rotella diesel oil in 01 R1 ?

I read that people use rotella full syn diesel oil in there bikes. i went to the store and checked it out and came upon 10w-40 full syn. would you guys recommend this oil? would it do any damage? is it safe? Thanks!

Look on the back side of the bottle. There will be a circular sort of "seal" that will give information about the certifications of the oil. If it says "energy-conserving," do not use it. It could cause clutch slippage. If it doesn't say anything about being energy-conserving, then it should be fine. If it was me, with the Winter season coming up, I'd go with the 5w40.

Its fine. I have run it in numerous bikes.

I run it in my bikes..

Rotella T 5W-40, mmm...yummy. I've been running it in my '99 for the last 3 yrs and it works very well. Lots of guys use it and love it. You can find it at Walmart for about $22/Gallon or Shucks for about $20/Gallon. I ain't no expert but I thought the 5W-40 was the only synthetic they made. Didn't know they made a 10W-40.:dunno Mark 99 R1

Rotella 5W40 synthetic is fine. 10W40 is not diesel oil. Diesel oil is 15w40 and I have called Shell (Rotella) and Mobil1 (Delvac) and spoke to their reps. Get the toll free number from the back of their product. NONE of them recommend running true diesel oil (15W40) in a motorcycle because it is too abrasive an oil. Take it for what its worth. I do.

whoops sorry i ment 5w 40 =D thanks for all the info guys!! i,ll give this oil a try :crash Thanks again!:thumbup

Here's a link to the Shell Rotella Motorcycle forum More info here than you'll ever need http://www.shellusserver.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=9

rottella t full syn and purolator is the only way to go

Hi Leeindy, you can run olive oil also but probably shouldn`t. If you want NO wear on your engine, want it to spin up like a gp bike and shift perfect every time try Kawasaki`s full synthetic. It comes in 10-40 or 15-50. I like the lighter stuff for racing type or cooler weather use. For trip kind of mileage or warmer temp. the 15-50 seems to last plenty long enough and still revs damn fast. Pricey but i still like it.

are you serious. maybe you should read a little before you spread that filth. http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/Consumables.html

i ran the rotella 5-40 synthetic on my old 600rr for 16k miles with no issues (that thing reved to 15k constantly )... run it in my quads, and now my 05 R1, i can't see any problems at all =), not with the clutch or engine.

are you serious. maybe you should read a little before you spread that filth. http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/Consumables.html Are you serious ?? If I remember right, that article is at least 10 years old... A new oil Spec comes around every 4-5 yrs on average. OK.... I went and checked it out.... He did redo the site in early 2007... but still has much Old Information.... In the mid 90's is when SG oil was around and that is usually the Spec (SG/SH) that is recommended for MotorCycles. Today, If you care about your bike, Regardless of Brand, Synthetic or petroleum, I Always reommend the use of a MotorCycle Specific oil with a Minimum JASO MA Rating, better yet, MA 2, but never MB. Ther IS a difference between Auto/Diesel oil and MotorCycle oil. Anyone who says different, does not understand about oils. You can actually come out $$ ahead at cost per mile by spending a little more upfront for a Premium Synthetic Oil and a Premium Filter such as AMSOIL. Doc

Also, the article is old enough where some of the oil is no longer available and has been replaced by a better oil from the same company. Shell Rotella Synthetic, is not actually a True Synthetic and Shells MSDS states 92-98.9% Petroleum content... Doc

Shell Rotella Synthetic, is not actually a True Synthetic and Shells MSDS states 92-98.9% Petroleum content... Doc I recall reading that neither Castrol Syntec nor Mobil 1 are actually fully synthetic ~ I read that Castrol Syntec and Mobil 1 were both fully synthetic at one time, but that Castrol changed the formulation of Syntec to include some petroleum, yet still claimed to be Full-Syn on the side of the bottle. According to what I heard, Exxon-Mobil then sued Castrol for false advertising, but lost. As a result, Exxon-Mobil then changed the formulation of Mobil 1 to include some dino-juice as well. No, I don't believe everything I read on the internet, but maybe someone here can verify (or debunk) the rumor....? John

