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Oil weight, brand, and filter?

36K views 31 replies 23 participants last post by  Leathel 
#1 ·
I have a 2002 Honda Shadow Sabre VT1100C2 with around 42k miles on it. Wanting to do my first oil change and need some input/advice. What are the BEST products to use?
-oil brand
-oil weight
-synthetic/non
-oil filter
-anything else helpful anyone might want to throw out there

Thanks for any help!!
 
#3 · (Edited)
Awesome!


MOM will answer all these questions, but, on this oil change I`ll use ===>
10W 40 Valvoline Motorcycle rated (Non)
NAPA Pro Select filter
I used 10W40 Honda GN4(non) last oil change




I love these oil threads...


Happiness is handlebars in my hands
D
 
#6 · (Edited)
I do not know if they are the best, but this is what I have used on several bikes for several years. Typically Valvoline or Castrol 10W40 non synthetic motorcycle oil (most widely available). Most people hate them but I use a Fram motorcycle oil filter (most widely available). For the Sabre I believe it is PH6017A
 
#7 ·
Get your owner's manual.....oil viscosity-check, oil filter-check.
Read the 'Oilology' thread on this forum.

In a nutshell....don't vary too much from recommended viscosity, and avoid oils with friction modifiers. Good luck.
 
#8 ·
LOL!


Someone asks about oil and the entire chat room goes "Ugh!" :grin2:


In all seriousness though, you went 42,xxx miles and this is your FIRST oil change?!!!!!! :surprise:


(I know, you probably just got the bike.)


But, check out the thread "Oilology" in the stickies up above. Some great information up there. And, a funny thing, I was just studying an SAE paper published in 1959 titled "Paper or Oil Bath Air Cleaners" as I'm doing some research for work. Figured those guys know a thing or two, and I should glean some info for sure. Funny thing is, the paper ended with, and I kid you not, "It depends"! LOL! Some things are meant to NEVER be resolved.
 
#10 · (Edited)
My engine ran a tad quieter using the Rotella T6 compared to the Honda 10W40, a tad less upper engine noise, i think.

The only reason i changed back to Dino Oil was that the Rotella came in a 4 qt Jug and i always had a quart that ended up getting recycled.
That plus i wasn't putting enough miles on the bike per year, just below, what would justify the use of synthetic. This is what was going on in my mind at the time anyway.

Now i am thinking i am basing my choice of oil on what is cheapest,
like that was the goal of changing my oil, like that was the "benefit".
My next oil change i will just buy 3 quarts of Rotella T6 and if it costs me an extra 3 bucks, so what.

i might go with a Hi-Flo Oil filter too., i liked the Air Filter.
 
#11 ·
Yeah, my "Baby" worth the $$$$ I spend on oil & filter...
Even though she`s wirth every penny, I screamed when the oil is $7.29 a quart at NAPA...


That will NOT happen again!


Happiness is handlebars in my hands
D
 
#17 ·
Yeah, my "Baby" worth the $$$$ I spend on oil & filter...
Even though she`s wirth every penny, I screamed when the oil is $7.29 a quart at NAPA...


That will NOT happen again!


Happiness is handlebars in my hands
D
I used to be able to buy Valvoline or Castrol motorcycle oil on sale for $3 a quart and Fram motorcycle oil filters on sale 2 for $6 or 2 for $7. That was several years back. Now your lucky if you can find $4 a quart oil and filters are never on sale and start at $7.
 
#13 ·
The Never Ending Story

Rotella T6 and Hi-Flow oil and air filters from JC Whitney. This fall going to use T6 in my car instead of Valvoline 5W-30 to see if it improves starting performance over dino oil when temps are below 0*F.
 
#14 ·
From everything I've seen it is the transmission that 'wears out' the oil in a bike. Motor oil whether synthetic or dino isn't really designed/formulated to lubricate gears, and the constant load of the teeth meshing breaks down an oil's viscosity.

That being said, I'm more than happy to spend the extra few bucks for a full synthetic oil as from what I've read they appear to hold their viscosity rating longer than dino oil in a motorcycle engine. Mine is changed every 3,000 miles along with the filter.
 
#20 ·
Over on the Shadow ACE Tourer site most run Rotella 15/40 oil. I have ran the Rotella 5/40 full synthetic and it sheared down quicker than the Rotella 15/40 HDEO. Any of these oils will work just fine in your bike
Delo 15/40
Delvac 15/40
Rotella 15/40
Just about ANY 15/40 will work good in our 1100 cc engines. Its not like its putting out 100+ HP, most Honda 1100 V-twin engines put out around 50 HP. And that is not going to be hard on the oil, the tranny is what beats the hell out of the oil. $12 to $14 for oil every 3k to 4k miles.

ROD
 
#21 ·
I love it when forum members get all ugh when a common topic thread gets started again. ?
Some of us are new. Some of us are inexperienced. I am both. We have questions. These forums help us. For example : on another forum many of the SS riders use Rotella T6 in their track/ street bikes, but no one was sure how it is for the Shadow. Well here I found out that it is an option. That being said, I always try to get my answers from the stickies first. Time for coffee. ☺

Sent from a Samsung Galaxy far, far away using Tapatalk
 
#23 ·
What we need is a neat little chart with 5 oils we all agree on and 5 oil filters we all use.
Then tell new people this is what you should use.
Why???
Because we said so !!!
 
#25 ·
Read your owners manual for Honda's recommendations. Then go to Amazon like I did and buy Genuine Honda brand oil and a filter. They are not expensive. Do not read Oilology thread in this forum. Honda made the bike and they know it best, so follow their directions.
 
#29 ·
Do not read Oilology thread in this forum.
Oilology has been a great source of info for many years. Its a good read for those who want a more economical alternative to oil changes or just some knowledge in general. Viva T6 forever!

Hey Lou, how about turning loose of some of them $3 Walmart filters? :grin2:
 
#26 ·
If you never had synthetic in it up to 42K, don't change now. Stick with conventional. I use the Valvoline 15W 40. 10W 40 is fine as well. I think the 20W 50 may be a bit heavy for a water cooled bike. I bought a bunch of the walmart Tech filters made for cars that cross referenced to fit on my bike. I still have a few of them so I am good for a while. There are always the Frams out there. I know there a re a lot of guys that looked into Fram and found less than desirable reviews, but if you change you oil every year or often enough, I don't think the filter really has a great role in protection. It always comes down to the oil first.
 
#27 ·
One More Vote for T6

Echoing many of the above comments, the VT1100 engine is pretty easy on oil and not too sensitive to whatever you use. The transmission and clutch are altogether different. I switched to Rotella T6 Synthetic 5W-40 last year and noticed an immediate improvement in shifting smoothness. My endurance to fuel exhaustion extended by 10 miles. Found that out the hard way, very un-scientifically, but nevertheless I think I get slightly better mileage, but take that with a grain of salt. Marketing claims for oil, especially mileage, are HIGHLY exaggerated, and in most cases outright lies. T6 Synthetic is pretty cheap at WalMart and also widely available if you cross-country. Synthetic allows you to be a bit more neglectful, but Group III mineral oils are just as good if you want to save a couple of bucks. FWIW, the Harley guys have tested the daylights out of it for their slow turning, high bearing stress, engines, where the T6 additives optimized for Diesel engines pay off.
 
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