2010 VFR1200DCT - Rotella T4 15w40 ok?

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Oillover

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As the title states, I've recently purchased an old 2010 VFR1200 with dct (14k miles) for some 2 up rides along the coastal highway/mountain passes.
This bike has a hefty sized sump (4.0 liters) plus two oil filters (one is for the DCT alone).

Since I have an old 88 BMW 3 series that also takes Rotella T4 15w40, is there any problem with running this in the Honda that's spec'd for 10w30?
I obviously plan on only running the bike in summer, so the higher temps would be suitable for the 15w40.

your thoughts are appreciated.
 
now you have me wondering...do bikes with a DCT need to use oil safe for a wet clutch? Or can you use regular car oil? I believe the T4 is safe for shared sump / wet clutches..but what does a DCT require?
 
iahawk said:
now you have me wondering...do bikes with a DCT need to use oil safe for a wet clutch? Or can you use regular car oil? I believe the T4 is safe for shared sump / wet clutches..but what does a DCT require?
Click to expand...
On my bike, the DCT uses the same (shared) oil as what's in the engine.
I'm just wondering if the DCT is sensitive to different viscosities.
 
Oillover said:
Since I have an old 88 BMW 3 series that also takes Rotella T4 15w40, is there any problem with running this in the Honda that's spec'd for 10w30?
Click to expand...

Either 30 or 40 grade oil will meet and exceed your mileage expectations in your 1200 Veffalo... the difference owners notice between the grades is that the Honda spec'd 30 provides quicker cold starts, faster acceleration, and lower coolant temps than the 40 grade... There was no difference in wear between the grades in the Blackstone oil samples...

OilFlow30v40(2).jpg
 
The T4 has the required JASO rating and is not “Resource Conserving.” It will work according to the requirements, as well as owner experience.

I don’t have a DCT bike but in Goldwing forums I visit, I’ve seen and read much discussion on this. Honda did not specify any new oil requirement for the DCT bikes vs older or non-DCT models. There isn’t any fundamentally new technology in them - just how long-standing tech is arranged and controlled. The same well-proven oils are said to work in DCT bikes. So a bog-standard HDEO like that should be just fine (it’s what I’m putting in my non-DCT Goldwing). While Honda recommend 10w-30, a huge number of people run 10w-40 and 15w-40 and it has proven for decades to be just fine. Unless I was in Florida or the desert southwest US, I wouldn’t worry about 30 vs 40. Rotella T4 10w-30 would work fine, too - it is what Honda recommends. T4 comes in 10w-30 as do many HDEOs now. But if you have the thicker on the shelf, it’ll work fine.
 
02SE said:
FWIW, T4 does not have the JASO rating. Shell just claims to meet the spec.
Click to expand...

Shell, at least in the marketing material I saw recently, listed it among “specs and approvals.” So it’s not clear to me it does not have the approval. It may not in fact have paid for the “approval,” so you may be correct. Either way, Shell is not going to put it on the label if it does not meet the spec.

9839C5AB-E855-4B14-98E8-90EBB5462509.jpeg
 
Last edited:
BusyLittleShop said:
Either 30 or 40 grade oil will meet and exceed your mileage expectations in your 1200 Veffalo... the difference owners notice between the grades is that the Honda spec'd 30 provides quicker cold starts, faster acceleration, and lower coolant temps than the 40 grade...
Click to expand...
Another option I have would be Castrol 10w40 (also free with gift cards).
Would that be a better option that'll help maintain the acceleration, lower coolant temps and quicker cold starts?
https://www.homehardware.ca/en/1l-10w40-grand-prix-motorcycle-oil/p/8645497
 
Oillover said:
Another option I have would be Castrol 10w40 (also free with gift cards).
Would that be a better option that'll help maintain the acceleration, lower coolant temps and quicker cold starts?
https://www.homehardware.ca/en/1l-10w40-grand-prix-motorcycle-oil/p/8645497
Click to expand...

Yes, that would work fine. BUT: at $13/qt, it’s not going to work any better than the Chevron Delo I just paid $10/gallon for (before rebate; $5/gallon after).

Personally, I’d save the gift card and use it on something I needed more, and use Rotella, Delo, Delvac, or other appropriate oil. Motorcycle-specific oils aren’t inherently different. They are just approved, re-packaged, and marketed in narrower (and thus much more expensive) channels. They are though, SAFE for people who aren’t informed on the intricacies of the subject (mainly wet clutches) and you can’t do harm using them.
 
BusyLittleShop said:
Customers will never know if it meets specs or not because JASO don't test oils nor do they certify an oil is wet clutch compatible... they just register oils based on submitter claims behind closed doors...
Click to expand...

While I haven’t checked lately, that is what I thought in the past. JASO just publishes the spec; no independent testing by them.
 
Oro_O said:
Shell, at least in the marketing material I saw recently, listed it among “specs and approvals.” So it’s not clear to me it does not have the approval. It may not in fact have paid for the “approval,” so you may be correct. Either way, Shell is not going to put it on the label if it does not meet the spec.

View attachment 191235
Click to expand...

I know what the bottles say. I use Rotella in my Diesel truck.

If Shell were to meet the requirements required to have the official JASO symbol printed on the bottles, THEN they could unequivocably state that their oil meets the requirements of the spec.

Until then, we just have to take their word for it.
 
Rotella T5 synthetic blend 10w30 also claims to meet or exceed the JASO MA spec as of June 2023.

They didn't change the formula, they just decided to start putting the JASO MA letters on the jug.

I've got T5 10w30 in my 2014 CB1100, 2000 miles in and it's still running great. Pulls like a champ. I'd be inclined to try the T5 in your VFR. A little more than T4 but not much more.

I like the T4 15w40 too. That's what I use for my VT750s, and I used it in my old Nighthawk 750 for 37k miles before I sold it.

FWIW, I know a Honda tech at a Honda dealership who uses T6 5w40 as his "top up oil".
 
I don't get the huge love affair with Rotella. What's so special about this oil?
 
grampi said:
I don't get the huge love affair with Rotella. What's so special about this oil?
Click to expand...

I find the shifting quality doesn't last in our sportbikes when using Rotella. So I use oil that maintains slick shifting throughout the oil change interval in our bikes. I'd use it if it performed better in our bikes. I'd certainly save money.

Why do people use it? the same reason you use a car tire on your bike. It's cheap, and apparently find the performance acceptable for their use.
 
T6 used to be priced competitively in Canada, not anymore.

You also can buy motorcycle specific JASO certified mineral oil for the price of T4.
 
02SE said:
I find the shifting quality doesn't last in our sportbikes when using Rotella. So I use oil that maintains slick shifting throughout the oil change interval in our bikes. I'd use it if it performed better in our bikes. I'd certainly save money.
Click to expand...
To preserve the life of the clutches, I generally prefer to change the oil more frequently on a bike.
That way I get the best performance from the fluid, while performing OCI's a little more frequently.

If I had something like a BMW with a dry clutch, I'd certainly run the fancy stuff at the manufacturers recommended OCI.
 
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