I recall reading that neither Castrol Syntec nor Mobil 1 are actually fully synthetic ~ I read that Castrol Syntec and Mobil 1 were both fully synthetic at one time, but that Castrol changed the formulation of Syntec to include some petroleum, yet still claimed to be Full-Syn on the side of the bottle. According to what I heard, Exxon-Mobil then sued Castrol for false advertising, but lost. As a result, Exxon-Mobil then changed the formulation of Mobil 1 to include some dino-juice as well. No, I don't believe everything I read on the internet, but maybe someone here can verify (or debunk) the rumor....? John You are pretty much correct except about Castrol being a Synthetic at all. It is a Hydro-Cracked Group III oil and not made of the Best Base Stocks. Mobil 1 is a company so when talking about it, we need to use a specific product. Mobil 1 EP is a PAO based Product with at least 30% PAO Base Stock. Mobil 1 EP is a respectable oil... Not the Best, but quite respectable. Doc

You are pretty much correct except about Castrol being a Synthetic at all. It is a Hydro-Cracked Group III oil and not made of the Best Base Stocks. Mobil 1 is a company so when talking about it, we need to use a specific product. Mobil 1 EP is a PAO based Product with at least 30% PAO Base Stock. Mobil 1 EP is a respectable oil... Not the Best, but quite respectable. Doc OK, I thought Mobil 1 is a product offered by Exxon-Mobil; not its own brand (though it might be considered its own brand by many people, just due to the legend-like status it has achieved). By Mobil 1 EP, you mean their Extended Protection formulation?

OK, I thought Mobil 1 is a product offered by Exxon-Mobil; not its own brand (though it might be considered its own brand by many people, just due to the legend-like status it has achieved). By Mobil 1 EP, you mean their Extended Protection formulation? Mobil 1 is a company which also offers filters along with different grades of oil. It did evolve out of Mobil 1 oil from back about 1975 when they copied AMSOIL, which is also a company, not a specific product as when it started with their 10W-40 in 1972. Yes, Mobil 1 EP stands for Extended Performance which is only one of their oils... Doc

Rotella "T" <-----great stuff

Mobil 1 is a company which also offers filters along with different grades of oil. It did evolve out of Mobil 1 oil from back about 1975 when they copied AMSOIL, which is also a company, not a specific product as when it started with their 10W-40 in 1972. Yes, Mobil 1 EP stands for Extended Performance which is only one of their oils... Doc Thanks for the clarification... So is the EP their only oil that uses a PAO base?

Thanks for the clarification... So is the EP their only oil that uses a PAO base? To the best of my knowledge, in the automotive line, yes... The others are Hydro-Cracked and/or petroleum based.. The MX 4T Racing M/C oil is a PAO Based oil and does pretty good in the tests. http://www.bestoil4you.com/files/g2156MCoilStudy.pdf Doc

I juat bought a gallon of Rotella t 5w40 Syn. oil at walmart.... the problem is, the bottle says for newer diesel engines.. from 2007 and on? Will this effect my 1999 R1? Did they put special additives in this?

I would recommend going to the Shell website and see if your CJ-4 rated oil carries an JASO MA Rating. If it does, at least you will have moderate protection from clutch slippage. MA-2 is the best which I know for sure none of the Shell Products have I am still unsure of why people want to use a diesel oil instead of the proper MotorCycle Specific oil which has the proper additives. I not only use AMSOIL MotorCycle Specific oil but I utilize Oil Analysis as well. Maybe I am just anal about my bike in ways. I keep a 16 oz water bottle that has been emptied and dried to keep a backup sample of oil and my drain pan and funnel are washed right after use and stored in a plastic bag. Then they are wiped clean before draining so when I fill the analysis and water bottle, there is no contamination. Regardless of Brand, Synthetic or Petroleum, I always recommend a MotorCycle Specific oil with a JASO Rating of MA, better yet, MA-2, but Never MB. Doc

Shell has a motorcycle forum on there websites. I have run it in numerous bikes and goldwing lovers rave about. I think I am going to run the 5w40 through the winter.

Shell Rotella 5w-40 Synthetic meets JASO-MA specifications. Have fun in the R1, no problems in my 2000.

