just picked up a 2004 kfx400 do i really need factory oil or can i just use castrol? worked fine in my old warrior what do you guys use? is synthetic really bad for the clutch?

 

Motorcycle grade synthetic oils are all made for wet clutches, it should say right on the back lable.

As far as I know this is Castrols only full synthetic motorcycle oil. the rest are blends or conventional.

Power RS R4 4T

 

I wouldn't go with a blend, if you are looking at that, its a waste of money truthfully. It is mostly conventional oil to begin with, just a gimmic to buy a "good blend" and sell it for more money. The motorcycle full synthetic made for wet clutches should work fine

 

Yes ,Blends are just high priced conventional with maybe 10% synthetic at most.

If you go that root, just mix your own 50/50 blend,1 quart of Synthetic to 1 quart of conventional. All the synthetic oils are compatible with conventional oils if you read the label.

 

Thank you!!! Finally some people who actually agree with me on that lol. Not people in the forums, but people I have talked to have argued with me how blends are so great and that its the protection of synthetic with the price closer to conventional. I tell them no and explain why but they don't listen haha.

 

Factory oil is made by some other company not Kawi, so really, as long as you change it, with filter on a regular basis, it does not matter what you use.

 

what about just conventional oil 10/40?

 

Read the specs in your manual and see what oil matches up. The manual spells it out for you. Auto Zone has the best selection of motorcycle and ATV oils in my area hands down. They carry Valvoline conventional MC/ATV specific oils, Castrol, and Mobil 1 synthetic for MC/ATVs. The internet is also a good option and of course, your dealer. As long as the oil has the proper viscosity, API service category and meets JASO MA requirements you are usually good to go. Again, check the manual.

 

As long as the conventional oil is wet clutch approved it is OK .......

Automotive oils are not good because they have friction modifiers designed to get better MPGs.... and the wet clutch of your Suzuki engine will glaze over and slip with that oil....

Synthetic is better for wet clutches because they are very hard on oil, the shearing of the oil by the gears will cause the oil to break down faster..... pure synthetics are best for this.