2023 KLR650 oil type, 1st change, analysis etc..

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mattri

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Aug 21, 2016
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Iowa


Just picked up a 23 KLR650. Bike had 3 miles on it when I took it home.

Plan to do an initial oil change this weekend, prob be around 100-150 miles on it by then. I've read good things about Rotella 15-40, any reason not to use it for first change?

Will do another change at 600 for the factory service, am considering a 300 mile change as well, thoughts?

Imagine there will be enough crud in the first couple of changes that was planning to start an analysis closer to 1k, any reason to reconsider?

Would consider going full syn after the initial break in, around 2k, recommendations?
 
I'd run it out a bit (to 600 miles) before the first change. Motorcycles shed metal due to their gearboxes and it won't be done shedding metal at 100 miles.

As for oil... pick a JASO MA/MA2 10W-40 and change it when you notice the shift quality deteriorating. I prefer synthetic over the cheap mineral offerings but that's a choice for you to make. I actually love the OEM Kawasaki synthetic oil they sell. It's high quality and fairly priced and available at the dealer when you go to get your filter. The bike uses a cartridge filter so you'll be able to see the debris in the pleats quite easily when you do the change.

Have fun!
 
Do whatever floats your boat, that Kawi really won't care one bit. Personally, I would do the initial OCI at 500 miles or so. After that, do what the manual says to. I agree on running mineral oil of the first few OCI's to get the engine broken in.

How are you liking that beast?
 
The bikes I've owned in the past showed a lot of metal wear/glitter in the oil at 100 miles so will definitely want to get that out.

Love the bike, coming off years with a big american bagger, literally the opposite machine so having a blast.
 
I changed the oil and filter in my bikes at 100 miles. There was glitter in the oil from the wear metals. I then changed it again at the recommended 600 mile mark, and the oil was pretty clean.

I have also read on motorcycle forums (for my bike models) that people waited until the 600 - 1000 mile mark to do their first oil change and it drained clean. I guess the oil filter did it's job and there really wasn't a need to change at 100 miles to get the wear metals out.
 
I'm a big fan of the Rotella T4 15W-40. It's shear-stable, has a JASO MA2 certification, and a higher HTHS than a 10W40.

Not sure about the newer model, but for the old KLRs, Kawasaki recommended 6k mile OCIs with oil rated API SE to SJ. A CK-4 HDEO will far exceed the performance of those oils and I wouldn't hesitate to run 6k mile/2 year OCIs with the Rotella. I'd expect the Rotella to perform better than most synthetic 5/10W-40 motorcycle oils, aside from fuel economy and cold-start performance.

I would use an approved oil during the warranty period, or at least get a receipt for some, in case you have engine issues.

This bike is pretty much the last vehicle I would consider spending good money on an oil analysis for. I thought KLR owners were all cheap bastards, but I guess not :p. The oil's cheap, the engine is under-stressed and very reliable, and it should be relatively cheap to replace if you do have issues. Anyway, I'd expect that the engine will still be breaking in well past 1,000 miles.
 
I’m with you on the early 1st oil change but I would go right to synthetic after that myself but that bike won’t really care anyways.

Rotella 15w40 will be just find for that bike.

Love the KLRs.
 
"This bike is pretty much the last vehicle I would consider spending good money on an oil analysis for. I thought KLR owners were all cheap bastards, but I guess not :p. The oil's cheap, the engine is under-stressed and very reliable, and it should be relatively cheap to replace if you do have issues. Anyway, I'd expect that the engine will still be breaking in well past 1,000 miles."

Hey! We're not cheap!! We're... frugal...

A lot of good points made, thanks for the replies. To clarify- I do plan to do the first oil change this coming weekend, the bike just turned 100 mikes today so wherever that breaks. And then the spec'd factory service at 600, and probably again around 1k because its such a nice round number. 300 is still in the mix but we'll see. Have been riding around at a mostly moderate pace, some strong pulls and lots of engine braking to get rings etc worn in.

The oil analysis will be 90% out of curiosity. For now plan to use the Rotella this wknd, and prob up through the factory service, still interested in syn after that- fun project anyway.
 
