I've been using rotella in bikes for over 10 years with good results. I used to use it exclusively in my Dodge Cummins then I just started putting it in everything. Mowers, cars, motorcycles, tractors. One oil for all.
I purchased a 1999 Yamaha Road Star in 2001. The bike had 10K miles when I got it. It had 181K on it when I sold it. Never had anything but T4 in it. The bike ran perfect the day I got rid of it. I purchased a 2005 Road Star, and I did run T6 in it. I have a 2003 Road Star right now, and I just canged the oil in it, and used T6. T4 is a great oil for anything that runs on gas or diesel. I run it in my 57 Ford tractor, 97 Chevy C2500, 79 Jeep, and two lawn mowers. T4 or T6 is great in a flat tappet engine because of the high ZDDP.
@@full_metal_everything6929 The tricky thing in your question is what does "better" look like to different people? Different people value different things. Some price, some metrics like compression and tappet wear, some the "feel" of their shifting.
@@full_metal_everything6929 At $22/quart I was paying for Amsoil vs the 5 gallon jug of Rotella T4 15W40 I just bought for $100 (20 quarts, so $5 per quart) I'm gonna say the Rotella is "better" for me. As a trucker I punished the big engines (CATs/Cummins/Detroits/Volvos) on the road daily for 24 years/6 million miles using Rotella (this exact oil actually). If it can go 30,000 miles between oil drops in a motor under those extreme conditions, it can handle my bike engine. Full stop. It carries the needed JASO MA2 rating for wet clutch operation, it has a healthy ZDDP package, it has excellent shear resistance properties to handle the extreme forces a gearbox dishes out for a motor oil. So... "better" ? It is for me. In my dirtbikes it works great. Big fan of Amsoil, but at $22 per quart, naw they can keep it. Overpriced. They're selling a name. Rotella is no slouch as an oil product. Shell, as an oil company, is no slouch. BIG reputation on the line there. Much bigger than Amsoil lol. People just need to get untwisted about the bs marketing that goes on.
I've used T4 for a long time. Love it. Zero issues. I have switched to a full synthetic for no other reason than to double the change interval. More riding less servicing.
From doing a TON of reading re: the Rotella T oils (full synth, semi, and regular dino), they all seem to perform well in bikes. I used 5W-40 T6 in my F4i for 10's of thousands of miles and numerous track days to good effect. The best peace of mind for me was submitting it for analysis and it always came back with a positive result. Biggest factor is changing it and, as you mentioned, transmission "feel" is a good non-scientific metric that I used as well. Side note: I got to spend a few days in the Newport Beach area earlier this year and REALLY missed not being able to ride. Motorcycles everywhere and such great scenery! 👍
Thanks for watching and for throwing in your insights for the benefit of others. Yes, I like riding down to Newport Beach. Less hectic than LA and beautiful. Every Saturday and Sunday morning is a car and bike show without needing to buy a ticket.
@@UrbanMonkTV You are quite welcome! I've benefitted hugely from folks like you and love to give props to anyone who take the time to post up so much beneficial knowledge. I'm a Shenandoah Valley boy and had only been in Cali for a quick layover on my way to Hawaii, many years ago. It was very cool to have a few days to experience the different landscape, air, and flora/fauna during my visit.
I have a V Strom 650 with 103k miles and it too has had nothing but Rotella T4 used in it. Cheap and available everywhere. Never saw a reason to use anything else.
I love that Shell did the JASO MA cert on this oil or at least put it on the label. I started messing around with Diesel oils in my 1999 R1 back in 2004 with 2,500 miles. Started with the 5w 40 Mobil delvac because i really wanted full synthetic and an Bobistheoilguy said it was the best. (Even though I was nervous from all the naysayers) I ran that for 6000 miles (2 oil changes) but I did not like the shifting at all and the used oil poured out like water when I drained it. Then I went to delo 400 le 15w40 and the shifting was much much better. A huge improvement. I switched to Rotella T4 when I noticed the JASO rating around 2020. Just did my first change with T6 15w 40 but I think I'm going back to T4 on the next change. The T4 just feels slightly better in the transmission. The R1 now has 53,000 miles on the original clutch and everything runs great! First gen R1s are known for destroying 2nd gear and mine still seems fine. Thanks for your review! Love hearing about people having good luck with this stuff in their bikes.
Enjoyed your Rotella oil review. I've used quite a bit of it. I'll be checking out some of your previous posts. Oh, I also subscribed. I like your "style".
Thank you for watching and for subbing! Hope you enjoy my channel. I have to go tell my wife and daughters that I have "style" now. They won't believe it! :)
i use this oil in my 1970 flat tapped engines in my cars and the gasoline old engines love this oil its got the propper zddp numbers zinc and phospherous
Great video. I was using Motul 10w40 for my genuine buddy 125cc scooter and was looking for a more economical alternative. So I did a lot of research and T4 15w40 is a terrific replacement
@@UrbanMonkTV Absolutely. Motul is good but the Rotella is also an excellent oil. I’ve been using the T6 5w30 in my MX5 and it loves it, eliminating the lifter tick. So now, I’ll get the T4 for the scooter
@@leelee3995 I'm looking for answers too , I get foreigner sym jet14 200cc air cooler not liquid. I'm looking for another alternative, can I use diesel oil t4 or t6 (5,10or15 W40 ) does it burn in non liquid cooling system? Thanks.
Hey UM. You are wealth of knowledge in regards of the vstrom. You mentioned rotella in a previous video and that got me thinking and now that you got more into the detail, I'm all in. You the man! Thanks a bunch!
After doing some research on the topic, I might start using Shell Rotella T6 (the full synthetic version of T4 discussed here). According to the Shell tech support folks, the T6 is JASO MA and MA2 rated, meaning it won't damage we clutches, and is also API SN rated, which is backwards compatible with the SM rating that my bike calls for.
Great information UM! I am with OBI-WAN, breakfast looked tasty! Thank you for this extremely relevant and important information. Love the idea of lower cost and more availability of the Rotella T4 oil. Cheers!
As long as your oil is JASO rated and is the appropriate weight according to what your owner's manual states, you should be free to choose almost any brand you like.
I remember being an apprentice mechanic I remember hearing an older mechanic raving about Shell Rotella T ! Definitely cheaper than the dealer brand 20+ dollars /litre.
I have seen a lot of videos and I’m now running the t6 5w40 in my 2012 Polaris 800 side by side and that’s crazy mileage on your bike with no issues awesome. Keep the rubber side down and keep riding
Yep, I have used it for years in all my motorcycle's and lawn mowers, even the 4stroke pontoon boat mercury. And the 1965 StingRay with a 327. Excellent for flat tappet camshafts.
Great video i just started looking for info on rotella t4 to use in my Suzuki 400 asi 4x4 quad and came across your video would it be ok to run in my atv ?
Thanks for watching! As far as the engine in your Suzuki quad is concerned I would say yes it will be a fine oil. The only caveat I will say is I'm not familiar with the automatic transmission in that vehicle and whether or not the engine oil also lubricates the transmission. If I had to guess I'd guess that transmission uses its own lubricant but I'm not sure. Look into that and, if the engine oil is strictly for the engine, you're fine using Rotella.
Great Information, thank you. I picked up my new to me 4000-mile 2008 Vstrom 650 same color as yours last week and did an oil change after riding it back to AZ from Montana with motorcycle oil that I had in the garage. I see no reason not to start a diet of Rotella for the future. I do use Rotella in my truck and two stroke transmissions. I had not seen the JASO ratings before, nice to know.
Veeeeee W - (ha ha) - thanks for this info - I freakin watched it start to finish. I'll be switching over - like you. I will be chatting with you about viscosity though. We'll chat later & thank you ;-)
Engine oil is a such a controversial subject on social media. I never really hear anything bad about Shell Rotella brand. What i find interesting, is that this oil is Diesel recommended and yet its also Jaso Ma/Ma2 . The interesting part is, that diesel engine longevity is partly because of low rpm operating power band, and motorcycles make power in a much higher rpm, both in normal riding, and max power output, to the tune of 10-15 thousand rpm in some models.
No JASO for the T5, though many use it in bikes. It has a certain additive that is not compatible with wet clutch, maybe in a small amount not to affect anything but loses the JASO rating.
First time viewer here. I used dinosaur in my Suzuki GS850G (bought tens) for over 200 000 kilometers, still runs fine. However, that bike “uses” oil and has to be topped up every 1000 kilometers so it’s always getting refreshed. My other bikes always consumed top-shelf synthetic oils including my three V-Strom’s (bought new) and cumulatively have over 300 000 kilometers. Looking back, I wish I’d have used Rotella (like my buddy). Probably could have bought a good used bike for the $ I’d have saved. All that said, I was told by my trusty mechanic not to use Rotella in my Africa Twin, mostly because of the DCT. I’d love to hear opinions that either agree or disagree with that opinion! Also, while I’m rambling, what’s the difference between T4, T5 and T6; are they all suitable for bike engines?
