I took a short (35 miles) ride yesterday , I headed up the north fork of the Santiam canyon , the road was clear but there was 2 or 3 inches of snow on the ground , I'll bet you snow bound guys wish you had a clear path through the snow! It was nippy, but bareable for the 1 hour and 20 min. I was there.
Some thing occured to me when I got back, it was 39. deg.F ( 5.1 C) and my bike started immeaditly , just like a sunny day! It needed a lot of choke to warm up , but there was NO hesitation in starting. The old bike needed to be jumped from the van and still fought starting. Whats the differance? it has the same carbs as the old bike and the same battery. I thought about it for a while and the only thing thats differant is the oil. The Torco synthetic blend makes it shift better (by far ) and seems to reduce oil drag on a cold engine. I have no other explanation. Maybe one of you ,southern , all weather riders would like to try this and confirm?
. I'm sold on this oil!
I've allways used Castrol 20-50 MC oil, because it's cheap 7 easy to find, 7 i've allways had cold weather trouble starting. I'll bet your right, & i've suspected that was the trouble for a long time. the reason i've never tried it is that the majority of my season is probably easily over 75-degrees, and 90's are not unusual in the summer.
If I did a late season oil change to a lighter oil I probably could ride longer...let see if Santa brings me that riding suit I saked him for...
I'm with you on this one Rick, for the last four years I have used Motul Semi synthetic 15/40 in our Vision & can't believe the difference in shifting and starting. I also use a synthetic Gear oil in the diff.
I can't get out of the driveway for a ride right now but in the mid eighties I remember a long weekend trip from Cranbrook B.C. to Newport,Oregon down in your "neck of the woods" on a couple of 82 V's. Hope to be back out west in a few years.
Merry Christmas All.
Ken Stuart
Lucky, I'm still using 20w 50. I used 10w 40 last year and it did not seem to help , its the synthetic additve that doing the job! This type of oil IS expensive (5.95 /6.95 per qt.) but the change interval is almost double . The light elements that make up the viscosity enhansers burn away in 2500/3000 miles , but this is not the case with the blended oil, it can be left in for 5000 miles. Even if you chose not to use the extended change interval , this type of oil is worth the expense !
What bothers me is that I'm not a particuarly high milage rider. (I just don't have the time) and I'm cheap (typical New Englander).
The bike gets basicly "mumified" in the winter for several months and I really don't want to run it the following season with a crankcase that may have condensation inside...
so that makes the synthetics that much more expensive, only a few months use... I suppose I could drain it at the end of the season & reuse it, but that seems a little like recycling urine... :o
Three quarts once or twice a year is a minimal expense Lucky. Live large! Treat the Vision to synthetic. (I use Walmart 20w50 dino oil, $.84 a quart, I'm really cheap. Do as I say, not as I do). :)
Rob
Yes, the synthetics are much better. BUT in a JAP motorcycle you CANNOT leave it in 5000 miles. The gears in the tranny will still shear it down to nothing. I went cross country. By the time I got to Wyoming(3700 miles). The valve clatter was bad. I was using synthetic. Changed the oil in Cody...all fixed. Pure synthetics 2500 is fine. But blends 2000 is the limit. I change oil every 1500-2000 miles.
Thanks for the input ,Jason . I'll still use it and change it at 20 miles, it's really nice to have the bike start so easily and shift so sweetly!
Helpful suggestion Rick! Haven't tried synthetic yet. Sounds like it's worth the expense. Where to you get Torco? And do the synthetics specify friction & non-friction modified? Guess Napa or Shucks would have non-friction modified 10W30 synthetic. We've got lots of snow, ice, & sand/ice grit on the roads in Trout Lake but a short half hour tow would get me down in the "banana belt" of the Gorge. Mostly good riding in the winter.
Happy Holidays everyone!
You can get Torco at many M/C shops ( on the west coast) it will be a motorcycle specific oil. You can go to Torcos web site and they will refer you to the closest retailer.
I hope every one had a joyous holiday ! No matter how you celibrate it