Old Honda 250 lubrication plan

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I've just spent the last hour or so perusing all the old posts in this august forum about what oil to use in a motorcycle. Tell you what, there's a lot more heat than light.
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So I've got this old '86 250cc Honda with almost 17k, seems like maybe the DPO wasn't terribly diligent with the routine maintenance, but it's not run down, just neglected.

I really don't want to spend the time to extract the oil screen -- it's buried somewhere behind the oil pump, and I don't really know whether it needs cleaned anyway.

Therefore my plan is to get some 88-cent Advance Auto 20W50 oil, then run the bike for 20 or 30 miles to get it warmed up and circulating, then immediately dump (while hot) and replace with Mobil 1 15W50 (do I hear cries from MX4T users over the sacrilege of not using m/c oil? well guys, the OAs posted on this board for MX4T fail to impress these eyes...) for 1k miles, then resume 2k intervals thereafter.

Why M1? Because I can get it locally. I am WAY too lazy to be mail-ordering motor oil.

Thoughts/advice/ridicule?

Cheers, 3MP
 
I think you should use a motorcycle oil because you have a wet clutch in it. I think any "SL" oil will allow the clutch to slip. Even a 10-40 or 20w-50 (with no friction modifiers) would not be the best. 20w-50 is way to thick for an in line engine. If this is a v-twin 20w-50 would be ok. Go with a 10w-40 cycle oil. Price is not that bad, you will only need 2+ quarts.
 
Hm, well, now I find myself in a bit of a conundrum. Turns out the Honda dealer has Amsoil motorcycle oil sitting on the shelf. No mail-order. Sure, it's pricey, but I only need two.

What to do, what to do?

I'm leaning towards the Amsoil.

Cheers, 3MP
 
If you do not mind spending extra money on Amsoil, go for it. However M1 15W-50 is excellent oil and protects motorcycle engines as well, (better than most) as every other available oil. There are tests after tests showing how M1 holds up well (best) under the load of the gearbox, the high heat of air cooled engines and the general tough operating conditions of motorcycle engines. Plus it is available at Wal Mart for a very good price in the 5 quart jugs.

Chris
 
I really dont see a need for 15w50 or 20w50 in a 250cc motorcycle. A few years back i have a 1994 CB750NH and i always used mobil1 10w30. and the bike always ran great no slipping clutch or anything, then i decided to try the 15w50. and oh man, my bike hated that! that bike had hydrolic valve lashers, and i am guessing the oil was too thick to properly fill the lashers in the time needed. anyways that bike got so noisey and then HOT.. so i thought something was weird here. and i drained the oil and went back to 10w30 and all was fine again. anyways i see no need for an oil that thick in a bike that small. i have right now a 2002 kawasaki vulcan 800 classic and i run Amsoil motorcycle oil 10w40. and i also out that in my g/f's 2003 honda rebel (250cc) and both scooters run great.
 
I dunno if it's because it's synthetic or because it's m/c oil, but there is no doubt: after back to back rides over identical terrain, the bike definitely runs better with Amsoil 10W-40 m/c oil than with standard auto 10W-40.

Cheers, 3MP
 
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