First off DONT FLAME! lol I do not want to start another debate on what is best.

I simply wanted to double check that...

useing your generic 10w40 regular old car motor oil is not going to cause damage to my bike.  I have had friend warn me about not useing some kind of oil due to the clutch in the bike that it would slip... which I never really understood..

From what i have read thus far in other posts, some newer higher tech oils have addatives to reduce friction and this is what can cause issues with our clutch?

Before I go and do my first oil change in a few days here on my brand new bike I just wanted to be 100% sure.

Also any other major initial maitanance I should worry about other than checking everything is tightened down, brake fluid, chain ect ect?

Thanks again for the help

cheapest oil you can find.

I get enough oil + filter + tax for like.. $12 at advance auto.

Most oil is fine. The only stuff that you need to look out for is the energy conserving oil, It'll say "energy conserving" right on the API stamp if it is. And synthetics won't make your clutch slip either unless it's "energy conserving"

I've never seen any "energy conserving" 10w40 but it could happen. Mostly it's the 5w20, 5w30, and 10w30 that you need to look out for.

Your initial service also calls for a valve inspection, cylinder head nut re-torque, as well as checking all the other nuts and bolts. You really should get a manual if you're going to do your own maintenance.

Good luck 

+1 on what Ducati-nolan said.

Excellent thanks for the clarification

Only problem I have is my only local service location tells me they are booked for over the next month   So i'll have to take it easy till i can have the value train looked at

Valve train ... takes 20 mins. I'd not wait for the clowns to find their heads deepin their asses ... just do it.
Cool.
Srinath.

The additive you're thinking of is called Molybdenum. Check the back of your chosen oil container and if it contains molybdenum it will say so, usually inside of a small logo or textured surface. It shouldn't be hard to see.

I have not yet been that deep into the engine of my car let alone my brand new bike.. im afraid i'll do somethign to screw up my oil change, that i'd not do some tidbit of the task that everyone else that owns a bike would take for granted

I'll go check google see if i can find some details see if I can figure out how, ya need to get a manual too

If you search here or on youtube you can find a video or Kerry doing a valve adjustment from start to finish. You have to do it by 600 miles or they'll probally try to screw you over on any waranty claim that you may have. I'd recoment keeping a maintenace log, save recipts of oil and filter etc. A photo with the odometer reading can't hurt either.

It's no big deal to inspect the valves, but if they need to be adjusted you need a special tool and the correct shims. It isn't hard though, give it a shot.

I have a Manual on CD rom that you can have for a couple bucks too.

Here is the GS500 Wiki entry on oil changes (written by me!) and it had a couple useful pictures with the directions.

http://cgi.stanford.edu/~sanjayd/gs500/Maintenance/ChangeOil

GREAT! thanks those are some great pics I did get the oil changed yesterday, took me a while as i was to lazy to take off the plastics and had to reach around them alll the time.

Only thing I notice now is...  the cover to the oil filter, does that have to go on a certain way?  I look at your pic and I think when I put mine back on the two circles were on the left and right sides not the left and bottom.  I looked at it and the other side of it looked all the same.

I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter.