hahaha, I am new to syn stuff, so my ears/eyes are watching this topic.

 

So, regular Shell Rotela isn't compatible with our motorcycles? Or Castrol Syntech?

 

10-40 Honda GN4 (non synthetic) about every 800 miles. My street bike I use the same oil & just do once a year.

 

Its just from my understanding, that the KLX has a wet-clutch type system. So the oil needs to have a friction modifer additive to make the clutch not slip or burn up the oil.

I've already came across one case where a guy was running regular motor oil in an ATV and was wondering why the engine smelled like its burning oil. Most likely, his ATV used a centrifical wet-clutch system. And since the oil did not contain a friction modifer. It contuined to slip and burn the oil. But the KLX is amultidisc wet-clutch. Better safe than sorry.

 

I use oil made for single cylinder 4 strokes

 

Dedicated motorcycle oils contain no or very little friction modifiers, but it also almost an urban legend thatfriction modifiers cause clutch slippage or damage in wet clutch bikes.
Fact is that most bike owners use automotive oils in their bikes.

 

Thats why I added, "Better safe than sorry".

If look through yours owner's manual. Kawasaki gives very little on the type of oil to use. JustSAE 10w-40 is recommended and types are API (SE, SF, SG) or API (SH or SJ w/ JASO MA). Which, all ofthose API types are obsolete in a motor oil grade. Current ones are API SL & SM. Plus, for my bike's enginesafety. I even called a Kawasaki dealer on the issue before I did the first oil change, just to be 100% sure. And they told me to use an oil speficitaly designed for wet-clutch applications.

On further note, I feel the topic has gone off-topic. [&:]

 

Point taken, I had to do some research now as this topic is getting more complex and my knowledge of modern oils and motorcycles is not as keen as it once was.
A couple of interesting things that I discovered in short form:
Current automotive oils use API Service Categories SL, SM and contain the words “Energy Conserving II”, these should be avoided in motorcycles as they contain high quantities of friction modifiers which make the oil more slippery, these oils can cause clutch slipping now days on some bikes although still somewhat uncommon, like you said “Better safe then sorry”.

Current motorcycle specific oils are API Service Categories SH, SG typically.

IMHO I can't recall a previous thread that has remained on topic as much as this one has.

It should be completely reasonable to associate oil life with oil quality and application.

 

speficitaly ?? Cool new word man. Can you post a sound clip of you speaking this word? I like the fact that it ends with Italy. You gotta love Italy Man!