First oil change on V-star 950

[Vectorblue]

I am ready to change the oil on my new 2011 V-star 950 for the first time. The bike has 500 miles on it and would like to use Mobil 1 20W50 synthetic oil as a replacement. I enjoy the bike very much but experience a "clunk" when I engage the transmission into 1st gear when I run the bike after a 2-3 minute warn-up. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[PeterC]

I think they all seem to do that - even my 650. I think it is just the gears not quite syncing.

[Morpheuz]

From new, I'd say 20w-50 is too thick, definately too thick at startup.

If you ran 10 or 5w-40, your engine would last much longer due to flow getting to all the vital areas quicker, I know it probably reccomends the viscosity you mention, but it'll be based on old data.

And that clunk is due to the crap oil they ship them with, and it being new, if you ran a 5w-40 ester oil, I would bet 20 quid it disapears. That stuff is amazing for smoothness of gear changes and engine operation.

And no I'm not working for an oil company, I've just used this stuff for ages and its unbelievable, expensive but its like another warrenty. Almost impossible to blow anything up with it.

I've had my brothers mates all come to me to get the stuff because it made their bikes all run like new.

Thinner oil helps keep your machine cooler too.

[Vectorblue]

I think they all seem to do that - even my 650. I think it is just the gears not quite syncing.

From new, I'd say 20w-50 is too thick, definately too thick at startup.

If you ran 10 or 5w-40, your engine would last much longer due to flow getting to all the vital areas quicker, I know it probably reccomends the viscosity you mention, but it'll be based on old data.

And that clunk is due to the crap oil they ship them with, and it being new, if you ran a 5w-40 ester oil, I would bet 20 quid it disapears. That stuff is amazing for smoothness of gear changes and engine operation.

And no I'm not working for an oil company, I've just used this stuff for ages and its unbelievable, expensive but its like another warrenty. Almost impossible to blow anything up with it.

I've had my brothers mates all come to me to get the stuff because it made their bikes all run like new.

Thinner oil helps keep your machine cooler too.

I think they all seem to do that - even my 650. I think it is just the gears not quite syncing.

Many thanks for both of your advice and comments, looks like I'll try a 10W40 type soon. Vectorblue

[Morpheuz]

5w-40 (ester) would be better, all oils are always too thick when cold, even though the label says the 'W' number is lower then the operating number.

That only means a 10w-40 for example, would flow like a straight 10 weight oil would when cold, but would thin no more than a straight 40 weight would when hot.

If you had a straight 10 weight, aswell as being too thick at startup, it would be too thin when hot, but if you had a straight 40 weight, though ideal at running temp, it would hardly flow at all when cold.

So I always look at it, the lower the 'W' number the better protection at startup, its not perfect, but better then straight 40-50 weights.

Ester is great for high temp running as it keeps its film strength a lot more then petroleum synthetics do, and seeing as though it softens and quietens down gear changes, aswell as keeping air/oil cooled engines cooler, 5w-40 would be great for your V-Twin, as it copes extremely well with V-Twin hotspots and noise.

if you had a normal synthetic 10w-40 weight, and then an ester 10w-40 weight, the ester would flow a LOT better at start up, than the normal synthetic would.

But obvs, the 5w-40 is best, I don't believe 0w-40 ester for motorbikes is currently available.

I go in depth as you seem like you want to look after this bike, and from new, I would too! Too many people neglect engines these days, most tend to switch off when I start ranting this stuff, but as this is written down, I like to think its being taken in. lol.