Torco, Maxima, Bel-Ray...?

[XJ1100]

New poster to this forum, but have been reading for awhile. Looks like a great wealth of knowledge!

I was just wondering if anybody on here has any information on torco, maxima, or bel-ray motorcycle oils. Oil analysis (new and used), personal experience(good or bad), etc... My main question is about Torco oils, as right now I am using torco T4-M in my 1982 Suzuki GS850L. I am thinking about going to torco's semi-synth or full synthetic. I was just wondering what group the base oils are (group III, IV ??) What kind of additive package is in them...?

My father owns a small engine shop where he stocks Torco products, mainly b/c of the ease of getting them, that is why I use them. We also can get maxima or Bel-Ray products through our distributor. Just wondering which one of these brands people think is the best. Neither of us are oil experts, so I thought I would come to you guys!

Thanks for any information that you guys can supply!

 

[boxcartommie22]

torco!!!!

 

[wileyE]

IMO all the companys you list blend and bottle great oil, your paying a little extra for the name though. For your GS I wouldn't pay much extra for topline stuff base on my experience with gs1000's and gs1100 (still have a 82 btw). The 850 is very understressed and detuned version of suzuki's great early aircooled 4's, nothing about them would require "extreme oil" IMO. I've run all kinds of stuff in my GS's and it all does the same thing, even runs the same oil temps (the 82 has a gauge). Most noticable is shift feel deterioration after some miles, oil brand /type doesn't seem to matter for this.

Some guys will post what works for them, but consider unless they have the same bike take it with a grain. For example my zr7 is fine with thinner oils, my klr hates them and like the 15/40's the best. Your gs motor uses roller crank bearings and runs with scary low oilpressure (don't add a cooler), uses rocker arms. Simular motors use plain bearings and bucket over valve valvetrain. So if someone says they noticed more or less topend noise using xyz oil, your results may differ. The gearbox, though all simular in design may have slighty different cuts on the teeth and shift fork design. One design may like one oil over another, or feel better. So you cant just say this or that oil is the best. FWIW my gs's were happier with 15/40 delo or rotella than mobile 1 15/50 for whatever reason.

Sorry for the longwinded reply. Torco's bike syn is PAO. Depending on what kind of price you get you might be able to find a cheaper PAO in an oil co. brand?

 

[Chris142]

I know that your dealing with 4-stroke stuff but........

Torco GP-7 is the only oil I will use in my 2-stroke stuff....Period!

I re-ringed my 1982 ATC 250R back in 1992 and rode it every weekend either on long desert trips or at the sand dunes @ 6million rpm untill 2002.

I replaced it with a 4-stroke quad that has been very problematic.


The ATC still has great compression, no carbon buildup dripping out the pipe and I have not changed the sparkplug since 1992!

I run 40:1 and I'm sold on Torco oil in my toys.