Thank you for watching and for sharing your insights here for the benefit of others. I too would love to here comments on this oil in machines with DCT trans, as I don't have any direct experience with them.
The JASO MA/MA-2 is the friction-related spec for wet clutches. Besides the relatively cheap diesel truck oils, "4T Motorcycle" is what you want to scan for on the front of the container.
Great to see some reality mate ! My Guzzi would leave me if I didn’t give it the twice annual diesel oil drink (although a diff major brand). Cheap & good zinc/phos 👍
I used Valvoline E700 plus API CI-4 plus truck oil in my bike and the engine was smoother than previous motorcycle oil I used, and no clutch slippage. I drove for 4500 miles. Actually we can use any truck oil which has API C* grade mentioned, and strictly there should be no mention of API S* in the oil. API S* grade oil will cause clutch slippage as it can be used in gasoline engines.
Thanks for watching and for sharing your insights for the benefit of others. While I haven't used that oil specifically, I do see it is another "truck" oil designed for diesel engines, like Rotella T4. Where do you purchase E700? If I weren't committed to following through on my personal long-term test of Rotella I might try it.
Well I appreciate what you’ve done there there’s a dude in Australia that uses their local branded Deisel oil and swears by it I use a brand that has esterfied molecules?? ( I might be buying. Into hype?) but that’s supposed to be excellent for transmissions but as u say u change your oil very regularly so prob not such an issue! I’m going to look out for it 👍
I use Mobil 1 gasoline car oil in my motorcycles since 1988. A few Hondas XLX250R, XLX350R, Kawasaki NINJA ZX9R, Suzuki DR650, Yamaha XT660... Never had a clutch problem or anything else because of lube.
We have 5 bikes and 2 of them are 2023. My yamaha cruisers will continue on T4 and my New KLR 650 will be going to T4 when the year warranty is done. For now i will keep our honda 750x dct on honda 10w30 because of the dct.
Es muy caro hacer analisis de laboratorio de aceites nuevos y usados?. Seria muy interesante. La cantidad de restos de metales de los motores, y cuanto tiempo y millas se puede usar un aceite.
Gracias por ver. No sé cuánto costaría la prueba. Estoy de acuerdo en que sería interesante. Una buena fuente de información sobre el petróleo (incluidos algunos resultados de pruebas de laboratorio) es bobistheoilguy.com. Es un sitio en inglés, pero supongo que hablas inglés dado que viste mi video. Los navegadores pueden traducir, por supuesto. Saludos desde Los Ángeles!
Gracias por responder en español, por el enlace a Bob el de los aceites, por este video y por este canal. No hablo mas ingles que el que aprendí en la escuela. Uso la extensión de Google Chrome llamada speak subtitles for you tube que traduce varios idiomas. Buen video, enhorabuena por esas 80.000 millas. Ya tendrá muchas mas esa gran Suzuki desde la fecha de este video. Me parece bien que uses ese aceite con homologación JASO MA/MA2. Yo estaba buscando un aceite 15W 40 mas adecuado para un motor turbo Diesel de 1999, mas viscoso que los 5W 40 que a ese motor no le van bien, y creo que también he encontrado un buen aceite para mi moto, Yamaha XT 660 R. Hice mas de 80.000 millas a una Honda CB250 usando aceite ingles especial para motos 15W 50, de precio elevado, según su fabricante "semisintético" y cada 2500 millas lo cambiaba porque el cambio no iba bien y entraba el punto muerto entre primera y segunda. Dinero perdido. Ni tu Suzuki V-Strom ni mi Yamaha XT 660 R llegan a 16.000 rpm, con este aceite creo que van bien lubricadas. Conozco tres canales de you tube que analizan aceites nuevos y usados. Dos españoles y uno mexicano. Sin tu consentimiento previo no me atrevo a poner enlaces a esos canales. Por lo que dices de la nueva homologación API CK-4, de este aceite, puede que tenga base extraída del gas natural o GTL, gas to liquid como la llama Shell, es bastante estable y resistente, al menos mas que lo que suelen usar la mayoría de fabricantes de lubricantes base HC o hidro craqueada, base mineral refinada del petróleo. A cualquier aceite le ponen en el envase 100% sintético y te cobran una fortuna por el. El aceite mas sintético que he visto en análisis son modelos de Red Line y Exline antes llamada Extreme, que llevan un 80% de base sintética real. Si no tienes un coche o moto de competición para que pagar fortunas por esos aceites. Un aviso serio. No solo se empaña tu visor del casco con la humedad del océano Pacifico. Si circulas mucho cerca del océano los motores aspiran esa humedad que contiene sal y por mucho que filtre el filtro de aire el aceite acaba dando positivo en Sodio, en mayor o menor cantidad. El aceite lleva dispersantes y antioxidantes, pero si seria interesante hacer un análisis de un aceite que hayas usado mucho al borde del océano por prevención. Un saludo y gracias de nuevo.@@UrbanMonkTV
Thanks! My professional and family life has gotten much busier lately and I expect it'll stay this way a while, but I will always try to get a new video out when I can.
That'd make a good video topic. I usually do it when I check valve tappets, so every 15k miles roughly. Unless I'm aware of having ridden in dusty environments. Then I would go in earlier and check. I used to work for Tennant Company years ago and they produced filters with shakers/vibrators on them to clear out dust and extend filter life. I've been known to shake my air filters also. Same technology only smaller.
T4, T5 and T6 all great choices . If it's trusted to protect OTR trucks for millions of miles , should be fine I'm the bike . I sent a sample of T5 synthetic blend to a lab and it had a bit more robust additive package but they are all great
@@TheSouthpawSharpshooter I've found there's some debate about T5 out there. The API badge doesn't say "Energy Saving" in the bottom half, which is usually the bit of info to look for regarding friction additives, but it is also not JASO MA-2 rated. I've always just stuck with T4 and had good results. Cheaper anyway and I've found some evidence that it is a synthetic blend. I've been accused of changing my oil too frequently and I'm probably guilty of that, but I stand by making an error on the safe side.
I did the math and Rotella would cost me $8 per oil change and LiquiMoly 15W50 motorcycle oil costs me $15 per oil change. I have a three year factory warranty on my bike and I don't want BMW voiding my warranty because I used diesel truck oil to save $7. No hate intended for anyone running Rotella. Seven bucks is seven bucks, and it does add up. I'll probably run Rotella T6 after my warranty expires, provided my bike shifts OK. Some people report shifting clunkiness.
@@UrbanMonkTV - It's my understanding that when a customer does his own maintenance during the warranty period, the stealership asks for maintenance logs and receipts to verify that factory procedures and materials were used before they honor the factory warranty. I have the log and receipts. I've needed no warranty work in the first two years, and hopefully won't need any warranty service for the final year either, but I'm not putting 82,000 miles on my baby GS, either. I just reviewed Amazon oil prices: Motul 15W50 Motorcycle Oil (that I've been using) is $44 for 4 liters (1.06 gallons) $17.64/oil change Rotella T4 15W40 is $16.67 per gallon (purchased 3 gallons at a time) $7.08/oil change Rotella T5 15W40 is $18.67 per gallon (purchased 3 gallons at a time) $7.93/oil change Rotella T6 15W40 is $33.33 per gallon (purchased 3 gallons at a time) $14.17/oil change My bike gets 2.4 oil changes per gallon. I included the cost for an oil change above. I'm surprised that BMW recommends oil changes every 6000 miles, or annually, whichever comes first. 6000 miles sounds like a lot for 1.7 quarts of oil in a motorcycle. I change the oil annually, and an extra $10 for the motorcycle premium isn't nearly as offensive to me as it is when I'm buying tires that cost 10 times as much per mile as car tires. PS - Rotella sounds like something that's microwaved with Velveeta to make nacho dip for Super Bowl parties.
My 04 Suzuki Intruder 1500LC Holds 4.5 quarts I didn't change the filter this go round but a gallon jug was $20 an some change. I noticed the T6 Rotella was about $3 higher
@@ROCKO633 - Good point. Bikes that need as much oil as a car will see a bigger cost savings than my little bike that needs less than two quarts. I suppose my implied point is that switching to Rotella makes more sense (and cents) for bigger bikes. The prices I quoted in a previous post for T4, T5 and T6 were from Amazon at the time. Amazon algorithms can adjust prices depending on supply and demand, sometimes drastically. I suspected the T6 price was artificially high at the time and had seen it much lower a couple of days later. Worth considering when shopping online for oil. I buy oil in larger quantities so I always have plenty for the next oil change... or three. I try to buy when the price is low. Amazon Basics is apparently very good full synthetic automotive oil for almost half the price of Castrol, Pennzoil, Mobile1, etc. I wish there was Amazon Basics motorcycle oil.
