Recommended Oil ??

[balaggie]

What oil do you recommend for my  '05 GS500f ? The previous owner showed me the oil he put in it previously and it is 20/50 synthetic blend..but on the dipstick it says 10/40..I know not to mix different types of oils but when I get it changed next (coming up here soon) what do you recommend to put in. Keep in mind that I am in TX, so it is going to start getting hot here...Thank you for any suggestions for a new rider.

[sledge]

Oh NOOOOOO....an oil question!! 

[spc]

synthetic- no!!!!!!!!!!
20w-50 ........ehhh no harm in it during the summer, but right now, just use 10w-40. 

I used 10w-40 castrol gtx in my gs with no problem and was contemplating using mobile delvac during the summer.

[GeeP]

Something cheap. 

I suggest Rotella T 15W45.  It's reasonably cheap and available at every truckstop and nearly every gas station in America.

"...going to start getting hot here."  God, I wish it would start getting hot here!  It was 10F and snowing this morning as I got down to replacing my petcock gasket.   

[spc]

rotella ............ Delvac............. Same shaZam! different jug

[balaggie]

spcterry..you said "synthetic ..NOOO" is syn bad for a bike or just expensive? I use synthetic in my truck and was told that i shouldn't go back, to regular, by my buddy who is a mechanic. Is it the same with bikes...e.g. not switching back to regular after going synthetic?  Thanks for the suggestions folks...

[spc]

OK, the bullshit about not going back is exactly that.  Bullshit.  If you really want, get a few extra quarts and flush your oil.  Synthetic oil will make the clutch slip, not something I would want to deal with.

[CndnMax]

I used synthetic oil and have no problems with clutch slipping, as long as its not energy conserving it shouldn't cause slipping

[gsJack]

I use the 15W-40 Delvac or Rotella T heavy duty oils now.

I put 15W-50 Mobil 1 synthetic in my 97 GS for the first 50k miles and when oil consumption increased I switched to the 15W-40 Delvac for another 30k miles.  I have used the same 15W-40 Delvac or the Rotella T in my 02 GS since I got it and now have 57k miles on it.

My 97 GS progressed from regular to mid grade to premium gasoline to prevent gas knock in hot weather as the miles and carbon built up same as the 4 Hondas I used 20W-50 in summers did previous to the GSs.

When I switched from the 15W-50 to the 15W-40 in the 97 I went back to regular gas year round without gas knock and have used regular gas all the 57k miles on the 02 also w/o knock.

The GSs run cooler on a xxW-40 oil than on a xxW-50 oil and your doing it no favor using the heavier oil in hot weather.  Besides lubricating the engine the oil also provides cooling by carrying heat away from the head to the sump.  This cooling flow is reduced with the heavier oils.

[The Antibody]

I second that MAX. I have used Amsoil synthetic 10W-40 in my bike since day one. The bike runs like a top. Yes I realize I don't have to spend that much, but I do. I can't complain about the results. BTW, I live in NE PA. Down in Texas, 15-45 or 20-50 would probably be ok with the temp diff. To put is simple, those are higher viscosity. (thicker) The heat thins it out more, so people say that you can run a "heavier" oil. Me? I stick with the factory recomendation of 10W-40. Afterall, they only built the thing, they should know.

Also... synthetics take longer to break down, which means longer between oil changes.

 -Anti  

[galahs]

I used synthetic oil and have no problems with clutch slipping, as long as its not energy conserving it shouldn't cause slipping

Yeah that!

I have used synthetic too and its fine!!!

As if they would sell synthetic motor oil for motorbikes if it caused clutch slippage 

[ajaxgs]

15w40 rotella

[frankieG]

a year ago suzuki dropped the price of thier brand man synth oil by 40% and that is what i use

[ohgood]

10w40, cause the dipstick says so, and the dipstick KNOWS