Shell has a motorcycle forum on there websites. I have run it in numerous bikes and goldwing lovers rave about. I think I am going to run the 5w40 through the winter. Many Wingers rave about AMSOIL as well.. As a former Wing owner and GWRRA Memmber, I did the Wings Over The Smokies Rally last year. Sold out of everything I brought with, had my G/F bring everything I had in the garage and still had to ship oil all over the East Coast.. Over $4000.00 in oil in a 2.5 day show.. And I was 1 of 2 AMSOIL Dealers there. Some of the things AMSOIL has over the competition.. Extended Drain Intervals, Cooler oil temps, More HP (verified on Dyno's time and again) smoother shifting, fewer false neutrals, Better Anti-Rust and Corrosion Inhibitors, less wear and a JASO MA 2 Rating which is the highest clutch performance rating available. AMSOIL may cost a little more up front but is very competitive when you break it down to Cost Per Mile. Doc

Hey Doc, Just curious. What year of R1 do you ride?

30,000 miles on my 06 R1 with Rotella and purolator every 2500... no problems at all

I don't... I have a V-Star and a Ultra Classic for my road trips. I don't think an R-1 would pull my trailer loaded with oil and riding 2 up to boot. Doc

i changed my oil to To Rotella T 5w-40.. it was 19 dollars at walmart... 1 gallon of it... So i put about 3 quarts in and started my bike .. the sight glass was about right ... and the oil light came one.. never had this issues before... stopped the bike.. added about another quart or so... almost 4 in total and the light went off... is it due to the lightness of this oil that i needed more than when i used 10w-40? it's kinda weird.. never had any issues.. but after adding the oil.. the bike ran stronger=) i like this oil... cheap too.. only 25 dollars for a Fram oil filter and Rotella=).. so nice

i changed my oil to To Rotella T 5w-40.. it was 19 dollars at walmart... 1 gallon of it... So i put about 3 quarts in and started my bike .. the sight glass was about right ... and the oil light came one.. never had this issues before... stopped the bike.. added about another quart or so... almost 4 in total and the light went off... is it due to the lightness of this oil that i needed more than when i used 10w-40? it's kinda weird.. never had any issues.. but after adding the oil.. the bike ran stronger=) i like this oil... cheap too.. only 25 dollars for a Fram oil filter and Rotella=).. so nice The oils are basically the same weight at operating temp... 40 ... The difference is at 32 Degrees F. Sounds like you may have just had an air pocket which happens occasionally but more frequent if you let the oil drain too long. No secret that I don't believe in Rotella for a Motorcycle but it will do a fair job. Ditch the Fram in favor of a WIX if you are going to stay with an off the shelf filter. WIX # 51356 I believe. Regardless of Brand, Synthetic or Petroleum, I Always recommend a MotorCycle Specific oil with a JASO Rating of MA, better yet, MA 2. but never MB. 4 qts of AMSOIL and the AMSOIL filter for your bike is only $54.60. Considering you can double your drain interval plus the other benefits and the best filter money can buy the cost per mile is comparable. Or you can go to the non M/C Specific MA Rated 10W-40 and be under $50.00 still using the EA Filter.. I also use Oil Analysis on my bike not only to see what condition the oil is in but to see what condition my engine is in without having to tear it down. $22.55 for the oil analysis compared to $8000.00 for an engine is just cheap insurance..

Shell Rotella here too, both synthetic and normal in 4 bikes, some with close to 40K miles on them, no problems, ever. :drunk:

i changed my oil to To Rotella T 5w-40.. it was 19 dollars at walmart... 1 gallon of it... So i put about 3 quarts in and started my bike .. the sight glass was about right ... and the oil light came one.. never had this issues before... stopped the bike.. added about another quart or so... almost 4 in total and the light went off... is it due to the lightness of this oil that i needed more than when i used 10w-40? it's kinda weird.. never had any issues.. but after adding the oil.. the bike ran stronger=) i like this oil... cheap too.. only 25 dollars for a Fram oil filter and Rotella=).. so nice R1's are famous for the oil light coming on unless you are near the top limit line(dot). Mark 99 R1

WIX #51358 is the correct number for the R1 and it's the one I use. Mark 99 R1

The WIX 51356 and 51358 are almost the same except for length.. the 51356 is 5/8 of an inch longer.. Body Dia. Gasket ID, OD and Thickness are Identical. both have an Anti-Drain back valve and the bypass is 8-11 PSI Actually, the 51356 is a stronger filter with about 100 PSI higher burst strength. The 51356 does flow slightly better though. Most likely due to the fact it is a 19 Micron Nom. filter and the 358 is a 14 Micron Nom. Bob S. So, if you have the extra 5/8ths of an inch to play with, why not ?

