Synthetic vs dino

[Andy27012]

2010 Goldwing Bought December of last year, just now getting around to doing an oil change as it been sitting unused for six months or so while I tried to source an alternator. I won’t name names but there is a well known gentleman who rebuilds alternators that I would not recommend anyone using. Pm for details if interested. Anyways, finally got around to an oil change and switched from what I’m assuming was Dino oil to Honda hps4. Holy cow, what a difference! The shifts are nowhere near as clunky and while it was never rough it’s soo much smoother at speed now! I was skeptical but if your running Dino in your gl1800 switch to synthetic!

[AZgl1800]

I have Rotella T6 full synthetic 5w40 in my gl1800.

the shifts are very slick, went out for my 1st bike ride since August of last year yesterday....
the joy of listening to that snick, snick, snick as it went thru the gears at only 2500 rpm was a joy to listen to.

Why so long since the last ride?
Mother Nature decided to let a mountain slope slide out from under me last year while I was setting still talking to some friends, and my right shoulder struck a rock............ been in Physical Therapy ever since... and this was while setting on my Piaggio scooter

[2003Cobra]

Mother Nature decided to let a mountain slope slide out from under me last year while I was setting still talking to some friends, and my right shoulder struck a rock.

OUCH! I've broken both my shoulder, in separate accidents. I still feel the effects of the broken collar bone after they went in to fix it. Hope you are doing well now and can resume riding full time again.

[GoldWingrGreg]

Honda GN4 conventional oil continues to be the best oil for 5th gens.

[Andy27012]

Honda GN4 conventional oil continues to be the best oil for 5th gens.

What makes conventional superior to Honda synthetic for these bikes?

[Wingsconsin]

[joeincalif]

Any time you change oil it will shift better with the new oil than it did with the old. Actually I used both and never noticed a difference in the way or sound in shifting.

[GoldWingrGreg]

Any time you change oil it will shift better with the new oil than it did with the old. Actually I used both and never noticed a difference in the way or sound in shifting.

That is so true. However, 5th gens even shift better with new oil and cold weather.

[GoldWingrGreg]

What makes conventional superior to Honda synthetic for these bikes?

Synthetics can cause problems, and I believe Honda has figured that out too. There are 5 or 6 known ones, however my memory rarely allows me to remember them all at once.

- clutch plates blueing
- dry start rod knock
- sprague gear slipping (starter spins but not engine)
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In 2001-03, Honda had no synthetic oil and only promoted their conventional GN4 oil in their Owner's Manual. Shortly thereafter, they came out with their Semi Blend HP4. In my 2004 Owner's Manual, they actually showed a full page picture of an HP4 bottle which is very suggestive. Their Semi Blend actually had the words "Engineered for GoldWings" on the label. A couple years later, they come out with their full synthetic oil HP4S. In my 2007 Owner's Manual it was the oil they suggested. GN4 was no longer listed as a recommended oil. However, by either 2010 or 2012 they stopped recommending their synthetic oil and went back to recommending their conventional oil, GN4. GN4 was the only oil listed through 2017. In their newest 6th gen Wings, GN4 is the only oil they recommend.