@@Liberty4Ever I didn't do a complete system flush on mine this time but the book says it holds 5 quarts, But if it's just a normal Oil and Filter it holds 4.5 quarts, Oil only change 4 quarts. That's a hell of a lot for a Motorcycle. a Chevy 305/350 V8 holds 5 quarts 😂
Thanks for that insight. Perhaps some people who live in colder climates would be comfortable running a thinner oil like T4 10-30. In my climate I'll stick with thicker.
Great explanation.. here s my doubt. Here in India there s no rotella, but there is hdeo shell rimula r4 ci4 plus rated. This is a premium mineral but not synthetic. I use that. There is another synthetic version named shell helix which is api sn and acea a3 b4. The concern is ,since it is rated for both gasoline and diesel cars( and not trucks, hence not a hdeo), would the a3b4 rating equal to the acea e9 rated rotella t6? I feel that, even though there is a3b4, and suited for diesel cars, still it may not have the aggressive additive package as a purely diesel rated hdeo. Am I right in this understanding?
Thanks for watching. I posted this video only to share my experience, which is limited to this particular oil I can buy locally and to my make and model of bike. I honestly couldn't begin to speculate about any similarities to or differences from your local oil. It may very well be the case that the only similarity they share is the Shell brand logo. I really don't know. I'm sorry I can't be more helpful.
hy, i'm talking from brazil, and i've been using this diesel oil in my bikes for about 15 years. the trick is to find an oil that have the same API as the shell rotella does have. over here i don't mind for what brand to use, but i have my favourites. one thing you gotta know about any oil is that some brands bend to the side of cleaning additives and others go to the side of friction reducer, some brands go for both. the oil tha t pen to the cleaning keep your engine very clean inside, but... they don't lub well, so i always prefer to choose those that have more friction reducers additives in it thought they evaporate a little bit more, but aniway i pick them because the bike engine runs looser, the engine make less noise and everything else who use this oil say. over here i use 15w40 API CI-4/ SL mineral. if you are uncomfortable just look for the SL just after de CI-4 and you're gonna be okay, pick big oil companies with reliable trust and you gonna be okay. if you wanna test you can try just the API CI-4 because they are the same, the companies just pay a fee for the test to be alowed to show the SL on the can that's why most of the diesel oil doesn't show the API for gas cars on the can. I run about 2000km or 6 months on dino oil, or when i feel the gear box a little hard to find the neutral and it usually happens about 2000 km. I hope it helps.....if you run on other oil before make the fisrt change with 1000 km, because the diesel oil will drag the dirt of the others oil out and clean the motor inside, and then change it with about 2000 km or so. The secret os these diesel oils is the base oil is way better then the base oil they use on regular oils, so the diesel oils with dino base oil without parafin and others shits can stand the heat better then other mineral oils and it lubbes better because of the better additives they have to put in it to stand the duty in diesel engines, turbos and the dirty the oil get from the diesel, but there's no miracle, you gotta change it often because the dino oil is good but not a full synthetic oil... but it works just like a full sinthetic oil till you feel the gears become hard to shift, this is when the dino oil breaks down and starts to become thinner and the additives break down too because the gear box breaks the viscosity index improvers additive. there's a lot more about it, but with this you can help yourself. seya!!
Shell helix cannot be used in bikes because it can be used in both petrol and diesel engines and it has API S* rating in it. Shell rimula R4 can be used as doesn't have API S* rating in it. Try to get any Heavy duty diesel engine oil which has only API C* rating in it. I used Valvoline e700 plus diesel engine oil in my bike and it is very good with no clutch slippage. It has API CI-4 plus and ACEA E7 rating and no API S* rating.
@@UrbanMonkTV I'll be getting that oil - that's a fact, but damn bro, that breakfast looked so good !!! Including the onions on the hash browns !!! WOWEEEEE 🙂
I mention that in the video. Usually never over 3500 but often less, like 2500. I'm a fan of "cheap oil/frequent changes." Has treated me and all my IC machines well for my adult life. Thanks for watching.
I apologize, must of missed that part somehow. I too run rotella t4 in my machines and wondered how often others change it out. Thanks for the quick reply I appreciate that.
I would use in that bike if I owned it. Caveat...I tend to change oil more frequently than manufacturer recommends. Like 3500 miles. Thanks for watching.
Hey I wanted to ask do you ride the bike “hard” at all? Like revving it out or rising at high rpms for some extended periods of time (“racy” style) I wonder if that has something to do with your valves being within clearance pretty much all this time Urban Monk TV
First, thanks for watching. I've been described as a "spirited" rider. I do like to go faster than most. However, I don't tend to rev this bike over 5k rpms as it really isn't necessary to have a fun ride. Being a v-twin, it has good torque at lower revs. Also, with stock sprocket sizes, 5k rpm on this bike = 90mph on the highway. It'll go all day like that.
@@erxfav3197 Honestly I've never read the specs on the others so I wouldn't be comfortable commenting on them. I know I like T4 and it's been good to my bike and my pocketbook.
@@UrbanMonkTV T5 and T6 are the respective semi and fully synthetic variants of this oil. They come in the same weights too. Why is it that you use the 15W040 when the manual calls for 10W-40, just curious? Cheers!
@@cesartapia610 Thanks for watching! I use 15-40 because that is the only weight it comes in and my bike's owners manual states that viscosity range is acceptable in the temps I experience where I live. It never gets below freezing here and I keep my bike in a warm garage.
Dude 80,000 miles is like 2,000,000 miles on a car. 2300 is not like new lol But I do appreciate the review of the oil where in the hell did you ride 80,000 miles that is like insane
Thanks for watching. I have 89,000 miles on it now. I put those miles on seeing this beautiful country we call the US of A. th-cam.com/play/PL2518uxZnBT0239YgcJT3paUMf05VJNp2.html&si=dUVUImM60cYm2ly0
I'm 73 years old and I admit I have slowed down a little, and don't ride as much as I used to. 20 years ago I put between 20,000 and 30,000 miles a year on my bike, sometimes more, but never less. One of the reasons I used T4 at the time is in the area I live logging is a huge industry, and every mom and pop store has T4 on the shelf and at the time owning HD bikes it was easy to stop in and get a quart if I needed it. Also now I use T6 simply because I can extend the oil change mileage out, and not have to worry about it as much. One thing I saw mentioned is T5. Don't use it. It is not JASO rated. From what I can find out T4 is now a synthetic blend, and not a straight dino oil.
Oh also, when did you check your valve clearances, change the plugs etc? Like what intervals? Are they the same as the manual recommends? @urban monk tv
I've been checking valve clearances every 15k per the manual. Plugs are supposed to be every 7500 miles, but honestly I've done it when I check valves and that has worked out ok. No issues with blown coils.
@@erxfav3197 Not valves per se, but valve clearances can be if shims or cam lobes are wearing because of inadequate lubrication. The other thing that makes clearances change of course is the relationship between the valve and the seat. That is more a matter of how one rides - high rev'ing vs. not.
@@UrbanMonkTV oh really? I didn’t think of that.. thank for you for the excellent info as usual. I guess adequate lubrication would be a factor then.. I assume you don’t rev your bike up to ridiculous amounts or for prolonged time either huh? I thought valves just wore at their own rate because of just natural factors.. (Like.. not really much you can do about it..) So what do you think of a zx6r (a super sport, high revving bike) do you think valves would almost certainly need to be serviced due to its high revving nature?
@@erxfav3197 In short, yes...High revving engines should see more rapid wear in this area. The work around is more smaller valves. They'll often design for 5 valves thus maintaining or even increasing the total volume of air/fuel that can pass. This reduces the mass of each valve which reduces the forces needed to move them and stop them from moving.
No different than mine. If it's not been abused it'll likely be a wonderful machine to own. Will probably run better with a Power Commander if it doesn't have one.
used it once in my klr, it fogged up sight glass with what i can onlyl describe as piss stained like coating.... never again. settled on motoul 7100 20w50 for my 08 klr, 2017 vstrom, and 2000 fxdwg
Thanks for watching! I'm no KLR expert but doesn't that engine famously burn some oil at higher RPMs? I could be off there. If so, it suggests some "cross contamination" between the combustion side and the lubrication side of the engine. Just a curiosity as I have never owned one.
@UrbanMonkTV well I would say that it can be the case, and most any bikes i have, have used oil to some degree. I have seen every brand of anything burn oil or outright loose compression from being dusted for instance. my 08 klr has over 140'000 km on it by me, and used a varaity of oil, this happened at about the 100''000km mark when I had to start buying my oil instead of using leftover customer oil. I cleaned the sight glass several oil changes after when I had the side case off for a water pump re seal.... been good ever since. probably just a crap batch of oil.
