KLR Miles: Check-in

[sorebutt]

Originally Posted by Bigger Al

Fair enough.

Personally, I try not to tell anyone that something is a must, but rather try to relate what I've done to my own bike. I've been the sheep a time or three on this thing and put stuff on that turned out to be mostly useless. Lessons learned.
You going to West Fest in Montana this year? If so, first beer's on me for my harsh tone in my previous post.

I'd like to go just to get a beer from you. I'm getting back from a 2 week trip 2 days before West Fest and I don't think I'd have time to get ready for another week. I'm still thinking about it and the logistics. You just sweetened the pot with the beer offer.

[Nanuq]

Is anybody else running synthetic oil in their bikes? If so, which type?

Thanks!

[bsheet2]

2008 that I have had for just over a year. 12,000 smiles. Doo is done. No issues.

[FILLETI]

'06 w/ 28k

8600 of that was in one month, what a good month!

have a couple of others so I don't use it as much as I'd like

[sorebutt]

Originally Posted by Nanuq

Is anybody else running synthetic oil in their bikes? If so, which type?

Thanks!

I'm running Mobil synthetic motorcycle oil. I also run it in my Honda ST1300. I have 42,000 on the Honda and the valves have never been adjusted and are still in tolerance. I have 10,000 on the KLR with no problems.

[Nanuq]

Originally Posted by kdxkawboy

For mine, I gave them a gentle, respectable break-in and at 6000 went to a top quality full synthetic (Mobil 1 20W-50). After that all I did was change the oil and oil filter every 6000 miles, at which time I also checked/adjusted the valves. Cleaned the air filter as needed (use Twin Air and NoToil filters with NoToil oil). Stock doo.

Front side of doo hickey after 130,000+ miles


Back side of doo hickey after 130,000+ miles


But I did loose the spring which allowed enough slack on the balancing chain to let it eat into the cases

This also caused serious hooking of the balancer chain sprocket on the crankshaft, which with my anal approach to rebuilds makes this engine toast, and why I got a used engine to rebuild.

The mobil sythetic oil you are using-is it motorcycle specific or are you running a mobil 20-50 synthetic for automobiles?

[Bigger Al]

Originally Posted by sorebutt

I'd like to go just to get a beer from you. I'm getting back from a 2 week trip 2 days before West Fest and I don't think I'd have time to get ready for another week. I'm still thinking about it and the logistics. You just sweetened the pot with the beer offer.

I dunno how I missed this post last week, but I did.

The beer will be good stuff, not any cheapo crap.

Just look for the big lummox on the R90/6.

[kdxkawboy]

Originally Posted by Nanuq

The mobil sythetic oil you are using-is it motorcycle specific or are you running a mobil 20-50 synthetic for automobiles?

I've been running regular Mobil 1 15W-50 automotive synthetic.

I've long been a subscriber to Motorcycle Consumer News. Over the ages they have done several tests on oils. They found that full synthetics out performed the pure dino oils. The results for full synthetics showed that after 3000 miles they performed as well as fresh out of the bottle dino, and at 6000 miles they out performed the dino with 3000 miles of use. They always selected Mobile 1 15W-50 as being the MCN best buy. They made this call based on Mobil 1 having more of the additives that were important for a motorcycle engine than any other brand of synthetic.

With their last full test they mentioned the oils with the new energy efficient ratings should not be used in a motorcycle engine. At the time of that last test I bought 4 cases of Mobil 1 from Wally World and I'm down to my last 8 bottles.
My understanding is the the 5W-50/15W-50/20W-50 are the only automotive oils that do not carry this rating. I'm thinking what my next bulk purchase will be, but more than likely I'll get another bulk buy of Mobil 1.

[Nanuq]

Originally Posted by kdxkawboy

I've been running regular Mobil 1 15W-50 automotive synthetic.

I've long been a subscriber to Motorcycle Consumer News. Over the ages they have done several tests on oils. They found that full synthetics out performed the pure dino oils. The results for full synthetics showed that after 3000 miles they performed as well as fresh out of the bottle dino, and at 6000 miles they out performed the dino with 3000 miles of use. They always selected Mobile 1 15W-50 as being the MCN best buy. They made this call based on Mobil 1 having more of the additives that were important for a motorcycle engine than any other brand of synthetic.

With their last full test they mentioned the oils with the new energy efficient ratings should not be used in a motorcycle engine. At the time of that last test I bought 4 cases of Mobil 1 from Wally World and I'm down to my last 8 bottles.
My understanding is the the 5W-50/15W-50/20W-50 are the only automotive oils that do not carry this rating. I'm thinking what my next bulk purchase will be, but more than likely I'll get another bulk buy of Mobil 1.

Thank you! I am thinking about switching to synthetic oil. Additionally, our only motorcycle shop within a couple of hundred miles just shut down, soooo. I think I'm going to go with the system you are using. 15/20w-50w sounds like the better choices. Do you have a preference between the 15w or the 20w?

[kdxkawboy]

I've always used the 15W-50, figure the 20W-50 is not a good choice here in north western Nevada where the days are on the chilly side from mid-fall to mid-spring. Looking at the Mobile 1 web site they have a nice Diesel 5W-40 so I may go with 15W-50 for my spring to fall oil and the 5W-40 for my fall to spring. Up there in Alaska you might find that 5W-40 for Diesels to be a good year round choice.

[GhostRiderFromHell]

I picked up an old (1990) Tengai about 6 month ago with only 13,000km (8,000 miles) in MINT condition. After owning demanding Italian sports bikes i can't believe how low maintenance it is, oil every 3000km and a new tyre when needed.

[By-tor]

I just picked up an 05" last week with 3800 miles on the clock. Everything looks stock on the bike. I dont think the doo has been done yet. I am debating on doing it or just riding it for a while.
I plan to have this bike for a long time. I use it mainly to commute everyday. Thats about 60 miles a day.

[LtDan]

Got an '03 with 44K miles. Still runs good considering the abuse it 's had. Rode about 26 miles, looked at the tach and couldn't see the needle, well it was buried in the red as I was in 4th gear. When I bought the bike in Montana with 700 miles in '03 to get me home due to a GS drive shaft failure, we did an Iron But across TX, OK, AR, and TN in the middle of summer. Got home there was only about a qt of oil in her.
We've got 6 KLR's total in the shop with an average of about 5K miles that we rent out. Gotta to love them.

[dukedinner]

I have an 01 with 49,000 km so far. Did the doo at 15,000 km. The spring and doo were fine, but I put in an Eagle Mike unit to be sure. Cleaned the oil screen and set the valves half-way between min and max specs. Since then I just change the oil every 5000 km or so. The bike has never burned any oil. Other than the normal schedule of replacing chains, sprockets, tires, and brake pads the bike runs the same as the day I got it. I don't baby it but I don't abuse it either. One thing I have learned is to not dick around with the mechanical side of things too much..over farkling/tinkering of KLR's seems to cause more problems than they solve.

[redscare]

Just under 30k on my 05, most of it by a PO. My contribution to the odo pales in comparison.