Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Greetings From Australia

Gday Ive just purchased a speed master its had a fair bit og extras and looks and very well only problem IM having is getting used to the forward control foot brakes.

Do u reccomend synthetic or semi synthetic oil and what grade the manual reccomends 10w/40 or 15w/50 ( iwas going to go with 15w/50) what do you reccomend .It gets pretty warm out here no snow or anything.
Thank you in advance I will post some pics tommorrow Ramjet

I use on my bikes a 10w40 only in the winter and preferably on liquid cooled engines.

An air/oil cooled engine stress the oil more than a liquid cooled one.
Harleys for example are the most hot in oil stressing and for that bike 20w50 is preferred anyway.

Semi-synthetic minimum SG or better SH/SJ/SL 15w50 with Jaso MA is perfect cost/quality balance.
SG/SH/SJ/SL is the quality index. SG is the minimum for modern bikes, forward is the letter in alphabet better is the oil quality, so SH is better that SG, SL is better than SH and so on.
Jaso MA is the Japan specific for wet clutch, our bike have to use wet clutch compatible oils.

Who lives in north and cold climatic conditions can use also 10w40.

Synthetic is better, but you have to use from the beginning in the engine. You can't use mineral or semi-synth for some years and pass to a fully synth at one time in that engine.

Heya Ramjet. Nice choice of bike... now if only you'd gone that extra step and gotten an America instead.

What part of Oz're you in? I'm in Bris and generally use a semi-synthetic 20W-50. If you're down south someplace you might want to switch to a thinner 10W-40 or 15W-40 in winter.

The dealers tend to use a Motul oil, but I've just used oils like Havoline, Valvoline, Mobil 1 etc. After more than 53000km in three years I've not noticed any problems with my clutch so I tend to believe the whole "can't use friction modified oils in wet clutches" thing is so much hype.

I don't know about mechano's claim that you can't go from semi-syth to fully synth. You might dilute the fully synth slightly on the first change but it shouldn't matter after that. Last time I checked aluminium & steel weren't that porous to oil. Having said that, fully synth is a lot more expensive to no real benefit.

The Aussie SM I hired had MINERAL 20-50 in it...and was ok. But then I only had it for 10 days...


And welcome

I know...another oil discussion. You can easily go from semi syth. to full synth. no problem. In higher mileage engine it isn't a good idea to go from non synth. to synth. because of the way the 2 handle dirt and varnish differently.

Amsoil 20-50 motorcycle oil is the best from every study I have seen with the Mobil 4t from Triumph running a very close 2nd(aslo available under a dif. designation at an auto parts store)

Been running Amsoil 20w50 Synthetic since the first change.
The only other I would even consider would be Mobil one V-Twin synthetic 20w50.

Gday mate I am in Central Vic but my local dealer does my oil changes so no idea if your down this way drop me a line
Regards Ron

Ozzie, Ozzie, Ozzie, oi oi oi!
Welcome and nice choice of Triumph

I use Mobile 1 full synthetic. Re the forward controls – just ride it and you will get used to it. I have seen some with mid pegs but that was just for a position change on longer rides. I hang my legs over the foot pegs for a change of position. Welcome to the Speedy Club.