Changed mine at 440 miles. Rotella T6 15w40, MA MA2 Will change again at 1500. Then 1200 mile intervals with filter every other time. $4 a quart why not? Shifting was vastly improved immediately and began to get real slick at around 1000 miles. Clutch is smooth and no lurching when putting it into first gear when cold. My big Kaw Versys 1000 gets it as well and the clutch chatter (when slipping the clutch from a dead stop a hill) went away after a few hundred miles.
 
I’m confused. It’s a KLR. You could use sand or dirt as a lubricant and it’ll still work perfectly for 25+ years. I’ve been using T6 for ages in every bike I’ve had. All have seen track time and been ridden hard in ambient temps >110°. My 17 year old SV650 doesn’t burn a drop and hits 10k every day and multiple track days a year.
 
mattri said:
I've read good things about Rotella 15-40, any reason not to use it for first change?
Click to expand...

No good reason not to use it... because whether we use newer 0w40 5w40 or the older 10w40 15w40 all of it will meet and exceed your mileage expectations...

mattri said:
Would consider going full syn after the initial break in, around 2k, recommendations?
Click to expand...

What is the goal for all the synthetics are uniform sized molecules and purity
that don't exists naturally... they work during break just as well as non synthetics...

full-45634-36928-syntheticmineral_oil2.png


The cylinder walls of a new engine are not mirror smooth as one might imagine. A special hone is
used to put a diamond like pattern of "scratches" over the entire area of the cylinder wall. The
cross hatch treatment of the cylinder walls plays an important role in proper break-in of piston
rings to cylinder walls.

How do you know if break is done??? take a compression test... if your
engine shows factory compression then break in is complete... if your
engine shows less than factory compression then more break in is
require... more B.M.E.P. (Brake Mean Effective Pressure)

full-45634-35021-ringseating1.jpg
 
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Those engines are so reliable, you could probably run it without a spark plug or coolant and not notice any difference :) (a joke of course)

There is no downside to early and frequent oil changes. I do the same thing. The diesel oil will work well.

I'm a big fan of the Mobil 1 motorcycle oils. Their 10W-40 racing 4t is extremely shear resistant, and will work wonderfully in that KLR. Generally available at Walmart too.

www.mobil.com

Mobil 1 Racing™ 4T 10W-40 motorcycle oil | Mobil™

Mobil 1 Racing™ 4T 10W-40 synthetic motorcycle oil offers high-performance advantages beyond conventional motorcycle oils or similar viscosities.
www.mobil.com www.mobil.com
 
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If you can confirm that it has a special factory fill (break-in oil), run it out to the recommended interval. But if it's filled with regular oil, changing it early is always a good idea if you plan to keep it long-term. Motorcycle oil capacities are generally small and oil is cheap... so is my $0.02.
 
DGXR said:
If you can confirm that it has a special factory fill (break-in oil), run it out to the recommended interval. But if it's filled with regular oil, changing it early is always a good idea if you plan to keep it long-term. Motorcycle oil capacities are generally small and oil is cheap... so is my $0.02.
Click to expand...
I have never seen any reason to change oil out early on a new bike…..oil filters catch debris and anything small enough to pass through the filter burnishes all the moving parts. Oil is not cheap if purchasing OEM products at $8.00-20.00 a quart. YMMV
 
Do you have any idea how many milk crates a UOA will buy, you could probably supply an entire KLR rally... :p

I'd run Mobil 1 Racing 4t for much more than 2000 miles - like 5,000 -7500.
 
My Kawasaki KLX230 runs great with full synthetic Kawasaki 10w-40 or Amsoil dirt bike oil 10w 40 full synthetic. So far no problems at all with either one! Just saw the 2024 KLR last night they just came out yesterday looks great in white. Have you done any research on the dreaded KLR doohickey supposedly been fixed by Kawi havent heard for sure as of yet on the newer bikes 2020 and up The KLR is a bullet proof bike besides the doohicky problem witch is not such a big deal once fixed and some prob more now never fail ,Youtube has alot of videos on it Hey great bike congrats
 
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