I watched the video once but forgot so I was about to ask “did he say how often he changes it??” But apparently 3,500 miles roughly or earlier.. Ok.. Service manual recommends 4k I believe he said
@@UrbanMonkTV would you say that it’s ok to keep an oil filter that’s rated for 7k-10k+ miles on and just change the oil twice within that period? (Meaning at 3k-4k miles, keep the same filter and change the filter along with the oil at the next change) Also is it ok to go back to conventional after using synthetic? (on a motorcycle)
@@erxfav3197 I use cheap Fram oil filters and change every third oil change, so, for me, that means I'm getting roughly 9k-10k miles per filter. Yes, I don't have any concerns around switching between synth and conventional or vice versa. As I mentioned in this video, one often doesn't know whether he's running synth blend or not. The distinction between the two seems to be slowly going the way of the dodo. I'm beginning to think more in terms of "oil is oil" as long as it meets specifications.
Thanks for watching! Well...I'm enjoying mine with 86,000 on the clock and don't see the fun ending anytime soon. That said, I know how mine has been cared for. If you don't see smoke coming out of the exhaust (cold engine) it is a good sign compression is ok. You may need to replace regular wear items and they could add up to a couple hundred $ but if runs at all, it'll probably run well for many more miles to come. Hard to have a crystal ball on these things. I'll also say, new sprockets, chain and tires will make these things feel like a brand new bike. Also, test drive and ride for an extended time in 2nd gear around 2500-3000 rpms. If it hesitates and/or backfires, you'll probably need a Power Commander. That's a personal preference though. A person can ride around that.
One certainly could. Ultimately I'm not concerned with it's components, I'm concerned with the results over long term use in my machine. Thanks for watching.
You need to read your owner's manual. Harleys are not wet clutch bikes. They take a specific oil for the engine, clutch, and transmission. So use what the manual calls for.
You need to read your owner's manual. Harleys are not wet clutch bikes. They take a specific oil for the engine, clutch, and transmission. So use what the manual calls for.
While I'm not familiar with your specific bike, I'd assume you mean for the transmission (not as a gas mix in). Yes is my opinion, but it goes without saying the mix in oil should be 2-cycle specific oil. Thanks for watching!
@@joecamel6835 - I watched the "Comparing oil analysis of Shell rotella T4, T5, and T6" video by Outpost CTD. Rotella T4, T5 and T6 had somewhat different additives for anti-wear and detergent, but I don't think any of the three are rated "resource conserving" that would indicate that they have friction modifiers that are incompatible with a wet clutch. All three are rated JASO MA/MA2, so they are presumably OK for a wet clutch in a motorcycle.
Thanks for watching. Did I miss something? Where does the suggestion that T4 and T6 are being blended? I've looking around the comments to find. Agree with you that versions of this or any oil that is not JASO rated and/or displays any indication that friction additives have been included in its formulation should not be put in a bike with a wet clutch.
ANY Diesel oil will work in a motorcycle not just Rotella. But you might want to go with FULL SYNTHETIC for less engine wear and cooler engine temps. i’ve used Rotella in my dirtbike with mixed reviews. I now use 100% synthetic maxima Motorcycle oil for best results and incredible speed and durability. You cannot beat a good high-quality Motorcycle oil. Sometimes it’s worth spending the extra money. but then again you’re not RACING your Motorcycle, I am so I need a really really strong high-shear Motorcycle oil
Thanks for throwing in you insights here. Maybe full synth would be better but to your point I'm not sure I'm stressing the engine to a point where the difference would be material. Also, one thing I love about the first gen V-Stroms is the oil cooler. (They removed for later models.)
@@stevesmith756 ANY motor oil Will work in a wet clutch Motorcycle. The only thing that will not work is resource Conserving car oil like 5W 30/10W-30. If it says resource conserving on the label it will make your clutch slip. And I know this from using every type of oil in my dirtbike and Streetbikes and the only oil that made them slip was the ones I mentioned above. It doesn’t need to say JASO in the bottle to work... (google it)
@@stevesmith756 ANY motor oil will work in a motorcycle 🏍. The only oils that will present a problem with the clutch is “resource conserving” oils like 5W-30 and 10W-30 car oil. All diesel oils are safe for motorcycles, in any weight and mix. So are 10w-40 car oil. I know this cuz i’ve used them with no problems at all. My bikes ran great 👍🏻 But i would suggest full synthetic diesel oil for best results. (the bottle doesn’t need to say JASO on it)
@@bobkindle4297 I wouldn’t risk any of that just because you say so. I will trust my bike to what the engineers designed it for and recommend. I’ll only use JASO certified. Not worth the risk
Thanks for watching. I really can't comment on Amsoil as I've never used it. I wish I had the money and time to purchase two exact same bikes and run Rotella in one and Amsoil in the other for 90k miles and ride them exactly the same, but that's not in the cards for me. I don't know that turning dark is necessarily a sign of an oil that is failing to lubricate as needed. I put more weight into measurable metrics like tappet wear.
I've been using rotella in bikes for over 10 years with good results. I used to use it exclusively in my Dodge Cummins then I just started putting it in everything. Mowers, cars, motorcycles, tractors. One oil for all.
Thanks for watching! Agree.
I purchased a 1999 Yamaha Road Star in 2001. The bike had 10K miles when I got it. It had 181K on it when I sold it. Never had anything but T4 in it. The bike ran perfect the day I got rid of it. I purchased a 2005 Road Star, and I did run T6 in it. I have a 2003 Road Star right now, and I just canged the oil in it, and used T6. T4 is a great oil for anything that runs on gas or diesel. I run it in my 57 Ford tractor, 97 Chevy C2500, 79 Jeep, and two lawn mowers. T4 or T6 is great in a flat tappet engine because of the high ZDDP.
Thanks for watching and for throwing in your experiences for the benefit of others!
Is rotella better or amsoil?
@@full_metal_everything6929 The tricky thing in your question is what does "better" look like to different people? Different people value different things. Some price, some metrics like compression and tappet wear, some the "feel" of their shifting.
@@full_metal_everything6929 At $22/quart I was paying for Amsoil vs the 5 gallon jug of Rotella T4 15W40 I just bought for $100 (20 quarts, so $5 per quart) I'm gonna say the Rotella is "better" for me. As a trucker I punished the big engines (CATs/Cummins/Detroits/Volvos) on the road daily for 24 years/6 million miles using Rotella (this exact oil actually). If it can go 30,000 miles between oil drops in a motor under those extreme conditions, it can handle my bike engine. Full stop. It carries the needed JASO MA2 rating for wet clutch operation, it has a healthy ZDDP package, it has excellent shear resistance properties to handle the extreme forces a gearbox dishes out for a motor oil. So... "better" ? It is for me. In my dirtbikes it works great. Big fan of Amsoil, but at $22 per quart, naw they can keep it. Overpriced. They're selling a name. Rotella is no slouch as an oil product. Shell, as an oil company, is no slouch. BIG reputation on the line there. Much bigger than Amsoil lol. People just need to get untwisted about the bs marketing that goes on.
I've used T4 for a long time. Love it. Zero issues. I have switched to a full synthetic for no other reason than to double the change interval. More riding less servicing.
Thanks for throwing in here. Others' benefit.
How long you let yours go between changes. I just started using T-4 myself. I ride mine as a main means of transportation at the moment
From doing a TON of reading re: the Rotella T oils (full synth, semi, and regular dino), they all seem to perform well in bikes. I used 5W-40 T6 in my F4i for 10's of thousands of miles and numerous track days to good effect. The best peace of mind for me was submitting it for analysis and it always came back with a positive result. Biggest factor is changing it and, as you mentioned, transmission "feel" is a good non-scientific metric that I used as well.
Side note: I got to spend a few days in the Newport Beach area earlier this year and REALLY missed not being able to ride. Motorcycles everywhere and such great scenery! 👍
Thanks for watching and for throwing in your insights for the benefit of others. Yes, I like riding down to Newport Beach. Less hectic than LA and beautiful. Every Saturday and Sunday morning is a car and bike show without needing to buy a ticket.
@@UrbanMonkTV You are quite welcome! I've benefitted hugely from folks like you and love to give props to anyone who take the time to post up so much beneficial knowledge.
I'm a Shenandoah Valley boy and had only been in Cali for a quick layover on my way to Hawaii, many years ago. It was very cool to have a few days to experience the different landscape, air, and flora/fauna during my visit.
I have a V Strom 650 with 103k miles and it too has had nothing but Rotella T4 used in it. Cheap and available everywhere. Never saw a reason to use anything else.
