 15 years now. I have never seen any other oil manufacturer directly compare their oil to another by name. Amsoil was the first full synthetic oil, made in the good old US of A to meet all the auto manufacturers and the API standards and this was in 1972! Jet engines will not operate on dino oil. They must have full synthetic. The founder of Amsoil (Lieutenant Colonel Albert J. Amatuzio) knew this because he was a fighter jet pilot during the Korean war. Amsoil is the only oil I know of that will name the other oils it is comparing itself to. It doesn't say Brand-X or Brand-Y. It will say Mobile 1 Synthetic or Castrol Synthetic. I have attended seminars on synthetic oils and participated in the oil analysis programs. Sorry, but I'm sold on Amsoil and I have done lots of homework on this. In fact, 15 years of homework. That said ... nobody makes a bad synthetic oil. They are all good! You will not go wrong with any synthetic oil. I simply prefer Amsoil because they have been doing it longer than anyone else and they will take on any other synthetic oil BY NAME. Amsoil has never had a claim made against them due to oil failure.

Pheeew! OK, I'm done. Runnin fer cover!

[kawasakigeoff]

When I changed to Amsoil 10w-40 in my 04 Kawi Concours it idled 100 rpm faster than it did on the previous Motul 10w-40 dino oil. I use 20w-50 Amsoil in my 2010 Voyager right from the first oil change. 5k miles between oil changes. No problems in 40k plus miles.

[HMB Don]

Amsoil 10w-40 on 2007 Goldwing 154,000 miles, Voyager 1700, 101,000 miles. Both have extended oil change intervals 10,000 to 12,000 miles.

I agree with NSA Sarge.

[Superdave54]

Thanks for sticking your neck out NSA Sarge. Opinions on oil are like assholes. Everybody has one, and thinks that everybody else's stinks.

Amsoil 10w-40, and now "metric" oil is a great choice. Used it in all my Goldwings, then a new Concours, and now in my Voyager.

One thing I will add on Amsoil, is that it is a myth that an engine won't break-in on synthetics. I have broken-in 4 new motorcycles, 3 new cars, and a plethora of power equipment, including a Kubota Diesel tractor. Never a problem with oil usage.