2013 Yamaha XT250 help pick my next oil

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In my other thread I just bought a DR-Z400. Well today I found a CHERRY, like new 2013 Yamaha XT250 dual sport with 1500 miles. I couldn't pass on the price, so I bought it. The first owner said he did the first service at 600 miles as the manual calls for and he used Yamalube 10W40. So the current oil (Yamalube) has 900 miles on it. I have decided to change the oil and "get a baseline". The engine is fuel injected and air cooled. Being air cooled, and the engine being broken in by now, I am thinking a synthetic oil might be a good idea, especially for south Florida.

What oils are you guys recommending for this new to me bike? Will buy at local retailers, which are Wal-Mart, Autozone, Advance Auto, and NAPA.

I'm leaning towards Valvoline motorcycle 4T synthetic 20W50, due to my climate. Bike holds 1.4 quarts.

I know my Wal-Mart has the following suitable oils:

Valvoline motorcycle conventional 10W40
Valvoline motorcycle conventional 20W50
Valvoline motorcycle 4T synthetic 10W40
Valvoline motorcycle 4T synthetic 20W50
Castrol semi-synthetic Actevo 4T 10W40
Castrol semi-synthetic Actevo 4T 20W50
Mobil 1 Racing 4T synthetic 10W40
Mobil 1 V-twin synthetic 20W50
Rotella 15W40
 
So many good choices! valvoline 20-50 or Rotella 15-40 would be my suggestion. Yamaha used to call for 20-40...... I just got an xt259 also. How would you compare the two bikes?
 
Originally Posted By: tomcat27
How would you compare the two bikes?


I can't compare the two bikes. I get my motorcycle license tomorrow and register both bikes tomorrow. I haven't rode them around more than the yard yet.

I do know that the XT250 has about 16 hp and my heavily modified DRZ-400 has about 45-50 hp, so they are worlds apart in power, suspension, and seat height.
 
Wow the response has been overwhelming.
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I picked up some Valvoline motorcycle 4T synthetic 20W50 today for the XT250.
 
Good. Now you can compare startup between your two bikes in the coldest temp you're willing to ride.
When it turns out 20w-50 is OK, you can buy a big drum of VR1 and be done with it for a while.
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Rotella 15w40. It's cheap, it's great and you can literally buy it anywhere. Now they make T5 in 15w40, that wouldn't be a bad choice either.
 
I put 15w40 Super tech in a Honda Rebel my daughter rides. She said it shifted bad and had trouble finding neutral. So I changed it out to Peak Conventional 10w40. She said it shifts beautifully now. No issues. I have some Kendall 10w40 I will use up next time. That's a air cooled four stroke with no oil filter. I don't think car oils effect the wet clutch like they like to make people believe. I ve never had any issues in any bikes.
 
Yeah I'm starting to agree that the 10W40 car oils are probably OK as long as they are not energy conserving and as long as they have zero moly content. Moly causes wet clutches to slip badly.
 
Originally Posted By: Sealbilly
Rotella 15w40. It's cheap, it's great and you can literally buy it anywhere. Now they make T5 in 15w40, that wouldn't be a bad choice either.


Conventional Rotella 15W-40 went into my DR650 at the 500 mile service.
 
I have tried 'experimenting' with oils in my bikes in the past...

my '09 yamaha v- star 650 disliked mystik 15w-50 hdeo synblend (clutch issues) but did well with 10w-40 bike oil w/ 1 qt of super tech 15w-40 hdeo added to 'thicken' the blend a bit...

my '09 suzuki gz250 disliked castrol 20w-50 (ran really hot with elevated idle) but did great with 10w-40 bike oils with or without added 15w-40 hdeo...

my cureent '06 honda shadow 750 does well with 10w-40 bike oils with or without 15w-40 hdeo; my 'storage' oil change done in late fall used to be generic 10w-40 car oil since it was only used for 750-1000 miles before changing to a better bike oil in the spring;

I had so much leftover oils from different bikes & scooters that I blended them together, added some 10w-40 castrol synthetic bike oil and that will be used until gone...oci is 1750-2000 miles with new filter every other oil change; I'm currently on the 2nd oil change with this blend and all seems well...shifting is smooth, no extra noise, and it seem more feasible than recycling virgin oil since I don't have any 4-cycle OPE that could use it!

my preferred straight bike oil is Valvoline conventional 10w-40 and that is what I'll use next year after my frankenbrew is gone...
 
Originally Posted By: Atesz792
Good. Now you can compare startup between your two bikes in the coldest temp you're willing to ride.


Do you know anything about south Florida? It's 70 degrees F (21 degrees C) in the winter. Cold temps are not an issue. Hot temps ARE.
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
I'm leaning towards Valvoline motorcycle 4T synthetic 20W50, due to my climate.


OK, I changed the oil with Valvoline motorcycle 4T synthetic 20W50. Bike now has 50 miles on it. It shifts much smoother now. Nothing else noticed so far, other than the shift being a bit nicer. So far so good.

After thinking it over, I think the 20W50 may be overkill. I don't live in a city and dont think stop and go traffic will be in the bikes future. So next oil change I think I will consider 10W40 synthetic. Even though it is air cooled, there is always plenty of air flow over the engine, and a synthetic 10W40 should be more than sufficient, in my estimation.
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime

Do you know anything about south Florida? It's 70 degrees F (21 degrees C) in the winter. Cold temps are not an issue. Hot temps ARE.

Read the other half of my post please (and notice the emoticon). I was making a case for 20w-50, heck, you could run straight SAE50 with those 'low' temps. I'd forget 10w-40 in an air cooled engine in that climate.
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
OK, I changed the oil with Valvoline motorcycle 4T synthetic 20W50. Bike now has 50 miles on it. It shifts much smoother now. Nothing else noticed so far, other than the shift being a bit nicer. So far so good.


Wow did shift quality go down hill with the Valvoline 20w50. It got so bad, I had a real hard time finding nuetral, and down shifting to first was not a guarantee either.

Changed out the Valvoline 20W50 and was happy to see it go.

I replaced it with Valvoline conventional motorcycle 10w40, that I had on the shelf. Hoping it does better than the other synthetic that was in there.
 
Two things , natural notchiness of shift design, and the particular oils effect on the clutch.

Try some mobil1 HM 10w40 for a cheap test, it will free up the clutch drag.
 
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