Thanks for throwing your experience into the mix here. That'll help some people. And thanks for watching!
I love that Shell did the JASO MA cert on this oil or at least put it on the label. I started messing around with Diesel oils in my 1999 R1 back in 2004 with 2,500 miles. Started with the 5w 40 Mobil delvac because i really wanted full synthetic and an Bobistheoilguy said it was the best. (Even though I was nervous from all the naysayers) I ran that for 6000 miles (2 oil changes) but I did not like the shifting at all and the used oil poured out like water when I drained it. Then I went to delo 400 le 15w40 and the shifting was much much better. A huge improvement. I switched to Rotella T4 when I noticed the JASO rating around 2020. Just did my first change with T6 15w 40 but I think I'm going back to T4 on the next change. The T4 just feels slightly better in the transmission. The R1 now has 53,000 miles on the original clutch and everything runs great! First gen R1s are known for destroying 2nd gear and mine still seems fine. Thanks for your review! Love hearing about people having good luck with this stuff in their bikes.
Thank you for watching and for sharing your insights here for the benefit of others!
Enjoyed your Rotella oil review. I've used quite a bit of it. I'll be checking out some of your previous posts. Oh, I also subscribed. I like your "style".
Thank you for watching and for subbing! Hope you enjoy my channel. I have to go tell my wife and daughters that I have "style" now. They won't believe it! :)
i use this oil in my 1970 flat tapped engines in my cars and the gasoline old engines love this oil its got the propper zddp numbers zinc and phospherous
Thanks for throwing in your insights for the benefit of others!
@@UrbanMonkTV my pleasure
Its good oil for many purposes and wanted to share
Great video. I was using Motul 10w40 for my genuine buddy 125cc scooter and was looking for a more economical alternative. So I did a lot of research and T4 15w40 is a terrific replacement
Motul is certainly a good oil, but as my video suggests, I think T4 certainly is too. Thanks for watching!
@@UrbanMonkTV
Absolutely. Motul is good but the Rotella is also an excellent oil. I’ve been using the T6 5w30 in my MX5 and it loves it, eliminating the lifter tick. So now, I’ll get the T4 for the scooter
@@leelee3995 I'm looking for answers too , I get foreigner sym jet14 200cc air cooler not liquid. I'm looking for another alternative, can I use diesel oil t4 or t6 (5,10or15 W40 ) does it burn in non liquid cooling system?
Thanks.
Hey UM. You are wealth of knowledge in regards of the vstrom. You mentioned rotella in a previous video and that got me thinking and now that you got more into the detail, I'm all in. You the man!
Thanks a bunch!
Thanks for watching and for the kind words!
After doing some research on the topic, I might start using Shell Rotella T6 (the full synthetic version of T4 discussed here). According to the Shell tech support folks, the T6 is JASO MA and MA2 rated, meaning it won't damage we clutches, and is also API SN rated, which is backwards compatible with the SM rating that my bike calls for.
Thanks for watching. If you think of it, circle back and let us know how it's working for you after a while.
Used it for a bit. My experience it sheers down too quickly. After 1200KM was like water.
Bikes were GPz 750 and Concours 1000.
Thank you for watching.
Great information UM! I am with OBI-WAN, breakfast looked tasty! Thank you for this extremely relevant and important information. Love the idea of lower cost and more availability of the Rotella T4 oil.
Cheers!
Thanks for watching! Perhaps I should start reviewing breakfast joints. 😄
@@UrbanMonkTV Breakfast and bikes is not a bad combo .
@@joecamel6835 Haha! I combine them often!
@@UrbanMonkTV - I ride for pie.
As long as your oil is JASO rated and is the appropriate weight according to what your owner's manual states, you should be free to choose almost any brand you like.
Completely agree. Thanks for watching!
I remember being an apprentice mechanic I remember hearing an older mechanic raving about Shell Rotella T ! Definitely cheaper than the dealer brand 20+ dollars /litre.
Thanks for watching and sharing that insight for the benefit of others.
I have seen a lot of videos and I’m now running the t6 5w40 in my 2012 Polaris 800 side by side and that’s crazy mileage on your bike with no issues awesome. Keep the rubber side down and keep riding
Thanks for watching!
Yep, I have used it for years in all my motorcycle's and lawn mowers, even the 4stroke pontoon boat mercury. And the 1965 StingRay with a 327. Excellent for flat tappet camshafts.
Thanks for watching and commenting!
Great video i just started looking for info on rotella t4 to use in my Suzuki 400 asi 4x4 quad and came across your video would it be ok to run in my atv ?
Thanks for watching! As far as the engine in your Suzuki quad is concerned I would say yes it will be a fine oil. The only caveat I will say is I'm not familiar with the automatic transmission in that vehicle and whether or not the engine oil also lubricates the transmission. If I had to guess I'd guess that transmission uses its own lubricant but I'm not sure. Look into that and, if the engine oil is strictly for the engine, you're fine using Rotella.
@@UrbanMonkTV thanks for the reply its got a belt
Great Information, thank you. I picked up my new to me 4000-mile 2008 Vstrom 650 same color as yours last week and did an oil change after riding it back to AZ from Montana with motorcycle oil that I had in the garage. I see no reason not to start a diet of Rotella for the future. I do use Rotella in my truck and two stroke transmissions. I had not seen the JASO ratings before, nice to know.
Thanks for watching! Enjoy your new Strom!
Veeeeee W - (ha ha) - thanks for this info - I freakin watched it start to finish. I'll be switching over - like you. I will be chatting with you about viscosity though.
We'll chat later & thank you ;-)
Engine oil is a such a controversial subject on social media. I never really hear anything bad about Shell Rotella brand. What i find interesting, is that this oil is Diesel recommended and yet its also Jaso Ma/Ma2 . The interesting part is, that diesel engine longevity is partly because of low rpm operating power band, and motorcycles make power in a much higher rpm, both in normal riding, and max power output, to the tune of 10-15 thousand rpm in some models.
Agreed! Topics one should never discuss in polite conversations...Religion, politics and motor oil! 😄
No JASO for the T5, though many use it in bikes. It has a certain additive that is not compatible with wet clutch, maybe in a small amount not to affect anything but loses the JASO rating.
Shell did the JASO CERTIFICATIONS
First time viewer here. I used dinosaur in my Suzuki GS850G (bought tens) for over 200 000 kilometers, still runs fine. However, that bike “uses” oil and has to be topped up every 1000 kilometers so it’s always getting refreshed. My other bikes always consumed top-shelf synthetic oils including my three V-Strom’s (bought new) and cumulatively have over 300 000 kilometers. Looking back, I wish I’d have used Rotella (like my buddy). Probably could have bought a good used bike for the $ I’d have saved. All that said, I was told by my trusty mechanic not to use Rotella in my Africa Twin, mostly because of the DCT. I’d love to hear opinions that either agree or disagree with that opinion!
Also, while I’m rambling, what’s the difference between T4, T5 and T6; are they all suitable for bike engines?
Thank you for watching and for sharing your insights here for the benefit of others. I too would love to here comments on this oil in machines with DCT trans, as I don't have any direct experience with them.
T5 is not
I have been running Rotella in all of by street bikes and other toys since the late 1980s . Never an oil related issue
Thanks for watching. Obviously I agree with you.
The JASO MA/MA-2 is the friction-related spec for wet clutches. Besides the relatively cheap diesel truck oils, "4T Motorcycle" is what you want to scan for on the front of the container.
Thanks for watching!
Great to see some reality mate ! My Guzzi would leave me if I didn’t give it the twice annual diesel oil drink (although a diff major brand). Cheap & good zinc/phos 👍
Agree! Too much marketing spin and FUD in the world. Thanks for watching!
Cheers, I've personally used Rotella T6 15W40 in my Yamaha MT07 with similar results.
Thanks for watching and sharing!
@@UrbanMonkTV I shared your video with friends.
I used Valvoline E700 plus API CI-4 plus truck oil in my bike and the engine was smoother than previous motorcycle oil I used, and no clutch slippage. I drove for 4500 miles. Actually we can use any truck oil which has API C* grade mentioned, and strictly there should be no mention of API S* in the oil. API S* grade oil will cause clutch slippage as it can be used in gasoline engines.
Thanks for watching and for sharing your insights for the benefit of others. While I haven't used that oil specifically, I do see it is another "truck" oil designed for diesel engines, like Rotella T4. Where do you purchase E700? If I weren't committed to following through on my personal long-term test of Rotella I might try it.
Well I appreciate what you’ve done there there’s a dude in Australia that uses their local branded Deisel oil and swears by it I use a brand that has esterfied molecules?? ( I might be buying. Into hype?) but that’s supposed to be excellent for transmissions but as u say u change your oil very regularly so prob not such an issue! I’m going to look out for it 👍
Thanks for watching! Sincerely appreciate.
