B L U E said:
15w40 Shell Rotella for me...

+5... I buy it in 5 Gallon buckets from Advance Auto. brings the price down to $3.50 a quart for me. I use it in my Roadie, my wife's VStar 1100, my Chrysler Mini-Van, my Mitsubishi Lancer, my Chevy Venture, my 1987 Old Cutlass (with a 492 Olds Motor in it) and my 1969 Olds 442.

Of course the last couple I need to have ZDDP in them, so I have it laying around as well. I put some in my Roadie just in case.

what is zddp and why do we need for mc?

ZDDP is a zinc additive needed in all pushrod engines to protect the cam and lifters, amongst other items. Levels were drastically lowered in, I think, 2004 to protect the new 3-way catalytic converters in cars. V-Twin oils have proper amounts to protect your engine. Too much zddp can cause excess buildup and galling of the cam so be careful with adds.

There's tons and tons of info here at the forum on the oils you can and cannot use in order to get the zddp in proper levels. Easiest is just make sure you buy a V-Twin oil. The most popular ones on this forum appear to be Amzoil, Mobil 1, and Rotella (since it's a diesel oil and the zinc levels are higher than auto oil).

Automotive oils can also have certain additives to gain fuel mileage and replacement anti-wear agents like Moly which can screw up your wet clutch.

Much much more info available here and it has a tendency to be a hot topic because everybody has their favorite.

thanks for the info. that answers alot of questions i had about what oil to use .ive been useing mobil 1 v twin 20w50

You will never convince someone that 'their' brand of motorcycle oil isn't the best. Or that by running a motor oil designed for heavy-duty diesel engines isn't going to kill our V-twins somehow. But I'm on a budget, and I change my oil religiously, along with the filter, every 3500 miles. The Rotella-T 15W-40 is working well for me and my bike likes it. A little extra ZDDP doesn't hurt. I will put over 15K miles on my Roadie this season. If you want to buy expensive oil, go for it. It's your baby.....
John Scribner

its true thats why there so many differnt brands so use what you like and trust

from Mi oil

I drain the lawn mower twice, then I run that oil in the road * when I pull it out of that I use it s bar oil for my chain saw.

MS1700 wrote:
I drain the lawn mower twice, then I run that oil in the road * when I pull it out of that I use it s bar oil for my chain saw.
I used to do that but the oil is so thick during the winter months that it don't come out of the oiling system on my chain saw. I had to thin it out with used atf

I highly reccomend dual viscosity motorcycle specific oil. I currently use Yamalube 20w50 but I plan to swtitch over to Mobil 1 V-trwin 20w50 motorcycle oil for my next oil change - I have heard nothing but positive comments about this oil, plus it is priced very competativly at Wal-mart.