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A 1-gallon jug of Maxima 10W-40 goes for $28 on Amazon.<\/p>\n
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You can’t buy Maxima oil at Walmart. You have to get it from Amazon, eBay, or a motorbike store. And you’ll be charged a premium to boot.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t even get me started on the full-synthetic, motorcycle-specific oils available from companies like Amsoil, Motorex, and Mobil1. I don\u2019t know about you, but I\u2019d rather not pay $20\/quart for oil. That\u2019s just bonkers.<\/p>\n There has to be a better way, right?<\/p>\n What\u2019s the difference between auto oil and motorbike oil, anyway?<\/p>\n Motorcycle-specific oils are designed to work with wet clutches. Automotive oils use additive packages that don\u2019t always play nice with motorcycle clutches. Using the wrong type of oil can make your clutch slip.<\/p>\n Scooters don\u2019t have wet clutches. You can use just about any kind of halfway decent automotive oil you want in your scooter.<\/p>\n When you\u2019re buying oil, look for the letters \u201cJASO MA\u201d on the bottle. \u201cJASO MA\u201d means the oil is OK to use in motorcycles that have wet clutches.<\/p>\n I\u2019m not a petroleum engineer. I\u2019m just a guy who wrenches on and rides motorcycles. I make a living working on motorcycles, scooters, and ATVs, so I concern myself with this sort of thing.<\/p>\n What\u2019s the least expensive \u201cJASO MA\u201d rated oil on the market?<\/p>\n It\u2019s Rotella, and it\u2019s marketed as a diesel truck oil. But it has the letters \u201cJASO MA\u201d printed on the bottle, which means it\u2019s OK to use in motorcycles, according to the manufacturer. They could be lying or fudging the truth for sales. I doubt a company like Shell\/Rotella would do that just to capture a tiny part of the motorcycle oil market, but let\u2019s be suspicious for the sake of it. Let\u2019s not trust the bottle. How does Rotella work in the real world, according to people who have actually used it in their motorcycles?<\/p>\n By all accounts, it works really well. I\u2019m not going to annotate them for you, but you\u2019re more than welcome to check out some of my sources:<\/p>\n From AdventureRider.com:<\/strong><\/p>\n http:\/\/advrider.com\/index.php?threads\/does-anyone-run-shell-rotella-oil-in-there-bikes.165074\/<\/a><\/p>\n From VitalMX.com:<\/strong><\/p>\n https:\/\/www.vitalmx.com\/forums\/Tech-Help-Race-Shop,42\/Is-Rotella-T-15w40-now-called-Rotella-T4,1314916<\/a><\/p>\n From Randakk\u2019s Cycle Shakk:<\/strong><\/p>\n http:\/\/www.randakksblog.com\/another-reason-to-change-your-oil\/<\/a><\/p>\n From Bobistheoilguy.com (crazy thorough site all about oil):<\/strong><\/p>\n https:\/\/www.bobistheoilguy.com\/forums\/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1125618<\/a><\/p>\n From ScramblerForum.com, a Ducati site:<\/strong><\/p>\n http:\/\/www.scramblerforum.com\/threads\/who-has-used-shell-rotella-t-15w-40.10737\/<\/a><\/p>\n From VFRWorld.com:<\/strong><\/p>\n http:\/\/vfrworld.com\/tex_vfr\/tech\/oil.htm<\/a><\/p>\n That\u2019s a heck of a lot of reading. You\u2019ll notice some people feel their bikes make more power or shift better when using \u201cmotorcycle-specific\u201d oil compared to the Rotella, but it\u2019s a rare complaint. Some people say their bikes work better with the synthetic 5W-40 Rotella T6.<\/p>\n I sometimes wonder if riders \u201cnotice\u201d the oil change they just did but fail to notice their bike gets faster as the ambient temperature drops. There are a whole bunch of things that can contribute to a \u201cfeeling\u201d like that, including straight-up personal variance. I know my bikes feel faster and seem to work better when I\u2019m feeling excellent. It\u2019s always hard for me to get my bikes to do what I want them to do when I\u2019m in a bad mood.<\/p>\n We tend to think of ourselves as a constant, but in reality our minds, bodies, and feelings are a lot more \u201cflexible\u201d than a motorcycle\u2019s mechanical bits. You might think you’re a “rock,” but you’re actually just a squishy little person just like the rest of us are.<\/p>\n With all of that said, the vast majority of bikes work fine with Rotella. I\u2019ve decided to make Rotella part of my bulk oil program. I always give my customers the chance to choose (and purchase) a different oil for their bike. If you don\u2019t have a preference, I will pour Rotella 15W-40 into your bike\u2019s crankcases and pass the savings on to you.<\/p>\n Oil Prices @ MOTO2N:<\/strong><\/p>\n Rotella 15W-40 T4 Conventional: $6\/l<\/p>\n Rotella 5W-40 (recommended viscosity for modern Vespa) T6 Synthetic: $8\/l<\/p>\n Valvoline 10W-40 Conventional: $10.5\/l<\/p>\n I use Rotella in every bike I own, and I\u2019ve never had a problem with it. I also change my oil frequently. I like to take the spurs to \u2018em on a regular basis.<\/p>\n Oil changes run $42.5 + parts. Filters are ~$15. Oil starts at $6\/l.<\/strong><\/p>\n MOTO2N uses what works. If you want to spend more on oil, be my guest.<\/p>\n More Sauce:<\/strong><\/p>\n Wikipedia:<\/p>\n![\"IMG_0355\"](\"http:\/\/moto2n.com\/braap\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/IMG_0355-225x300.jpg\")
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