I use Mobil 1 gasoline car oil in my motorcycles since 1988. A few Hondas XLX250R, XLX350R, Kawasaki NINJA ZX9R, Suzuki DR650, Yamaha XT660... Never had a clutch problem or anything else because of lube.
Thanks for sharing your insights here for the benefit of others. And thank you for watching.
We have 5 bikes and 2 of them are 2023. My yamaha cruisers will continue on T4 and my New KLR 650 will be going to T4 when the year warranty is done. For now i will keep our honda 750x dct on honda 10w30 because of the dct.
Thanks for watching and commenting!
Es muy caro hacer analisis de laboratorio de aceites nuevos y usados?. Seria muy interesante. La cantidad de restos de metales de los motores, y cuanto tiempo y millas se puede usar un aceite.
Gracias por ver. No sé cuánto costaría la prueba. Estoy de acuerdo en que sería interesante. Una buena fuente de información sobre el petróleo (incluidos algunos resultados de pruebas de laboratorio) es bobistheoilguy.com. Es un sitio en inglés, pero supongo que hablas inglés dado que viste mi video. Los navegadores pueden traducir, por supuesto. Saludos desde Los Ángeles!
Gracias por responder en español, por el enlace a Bob el de los aceites, por este video y por este canal. No hablo mas ingles que el que aprendí en la escuela. Uso la extensión de Google Chrome llamada speak subtitles for you tube que traduce varios idiomas. Buen video, enhorabuena por esas 80.000 millas. Ya tendrá muchas mas esa gran Suzuki desde la fecha de este video. Me parece bien que uses ese aceite con homologación JASO MA/MA2. Yo estaba buscando un aceite 15W 40 mas adecuado para un motor turbo Diesel de 1999, mas viscoso que los 5W 40 que a ese motor no le van bien, y creo que también he encontrado un buen aceite para mi moto, Yamaha XT 660 R. Hice mas de 80.000 millas a una Honda CB250 usando aceite ingles especial para motos 15W 50, de precio elevado, según su fabricante "semisintético" y cada 2500 millas lo cambiaba porque el cambio no iba bien y entraba el punto muerto entre primera y segunda. Dinero perdido. Ni tu Suzuki V-Strom ni mi Yamaha XT 660 R llegan a 16.000 rpm, con este aceite creo que van bien lubricadas. Conozco tres canales de you tube que analizan aceites nuevos y usados. Dos españoles y uno mexicano. Sin tu consentimiento previo no me atrevo a poner enlaces a esos canales. Por lo que dices de la nueva homologación API CK-4, de este aceite, puede que tenga base extraída del gas natural o GTL, gas to liquid como la llama Shell, es bastante estable y resistente, al menos mas que lo que suelen usar la mayoría de fabricantes de lubricantes base HC o hidro craqueada, base mineral refinada del petróleo. A cualquier aceite le ponen en el envase 100% sintético y te cobran una fortuna por el. El aceite mas sintético que he visto en análisis son modelos de Red Line y Exline antes llamada Extreme, que llevan un 80% de base sintética real. Si no tienes un coche o moto de competición para que pagar fortunas por esos aceites. Un aviso serio. No solo se empaña tu visor del casco con la humedad del océano Pacifico. Si circulas mucho cerca del océano los motores aspiran esa humedad que contiene sal y por mucho que filtre el filtro de aire el aceite acaba dando positivo en Sodio, en mayor o menor cantidad. El aceite lleva dispersantes y antioxidantes, pero si seria interesante hacer un análisis de un aceite que hayas usado mucho al borde del océano por prevención. Un saludo y gracias de nuevo.@@UrbanMonkTV
Ran my Yamaha FZ1 for 155,000 Ks 13 years . Shell Rotella from new., Never had an issue.
Thanks for sharing! The more long-term user voices the better.
Glad to see you back at it.
Thanks! My professional and family life has gotten much busier lately and I expect it'll stay this way a while, but I will always try to get a new video out when I can.
Always learn new things on your channel Thanks ! How often do you clean or replace your air filter ?
That'd make a good video topic. I usually do it when I check valve tappets, so every 15k miles roughly. Unless I'm aware of having ridden in dusty environments. Then I would go in earlier and check. I used to work for Tennant Company years ago and they produced filters with shakers/vibrators on them to clear out dust and extend filter life. I've been known to shake my air filters also. Same technology only smaller.
@@UrbanMonkTV thanks, yes that would make a good video !
Rule # 1, any oil is better than no oil.
Rotella is excellent oil. Used it in my class 8 trucks.
Those words have left my lips many times. Thanks for watching!
@@UrbanMonkTV Not in a bike. Make sure it is JASO MA rated
@@340rps t4 and 6 is rated Jaso dh2, MA, and M2, so yes to rotella
Harley-Davidson says in the manual that you can use the shell Rotella too
I just put it in my 04 Suzuki Intruder 1500LC I paid $20 for the gallon jug.
Thanks for watching!
You convinced me. T4 to go !
Thanks for watching.
T4, T5 and T6 all great choices . If it's trusted to protect OTR trucks for millions of miles , should be fine I'm the bike . I sent a sample of T5 synthetic blend to a lab and it had a bit more robust additive package but they are all great
Thanks for sharing your insights here for the benefit of others.
T5 is not wet clutch rated
@@TheSouthpawSharpshooter I've found there's some debate about T5 out there. The API badge doesn't say "Energy Saving" in the bottom half, which is usually the bit of info to look for regarding friction additives, but it is also not JASO MA-2 rated. I've always just stuck with T4 and had good results. Cheaper anyway and I've found some evidence that it is a synthetic blend. I've been accused of changing my oil too frequently and I'm probably guilty of that, but I stand by making an error on the safe side.
But it’s Not JASO certified for wet clutch’s
I did the math and Rotella would cost me $8 per oil change and LiquiMoly 15W50 motorcycle oil costs me $15 per oil change. I have a three year factory warranty on my bike and I don't want BMW voiding my warranty because I used diesel truck oil to save $7. No hate intended for anyone running Rotella. Seven bucks is seven bucks, and it does add up. I'll probably run Rotella T6 after my warranty expires, provided my bike shifts OK. Some people report shifting clunkiness.
Thanks for watching and for throwing in here. All good. Wondering how BMW would know what oil you put in?
@@UrbanMonkTV - It's my understanding that when a customer does his own maintenance during the warranty period, the stealership asks for maintenance logs and receipts to verify that factory procedures and materials were used before they honor the factory warranty. I have the log and receipts. I've needed no warranty work in the first two years, and hopefully won't need any warranty service for the final year either, but I'm not putting 82,000 miles on my baby GS, either.
I just reviewed Amazon oil prices:
Motul 15W50 Motorcycle Oil (that I've been using) is $44 for 4 liters (1.06 gallons) $17.64/oil change
Rotella T4 15W40 is $16.67 per gallon (purchased 3 gallons at a time) $7.08/oil change
Rotella T5 15W40 is $18.67 per gallon (purchased 3 gallons at a time) $7.93/oil change
Rotella T6 15W40 is $33.33 per gallon (purchased 3 gallons at a time) $14.17/oil change
My bike gets 2.4 oil changes per gallon. I included the cost for an oil change above. I'm surprised that BMW recommends oil changes every 6000 miles, or annually, whichever comes first. 6000 miles sounds like a lot for 1.7 quarts of oil in a motorcycle. I change the oil annually, and an extra $10 for the motorcycle premium isn't nearly as offensive to me as it is when I'm buying tires that cost 10 times as much per mile as car tires.
PS - Rotella sounds like something that's microwaved with Velveeta to make nacho dip for Super Bowl parties.
My 04 Suzuki Intruder 1500LC Holds 4.5 quarts I didn't change the filter this go round but a gallon jug was $20 an some change. I noticed the T6 Rotella was about $3 higher
@@ROCKO633 - Good point. Bikes that need as much oil as a car will see a bigger cost savings than my little bike that needs less than two quarts. I suppose my implied point is that switching to Rotella makes more sense (and cents) for bigger bikes. The prices I quoted in a previous post for T4, T5 and T6 were from Amazon at the time. Amazon algorithms can adjust prices depending on supply and demand, sometimes drastically. I suspected the T6 price was artificially high at the time and had seen it much lower a couple of days later. Worth considering when shopping online for oil. I buy oil in larger quantities so I always have plenty for the next oil change... or three. I try to buy when the price is low.
Amazon Basics is apparently very good full synthetic automotive oil for almost half the price of Castrol, Pennzoil, Mobile1, etc. I wish there was Amazon Basics motorcycle oil.
