What kind of Oil should i put in this 04' Z400? Synthetic or not ?



Rafiki47

 

There are some advantages to synthetic, and some advantages to petrolium based oils. So, I hedge my bets and run Honda HP4 (without moly) which is a synthetic/petrolium blend! Best of both worlds!

 

LOL! Synth blend being the "best of both worlds" is like saying a ring with Diamonds and CZ are the best of both worlds... (just teasing...)

Use synth if you want... but with any oil, make sure it's not EC or ECII (will say on the back in the little circle).

Contrary to a lot of beliefs, synthetic isn't "slipperier", it's just man made oil molecules that are longer and stronger than dino (which are randomly sized). That's why it lasts longer between changes.

Cue clutch slip stories and warnings... LOL!

 

"HP4 blends the heat-stability and shear-resistance of synthetic oil with the lubricity of mineral oil to get the best of both worlds". Off Honda's web site.

 

What a pile of bs. Stay away from the synthetics. The only synthetic I have heard to actually be useful and safe is the mobil 1 small engine variety. And that info is all heresay from these forums. Use dino oil specially designed for motorcycle/atv engines. See no ec lubricants... Yamaha, polaris, honda, and more all have oils for this. You can also find some stuff made by valvoline and some other major oil companies for motorcycle engines at your local auto parts store or superstore.

 

maddog-Not quite sure where you are coming from? HP4 (with or without moly) is a HONDA motorcycle oil, and what they recommend in the owners manual for fully manual clutch bikes! On the other hand, a mechanic I know swears by Honda GN4 (dino). It is cheap, and I run it in my autoclutch bikes (where HP4 is incompatible).

 

I tend to disagree.. what is hearsay is people regurgitating the "car oils/synth oils aren't meant for MCs/ATVs" that is spewed from most dealer's mouths in an attempt to make you pay $5/quart for oil with a pic of a MC/ATV on the front.

The extra money you're spending on MC specific oils isn't to pay for the research of oil development, it's for the graphic design for the label.

If it was so bad, you wouldn't have so many people happy with it for years, including me.

It's oil, not brain surgery. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

My take on this is if I go and pump $10,000 into a machine, I don't really care if HP4M does cost $6 per quart!

 

But you could spend $4/quart and get a better oil. But I understand if honda on the label makes you feel good. To each his own... You're obviously sold on honda's blend since you first rephrased their best of both worlds quote, then showed the exact quote. Their marketing does pay off, even if it is misleading (it is saying synth doesn't have as good lubricity as dino, which is false).

In the end, everyone will use what they want...

 

AMSOIL-10-40 high performance motorcycle oil. Made for a wet clutch. What a differance it made for me.

http://intershop.amsoil.com/cgi-bin/...9/Catalog/1124

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