I am new to 4 wheelers, but have been on 2 wheels for quite a while. I recently bought a Honda Recon and since it is still under warranty, I wanted to play by the shop rules for maintenance, etc. While at the shop today (I didn't get the low pressure gauge in the tool kit and wanted a spare plug on hand) I planned to pick up some "Honda" oil. To my surprise, it costs $3.85 a quart. Is this a normal price for this fluid?

I didn't buy any there, the guy at the counter gave me the speel about this and that oil, but said that it would be fine to run "good" car oil. He also told me that I would have to change it more often, like twice as often to avoid contamination, etc. I plan on keeping good maintenance habits, but I can't see paying 4 bucks a quart for this oil.

Any big issues on using Valvoline 10/40 and keeping it fresh, or do I spring for this golden fluid? What are you paying for a quart of this stuff at your shop?

 

First, read this great article: http://www.thumperfaq.com/oil.htm

If you do a search, you will find that the topic of oil has been done to death, over and over again! I run GN4 in all my autoclutch bikes (Ranchers, 250EX, Recon, 90s). I don't know, I always considered it to be pretty cheap ($3.05/qt.), compared to the synthetics (Maxima Ultra is like $16 per quart)! Note that Honda doesn't even recommend its own HP4 (synth blend) oil for the Recon. Apparently it is to slippery for an autoclutch??? Whatever oil you chose, you might want to stick with a petroleum based oil.

It always amazes me how people spend thousands of dollars on a bike, then complain about spending a couple of dollars extra for motorcycle oil. Your little Recon doesn't even hold 2 quarts. Most people maybe change their oil twice a year, at most. OK, so it might cost you $16 per year for oil. If you can afford a bike, you know you can afford a few bucks for good oil.

 

Point well taken. Thanks. I am familiar with the oil battles, but I was just a little shocked initally at the cost per quart.

On my dirt bikes, I am used to pouring 800cc of a quart that only cost $1.50 or $1.75. The "Honda Oil" oil change on this Recon will cost me more than my truck. Again, point well taken on the cost versus value of the original investment.

 

If you are like most of us, you will change your oil only two or three times in a year, maybe every 100 or so hours of riding..the atv's only take about two quarts of oil, so the price doesnt really hurt that much..Since it is a motorcycle engine and air cooled, it is worth the extra to pay and get the correct oil in my opinion. I ride Harleys as well and I have friends that run the Valvoline oils. I use the Harley oil only..IN all my life I have never had valve guides to wear out on me, yet the friends that holler VALVOLINE always end up smoking, with valve guides usuallly the culprit..I would stick to the GN4 Honda oil. Thats all I use. Its designed for the machines!

 

Whatever you end up using, be sure there are no "friction modifiers" in the oil, such as moly additives. Wet clutches don't like them. Most 10w40 oils aren't listed as "Energy Conserving", and to my understanding this means they don't have friction modifiers. I use GN4 myself, although I've had good luck with Castrol Grand Prix 10w40 as well.

 

it might get costly if you have a rubicon like myself. it takes a like 5 and half or something quarts. engine and tranny together. it almost overflows my drain pan, i mean come on. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

If Valvoline, or other oil, is not less than half the price of GN4, and you're going to change it twice as often, do the math--it's not worth it! For my money, and belief in Japanese engineering, I'd stick with GN4!

 

i use honda gn4 in my z400 it is good oil been useing it for like 8 months still giong strong....