@@Liberty4Ever I didn't do a complete system flush on mine this time but the book says it holds 5 quarts, But if it's just a normal Oil and Filter it holds 4.5 quarts, Oil only change 4 quarts. That's a hell of a lot for a Motorcycle. a Chevy 305/350 V8 holds 5 quarts 😂
Interesting tidbit. Rotella T4 15W-40 is JASO MA/MA2. Rotella T4 10W-30 is not. But they are both clear in the bottom of the API symbol. ???
Thanks for that insight. Perhaps some people who live in colder climates would be comfortable running a thinner oil like T4 10-30. In my climate I'll stick with thicker.
Great explanation.. here s my doubt.
Here in India there s no rotella, but there is hdeo shell rimula r4 ci4 plus rated. This is a premium mineral but not synthetic. I use that. There is another synthetic version named shell helix which is api sn and acea a3 b4. The concern is ,since it is rated for both gasoline and diesel cars( and not trucks, hence not a hdeo), would the a3b4 rating equal to the acea e9 rated rotella t6? I feel that, even though there is a3b4, and suited for diesel cars, still it may not have the aggressive additive package as a purely diesel rated hdeo. Am I right in this understanding?
Thanks for watching. I posted this video only to share my experience, which is limited to this particular oil I can buy locally and to my make and model of bike. I honestly couldn't begin to speculate about any similarities to or differences from your local oil. It may very well be the case that the only similarity they share is the Shell brand logo. I really don't know. I'm sorry I can't be more helpful.
Is it Jaso rated in India ?
hy, i'm talking from brazil, and i've been using this diesel oil in my bikes for about 15 years. the trick is to find an oil that have the same API as the shell rotella does have. over here i don't mind for what brand to use, but i have my favourites. one thing you gotta know about any oil is that some brands bend to the side of cleaning additives and others go to the side of friction reducer, some brands go for both. the oil tha t pen to the cleaning keep your engine very clean inside, but... they don't lub well, so i always prefer to choose those that have more friction reducers additives in it thought they evaporate a little bit more, but aniway i pick them because the bike engine runs looser, the engine make less noise and everything else who use this oil say. over here i use 15w40 API CI-4/ SL mineral. if you are uncomfortable just look for the SL just after de CI-4 and you're gonna be okay, pick big oil companies with reliable trust and you gonna be okay. if you wanna test you can try just the API CI-4 because they are the same, the companies just pay a fee for the test to be alowed to show the SL on the can that's why most of the diesel oil doesn't show the API for gas cars on the can. I run about 2000km or 6 months on dino oil, or when i feel the gear box a little hard to find the neutral and it usually happens about 2000 km. I hope it helps.....if you run on other oil before make the fisrt change with 1000 km, because the diesel oil will drag the dirt of the others oil out and clean the motor inside, and then change it with about 2000 km or so. The secret os these diesel oils is the base oil is way better then the base oil they use on regular oils, so the diesel oils with dino base oil without parafin and others shits can stand the heat better then other mineral oils and it lubbes better because of the better additives they have to put in it to stand the duty in diesel engines, turbos and the dirty the oil get from the diesel, but there's no miracle, you gotta change it often because the dino oil is good but not a full synthetic oil... but it works just like a full sinthetic oil till you feel the gears become hard to shift, this is when the dino oil breaks down and starts to become thinner and the additives break down too because the gear box breaks the viscosity index improvers additive. there's a lot more about it, but with this you can help yourself. seya!!
Shell helix cannot be used in bikes because it can be used in both petrol and diesel engines and it has API S* rating in it. Shell rimula R4 can be used as doesn't have API S* rating in it. Try to get any Heavy duty diesel engine oil which has only API C* rating in it. I used Valvoline e700 plus diesel engine oil in my bike and it is very good with no clutch slippage. It has API CI-4 plus and ACEA E7 rating and no API S* rating.
THE MIGHTY "VERBAL WIDGET" sent me this link. Watched it from start to finish. Have to say, that breakfast looked freakin awesome !!!!!
Cheers !
Thanks for watching! Not sure if this is a review for oil or basted eggs! 😄
@@UrbanMonkTV I'll be getting that oil - that's a fact, but damn bro, that breakfast looked so good !!! Including the onions on the hash browns !!! WOWEEEEE 🙂
@@pilotdane1 That breakfast is dangerous. Delicious. I have to moderate breakfasts like that.
How many miles in between oil changes with the t4?
I mention that in the video. Usually never over 3500 but often less, like 2500. I'm a fan of "cheap oil/frequent changes." Has treated me and all my IC machines well for my adult life. Thanks for watching.
I apologize, must of missed that part somehow. I too run rotella t4 in my machines and wondered how often others change it out. Thanks for the quick reply I appreciate that.
@@colemalaby6437 What does your owner manual state, and if semi synthetic .
Any problems recommending this oil for an air cooled engine like a 92 750 Nighthawk? Manual wants 4k mile changes.
I would use in that bike if I owned it. Caveat...I tend to change oil more frequently than manufacturer recommends. Like 3500 miles. Thanks for watching.
What oil filter did you use?
Fram 6013. Change it roughly every 9000 miles. Thanks for watching!
@@UrbanMonkTV Could it be a fram 6018? That is what my 2011 calls for.
@@DirtFishing Yes! Sorry. I was going from memory there. I should know better than to do that. 6018.
I use that stuff all the time for my dirt bikes xD
Thanks for watching and for adding your experience for others' benefit.
same. in my Beta350 4t, and Husq300 2t, zero issues ever.
Hey I wanted to ask do you ride the bike “hard” at all?
Like revving it out or rising at high rpms for some extended periods of time (“racy” style)
I wonder if that has something to do with your valves being within clearance pretty much all this time
Urban Monk TV
First, thanks for watching. I've been described as a "spirited" rider. I do like to go faster than most. However, I don't tend to rev this bike over 5k rpms as it really isn't necessary to have a fun ride. Being a v-twin, it has good torque at lower revs. Also, with stock sprocket sizes, 5k rpm on this bike = 90mph on the highway. It'll go all day like that.
@@UrbanMonkTV would you recommend T4 over T6 or T5?
@@erxfav3197 Honestly I've never read the specs on the others so I wouldn't be comfortable commenting on them. I know I like T4 and it's been good to my bike and my pocketbook.
@@UrbanMonkTV T5 and T6 are the respective semi and fully synthetic variants of this oil. They come in the same weights too. Why is it that you use the 15W040 when the manual calls for 10W-40, just curious? Cheers!
@@cesartapia610 Thanks for watching! I use 15-40 because that is the only weight it comes in and my bike's owners manual states that viscosity range is acceptable in the temps I experience where I live. It never gets below freezing here and I keep my bike in a warm garage.
Dude 80,000 miles is like 2,000,000 miles on a car. 2300 is not like new lol But I do appreciate the review of the oil where in the hell did you ride 80,000 miles that is like insane
Thanks for watching. I have 89,000 miles on it now. I put those miles on seeing this beautiful country we call the US of A. th-cam.com/play/PL2518uxZnBT0239YgcJT3paUMf05VJNp2.html&si=dUVUImM60cYm2ly0
I'm 73 years old and I admit I have slowed down a little, and don't ride as much as I used to. 20 years ago I put between 20,000 and 30,000 miles a year on my bike, sometimes more, but never less. One of the reasons I used T4 at the time is in the area I live logging is a huge industry, and every mom and pop store has T4 on the shelf and at the time owning HD bikes it was easy to stop in and get a quart if I needed it. Also now I use T6 simply because I can extend the oil change mileage out, and not have to worry about it as much. One thing I saw mentioned is T5. Don't use it. It is not JASO rated. From what I can find out T4 is now a synthetic blend, and not a straight dino oil.
Oh also, when did you check your valve clearances, change the plugs etc?
Like what intervals?
Are they the same as the manual recommends?
@urban monk tv
I've been checking valve clearances every 15k per the manual. Plugs are supposed to be every 7500 miles, but honestly I've done it when I check valves and that has worked out ok. No issues with blown coils.
@@UrbanMonkTV that’s awesome. Thank you for replying. I always appreciate your detailed info.
Are valves somehow affected by oil quality tho?
@@erxfav3197 Not valves per se, but valve clearances can be if shims or cam lobes are wearing because of inadequate lubrication. The other thing that makes clearances change of course is the relationship between the valve and the seat. That is more a matter of how one rides - high rev'ing vs. not.
@@UrbanMonkTV oh really? I didn’t think of that.. thank for you for the excellent info as usual.
I guess adequate lubrication would be a factor then..
I assume you don’t rev your bike up to ridiculous amounts or for prolonged time either huh?
I thought valves just wore at their own rate because of just natural factors..
(Like.. not really much you can do about it..)
