Oil

[jazzrider]

Anyone use synthetic or mixed synthetic oil? What affects has it had or is it worth the additional cost?

[firstwing85]

I know quite a few guys on the GL1200 site that use synthetic oil and the longer time you can go between oil changes is worth the extra price of the oil, cheaper in the long run.
I am switching to full synthetic oil when I change my oil next.
I have used Synthetic oil on my Semi truck transmission and differentials for over 10 years and I am a believer in synthetic..

[Viking]

I use 100% full synthetic and the biggest difference I noticed was smoother transmission shifting. I have not done the drive differential on this wing yet, but soon will, when the riding season is finally over, lol.

[dingdong]

I changed over to synthetic in my 76. Almost every seal leaked until I got rid of it. The engine was split and all seals were replaced a couple of years pryer to this so can't blame it on old seals. No leaks with the dino oil. This was about 5 years ago so maybe the formula for synthetic has changed by now??? Besides I change oil at about 2500 miles and would do so even with synthetic. Why waste the money?

[Viking]

I changed over to synthetic in my 76. Almost every seal leaked until I got rid of it. The engine was split and all seals were replaced a couple of years pryer to this so can't blame it on old seals. No leaks with the dino oil. This was about 5 years ago so maybe the formula for synthetic has changed by now??? Besides I change oil at about 2500 miles and would do so even with synthetic. Why waste the money?

This does happen occasionally with synthetics. There is no rhyme nor reason which machine is going to do it, but when a change back to dino oil stops the leaks, then stick with the dino. There have been no appreciable changes to synthetic formulation in the past five years, and the rare problem with seals leaking extends back more than twenty years, so you were just one of the unlucky ones. Mostly this happens when synthetics are put into very poorly maintained vehicles with lots of sludge assisting the gaskets and seals. The synthetic, being highly detergent, washes the sludge away, exposing the dried out seals and gaskets. Returning to a dino oil will not stop these leaking monsters. Yours was not one of these, and so becomes a puzzle. Lawn Boy lawnmowers were one of these puzzles. One of the synthetics companies bought a whole bunch of replacement lawn boy engines, because their two cycle oil would not work in them, and they seized up. I understand that this company now advises against selling two cycle oil to lawn boy owners.

[seabee_]

Anyone use synthetic or mixed synthetic oil? What affects has it had or is it worth the additional cost?

You can search the forums and get all kinds of recommendations of different types and brands. It all comes down to personal preference. Do your research, change it as per maintenance intervals, and make sure it's compatible with a wet clutch system, i.e: 'motorcycle oil'. Some oils with friction modifiers can and will affect how your clutch works.

[DennisDiver1]

Hi jazzrider, I have a 1993 hondagold wing with 91,000 miles Been using Schaeffer Supreme 7000 synthetic plus racing oil 20w-50. It cost me about $5.00 a quart I buy it a case at a time. Change oil around 6,500 miles. Thats when the oil starts changing color on the dip stick. I use a regular fram oil filter . I had to run a cleaner with my old oil for about 200 miles before i switch to Schaeffer . I now use Schaeffer oil in all my rigs, go to the web sight at www. Schaeffer oil .com. Check it out for your self. Plan on riding my bike for another 100,000 mile before i trade it in. My bike does not use any oil so far. Hope this will help. Northwest rider.

[jazzrider]

Thanks all, so far the synthetic mix seems good and I can tell it gives a smoother shift (the clunk is softer)
Thanks for your responses.