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Old 05-18-2016, 08:21 PM   #1 (permalink)
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Oil change mileage??

Hi guys, just got a Kawasaki ninja 250 and was wondering what kind of fe gains have people gotten with reducing oil viscosity in their bikes??? I'm thinking of using amsoil 0w-20/30 with Lucas oil mixed in, I've had good success doing this in my cars with no issue!! What do you guys think??

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Old 05-18-2016, 09:54 PM   #2 (permalink)
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Using non-motorcycle oil you'll gain clutch chatter and poor shifting. Based on how light that bike is, you're better off learning a better riding technique than increasing wear on your trans.
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Old 05-18-2016, 09:58 PM   #3 (permalink)
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The problem comes from the engine and transmission sharing the same oil, so the oil is 'worked' harder than just oil used in an engine alone.

I am not saying you could not possibly get better FE from a change in viscosity, but you would have to monitor how much the engine and transmission are handling the change.

There is lots of research you could probably do, knowing that...
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Old 05-18-2016, 10:50 PM   #4 (permalink)
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It said in the owners manual that my bike could use 10w-30, but I'll double check a few times before changing the oil!!!
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Old 05-19-2016, 10:50 AM   #5 (permalink)
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Generally what I'm doing is taking the lower viscosity oil and adding Lucas to give it extra adhesion to the metal parts of the motor and clutch!! Like I said, I've been doing that in my Jeep Grand Cherokee for years with no increase in wear as far as the filters concerned!!
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Old 05-19-2016, 04:09 PM   #6 (permalink)
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Get a lubricheck.
And always follow manufacturer lubricant specs.
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Old 05-19-2016, 05:40 PM   #7 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oil pan 4 View Post
Get a lubricheck.
And always follow manufacturer lubricant specs.
Thanks a lot!! I was wondering how to check lubricity!!
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Old 05-19-2016, 07:40 PM   #8 (permalink)
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The lubricheck checks TBN which is oil acidity.
Easy way to see if the additives that prevent a sluge build up and clean the engine are still working.
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Old 05-19-2016, 08:34 PM   #9 (permalink)
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Ah, I see!
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Old 05-20-2016, 09:42 AM   #10 (permalink)
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Rotella T6 5W-40 is on the thinner side of 40-grade, and does shear down close to a high 30-grade rather quickly.

Rotella T5 10W-30 semi-synthetic would also be a good choice if you wanted a cycle-safe 30.

My son run a 30 in his Ninja 250, and it spends most of it's time near redline.

That said, I don't think you are going to see any noticeable gains in performance or economy by going to a 30, but I think it's OK as long as you use a good one and keep track of the level. Ninja 250s will lose some oil into the airbox from the crankcase breather when running at high rpms.

I personally don't like oil additives, so I would skip that.

Check out these Ninja 250 sites if you haven't already -

Ninja250 Riders Club :: Index

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/

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