So what do you think of a zx6r (a super sport, high revving bike) do you think valves would almost certainly need to be serviced due to its high revving nature?
@@erxfav3197 In short, yes...High revving engines should see more rapid wear in this area. The work around is more smaller valves. They'll often design for 5 valves thus maintaining or even increasing the total volume of air/fuel that can pass. This reduces the mass of each valve which reduces the forces needed to move them and stop them from moving.
What do you think of 2003 Suzuki v-strom 1000cc ?
No different than mine. If it's not been abused it'll likely be a wonderful machine to own. Will probably run better with a Power Commander if it doesn't have one.
I put it in my Suzuki VL1500LC
used it once in my klr, it fogged up sight glass with what i can onlyl describe as piss stained like coating.... never again. settled on motoul 7100 20w50 for my 08 klr, 2017 vstrom, and 2000 fxdwg
Thanks for watching! I'm no KLR expert but doesn't that engine famously burn some oil at higher RPMs? I could be off there. If so, it suggests some "cross contamination" between the combustion side and the lubrication side of the engine. Just a curiosity as I have never owned one.
@UrbanMonkTV well I would say that it can be the case, and most any bikes i have, have used oil to some degree. I have seen every brand of anything burn oil or outright loose compression from being dusted for instance. my 08 klr has over 140'000 km on it by me, and used a varaity of oil, this happened at about the 100''000km mark when I had to start buying my oil instead of using leftover customer oil. I cleaned the sight glass several oil changes after when I had the side case off for a water pump re seal.... been good ever since. probably just a crap batch of oil.
I watched the video once but forgot so I was about to ask “did he say how often he changes it??”
But apparently
3,500 miles roughly or earlier..
Ok..
Service manual recommends 4k I believe he said
Yes, I tend to follow a "cheap oil changed frequently" ethos.
@@UrbanMonkTV would you say that it’s ok to keep an oil filter that’s rated for 7k-10k+ miles on and just change the oil twice within that period?
(Meaning at 3k-4k miles, keep the same filter and change the filter along with the oil at the next change)
Also is it ok to go back to conventional after using synthetic? (on a motorcycle)
@@erxfav3197 I use cheap Fram oil filters and change every third oil change, so, for me, that means I'm getting roughly 9k-10k miles per filter. Yes, I don't have any concerns around switching between synth and conventional or vice versa. As I mentioned in this video, one often doesn't know whether he's running synth blend or not. The distinction between the two seems to be slowly going the way of the dodo. I'm beginning to think more in terms of "oil is oil" as long as it meets specifications.
@@UrbanMonkTV that’s awesome..
Thank u very much for ur reply.
Very through and useful.
I'm looking at a $1500 2003 vstrom 1000dl, but it has 100k on the odometer. What's your thoughts?
Thanks for watching! Well...I'm enjoying mine with 86,000 on the clock and don't see the fun ending anytime soon. That said, I know how mine has been cared for. If you don't see smoke coming out of the exhaust (cold engine) it is a good sign compression is ok. You may need to replace regular wear items and they could add up to a couple hundred $ but if runs at all, it'll probably run well for many more miles to come. Hard to have a crystal ball on these things. I'll also say, new sprockets, chain and tires will make these things feel like a brand new bike. Also, test drive and ride for an extended time in 2nd gear around 2500-3000 rpms. If it hesitates and/or backfires, you'll probably need a Power Commander. That's a personal preference though. A person can ride around that.
@@UrbanMonkTV thanks very much! I can't afford the 1 I really want but I'm tired of carbureted bikes.
Is Phaedrus here sticker. From the book the art of motorcycles maintenance ? Lol
Thanks for watching!
Why not ask Shell if it is 100% conventional or has some synthetic in it?
One certainly could. Ultimately I'm not concerned with it's components, I'm concerned with the results over long term use in my machine. Thanks for watching.
They ought to give it to you for free. Who is going to dispute whether its good when you have 80k and good compression still on your Vstrom.
I wouldn't refuse that offer if they made it! 😄 Thanks!
What would happen if you used this in a Harley big twin?
Well I don't have a crystal ball but given my experience I'd venture to guess with regular oil changes it would run great and long.
Oh, and thanks for watching!
You need to read your owner's manual. Harleys are not wet clutch bikes. They take a specific oil for the engine, clutch, and transmission. So use what the manual calls for.
You need to read your owner's manual. Harleys are not wet clutch bikes. They take a specific oil for the engine, clutch, and transmission. So use what the manual calls for.
Would this oil work for my YZ250 two stroke?
While I'm not familiar with your specific bike, I'd assume you mean for the transmission (not as a gas mix in). Yes is my opinion, but it goes without saying the mix in oil should be 2-cycle specific oil. Thanks for watching!
Yes
I'm trying the t5 stuff
Thanks for watching!
You want it to be ok for wet clutches ,T5 not so much .
@@joecamel6835 Very good point! Dave James, look for "energy conserving" or similar language in API badge and if you see it, don't put it in.
@@joecamel6835 - I watched the "Comparing oil analysis of Shell rotella T4, T5, and T6" video by Outpost CTD. Rotella T4, T5 and T6 had somewhat different additives for anti-wear and detergent, but I don't think any of the three are rated "resource conserving" that would indicate that they have friction modifiers that are incompatible with a wet clutch. All three are rated JASO MA/MA2, so they are presumably OK for a wet clutch in a motorcycle.
T5 has Moly just a FYI.
I figured the eggs were basted but is there gluten in that toast??
GF Baby!!!
The blending of T4 and T6 to make T5 is false. T5 has a specific additive that is not compatible with the wet clutch. Not JASO rated.
Thanks for watching. Did I miss something? Where does the suggestion that T4 and T6 are being blended? I've looking around the comments to find. Agree with you that versions of this or any oil that is not JASO rated and/or displays any indication that friction additives have been included in its formulation should not be put in a bike with a wet clutch.
ANY Diesel oil will work in a motorcycle not just Rotella. But you might want to go with FULL SYNTHETIC for less engine wear and cooler engine temps. i’ve used Rotella in my dirtbike with mixed reviews. I now use 100% synthetic maxima Motorcycle oil for best results and incredible speed and durability. You cannot beat a good high-quality Motorcycle oil. Sometimes it’s worth spending the extra money. but then again you’re not RACING your Motorcycle, I am so I need a really really strong high-shear Motorcycle oil
Thanks for throwing in you insights here. Maybe full synth would be better but to your point I'm not sure I'm stressing the engine to a point where the difference would be material. Also, one thing I love about the first gen V-Stroms is the oil cooler. (They removed for later models.)
How is that so? If the oil isn’t JASO MA2 rated how is that appropriate for wet clutch’s? At least T4 T6 states it’s JASO rated
@@stevesmith756 ANY motor oil Will work in a wet clutch Motorcycle. The only thing that will not work is resource Conserving car oil like 5W 30/10W-30. If it says resource conserving on the label it will make your clutch slip. And I know this from using every type of oil in my dirtbike and Streetbikes and the only oil that made them slip was the ones I mentioned above. It doesn’t need to say JASO in the bottle to work...
(google it)
@@stevesmith756
ANY motor oil will work in a motorcycle 🏍. The only oils that will present a problem with the clutch is “resource conserving” oils like 5W-30 and 10W-30 car oil.
All diesel oils are safe for motorcycles, in any weight and mix. So are 10w-40 car oil. I know this cuz i’ve used them with no problems at all. My bikes ran great 👍🏻
But i would suggest full synthetic diesel oil for best results. (the bottle doesn’t need to say JASO on it)
@@bobkindle4297 I wouldn’t risk any of that just because you say so. I will trust my bike to what the engineers designed it for and recommend. I’ll only use JASO certified. Not worth the risk
ROTELLA t6 FULL SYNTHETIC IS jASO RATED FOR BIKES.. iT'S EVEN GOT A BIKE ON THE FRONT LABEL..
@@martincowan9375 Yes. Though T4 doesn't have the image of a bike, it too is JASO MA-2 rated. Thanks for watching!
I was hoping this video would be about motorcycle oil... 😒
It is! This is the oil I put in my motorcycles - that run a long time, reliably, without issue. Thanks for watching!
85k I believe now.
Correct!
what pill are you talking about. if its red or blue, jeez... whatever.
What is better amsoil or rotella?
Iam using suzuki r5000 its turn dark in short time🥲
I ordered amsoil 10-40. 100 synthetic i will try it
Thanks for watching. I really can't comment on Amsoil as I've never used it. I wish I had the money and time to purchase two exact same bikes and run Rotella in one and Amsoil in the other for 90k miles and ride them exactly the same, but that's not in the cards for me. I don't know that turning dark is necessarily a sign of an oil that is failing to lubricate as needed. I put more weight into measurable metrics like tappet wear.