Rotella T 5W-40, mmm...yummy. I've been running it in my '99 for the last 3 yrs and it works very well. Lots of guys use it and love it. You can find it at Walmart for about $22/Gallon or Shucks for about $20/Gallon. I ain't no expert but I thought the 5W-40 was the only synthetic they made. Didn't know they made a 10W-40.:dunno Mark 99 R1 Thats strange rotella hasnt been makin the syn 5w-40 for 3 yrs and youve been runnin it that long? Wow. scott

Thats strange rotella hasnt been makin the syn 5w-40 for 3 yrs and youve been runnin it that long? Wow. scott Scott, Don't really know what you're saying? I switched over to Rotella T 5W-40 in 2006. You trying to say it's a brand new product? Mark 99 R1

Thats strange rotella hasnt been makin the syn 5w-40 for 3 yrs and youve been runnin it that long? Wow. scott :dundun:

Wonder when Rotella will make a True Synthetic.. The Castrol SynTec of Diesel oils.. Doc

Buy cheap oil and change it twice as often. I don't believe in spending big money for amsoil just so I can go further between changes, oil breaks down, that's a fact, just change it more often and you will be doing your engine a greater service.

Buy cheap oil and change it twice as often. I don't believe in spending big money for amsoil just so I can go further between changes, oil breaks down, that's a fact, just change it more often and you will be doing your engine a greater service. You are kidding right ? Buy Cheap oil ? Change twice as often ? Yes, oil breaks down, and the cheaper it is, the faster it breaks down. FACT: A PAO or Ester oil does NOT break down anywhere near as fast. You are doing no "Great Service" to anything by changing oil more often. Not to mention you are not getting the other benefits of a Premium Synthetic oil. Smoother running engine, cooler oil temps, smoother shifting, easier to find neutral, fewer false neutrals, more HP, better fuel mileage, great clutch performance and less wear. You should look at cost per mile and overall cost of ownership, not immediate cost out of pocket.. I go as far as doing oil analysis on my bike. $22.55 a couple times a year compared to $8000.00 for an engine is cheap insurance. I always say: Reasonable results can be had with a good petroleum oil and a good filter. Superior results can be had by using a Premium Synthetic Oil and a Premium Filter. Oil IS the Lifeblood of your engine, the filter is the Kidney that keeps it clean. Doc

Actually I was being quite serious, I use Canadian Tire brand 100% full synthetic and change my oil often, I have a brother in law (he works at one of the plants up here in Edmonton, most likely where you get your oil from) who informed me that the same product ends up in a multitude of packages, similiar to gasoline, which coincidentally you also get from our plants. You are the oil doc however, and I can tell you are passionate about your hobby, so let's just call me ignorant and you the OIL GOD bow down, LOL.......

Actually I was being quite serious, I use Canadian Tire brand 100% full synthetic and change my oil often, I have a brother in law (he works at one of the plants up here in Edmonton, most likely where you get your oil from) who informed me that the same product ends up in a multitude of packages, similiar to gasoline, which coincidentally you also get from our plants. You are the oil doc however, and I can tell you are passionate about your hobby, so let's just call me ignorant and you the OIL GOD bow down, LOL....... Actually.... AMSOIL is made in Superior, WI at AMSOIL Inc. who has a 2.3 Million Gallon Tank Farm and Manufactures their own oil. I know this for fact as I have been selling AMSOIL for over 25 years and have been to the AMSOIL Facilities on more than 1 occasion. We do have a warehouse in Edmonton though, but you can't buy from it, only AMSOIL Dealers and Preferred Customers can. Oh.. Canadian Tire also sells AMSOIL.. I am not passionate about my hobby, although, I am passionate about my AMSOIL Business as it pays my bills and mortgage, pays for my toys like my MotorCycles and allows me to take frequent vacations, (Tax Deductible Vacations). Not sure where you were trying to take this whole thing as none of it has anything to do with the thread. Doc