lol, thnx for posting it, i use a mac, thats prob why it wasn't posting it in the first place because of the format that i had it at, anyways, thnx for the input

Here is a Blackstone Labs report that might be of interest.

I posted the first report earlier in this thread -- 2,436 miles on Shell Rotella T Synthetic 5W/40.

This report is for the next 2,611 miles on AMSOIL Advanced Synthetic 10W/40 (although the oil is not listed in the "OIL TYPE & GRADE" field in the report). A few more miles on a different oil.

The Rotella sample results are shown in the column to the RIGHT of "UNIT/LOCATION AVERAGES", and the AMSOIL sample results are shown in the column to the LEFT of "UNIT/LOCATION AVERAGES".

In looking through the information that Kruz supplied on how to interpret these reports, it appears that the AMSOIL did a slightly better job than the Rotella did. Any comments?

-bg

Hello Bill, yes the numbers are slightly better across the board for the Amsoil although it is hard to draw conclusions based on just one sample as you may be at or near the end of the break-in cycle. What is the cost per quart of the Amsoil product? I'm paying just under $5 per quart for the Rotella, would like to see the cost difference between the two as they are both doing a good job so far.

Notice how the Amsoil viscosity in Centistokes is only slightly higher than the Rotella. This should dispel the notion that a 5W40 oil breaks down in viscosity at a more rapid rate than a 10W40. They're both shearing down to a 30 weight oil after 2500 miles which is no problem. Honda recommends a 10W30 oil as standard for my CBR. I think you can easily run 3000 miles or more with either oil without any problems.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 12/3/2009 @ 12:00 PM *

Hi, Kruz:

$8.90 per quart including tax and shipping if you are signed up with them and buy a case.

I put in AMSOIL again this time. I thought I would run that about the same distance and then change to Rotella again. If we get reports sequentially using Rotella, AMSOIL, AMSOIL, and then Rotella again, that might take the "at or near the end of the break-in cycle" effect out of the equation, and give us a solid comparison between the two.

Whaddyathink? -bg

You read my mind, if Amsoil stays the same this next go-around and then wear elevates with a switch back to Rotella, we will know which oil is superior. If Rotella tests the same as the Amsoil, then it's a wash and I would go with the less expensive oil.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 12/3/2009 @ 2:06 PM *

I will do this for sure then... -bg

Looking forward to the next two samples Bill. Rotella is looking pretty good as a low cost alternative to what some would consider the bench mark, which is Amsoil. Universal Averages are weighted on 1600 mile change intervals and your running over a thousand miles more than that and still well below the UAs on both oils. I've heard Rotella is good out to 4000 miles in a bike with shared tranny/clutch but I wouldn't press it anymore than that.

I guess I need to get off my butt and send in a sample. LOL!

kruz & bill i have a question i was told from the speed shop where i have my work done that it is a no no to switch oils. told me if you start with a synthetic you stay with the same brand not good to switch brands. is this true? and if so what is the reasoning behind it? thanks guys.

ive ordered my test kit but wont be due for an oil change till next spring currently using mobil1 synthetic

I'll defer to Kruz on that one. I've never heard that.

The lab results from the recent sample, after the switch, don't seem to indicate any problem... -bg

Scott, I've heard that switching to synthetics on high mileage engines can be a no-no as synthetic's detergent action can loosen up carbon and sludge deposits that can make their way into the engines vitals.

We're talking 150,000 to 200,000 mile or more on automobile engines and with poor maintenance histories. I don't think you are going to see that kind of mileage on a sportbike plus most guys pamper their rides with early oil changes so I wouldn't worry. The more often you change oil, the less deposit buildup you have in your engines internals.

I recently changed from Rotella 5W40 synthetic to a 20W50 conventional oil on my 2004 VTX1300 to see if it would have any quieting effect on engine internal noise. It didn't and I will be switching back to Rotella in the spring.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 12/7/2009 @ 9:20 AM *

The manual says after several different oil change intervals that you can change your oil after 8k miles and then at 10k miles. Why change it any sooner? I have been following the manual reccomendations more or less although I did change it at 22k after only 4k miles due to winter. Why would Kawasaki advise the 10k interval if it wasn't safe. I am using Rotella now but i have been using Mobile 1 in the past. I have been using synthetic after the second oil change. Maybe I will have blackstone check out my oil at 32k. I just use my bike for commuting and touring. I think many times people are just wasting money by changing oil so often.

Seems to me that shifting gets less smooth after a few thousand miles, and that fresh oil makes it better again... -bg

Well alaska rider that is the million dollar question and I don't think anyone has a real answer for you and if they do they aren't talking.

The problem is the oil manufacturers want you to change it as often as possible cause they make lotsa money on oil sales that way.

The bike manufacturers want to specify the longest possible long drain interval cause it looks good when they sell you a new bike from the low maintenance aspect and the effects won't show up til long after the warranty is over anyway.

So the two views are in direct opposition and both sides can quote facts and figures to support their claims.

We know for a fact that even the best synthetic oils shear down in service when subjected to the torture of not only a high revving motorcycle engines internals but also the abuse from a wet clutch and shared transmission. Read the Blackstone reports if you don't believe it. After about 2000 miles a typical 10W40 synthetic will shear down to a 30 weight oil. Is this a bad thing? Don't know, can't answer that but in my CBR 1000RR, Honda recommends 10W30 so it can't be that bad. Non-synthetics shear down even faster, in about 1000 miles typically.

What it really comes down to is what makes you feel comfortable. If you change oil regularly, the 14's notorious timing chain rattle is subdued... not sure if the chain will last any longeer but that is a factor for some folks.

I look at it this way, oil is cheap and steal bits are expensive. I can't hurt anything by changing oil too often but it is a proven fact that if you go too long between oil changes then you will mess up an expensive engine.

So go with whatever gives you the warm and fuzzies. I use 5W40 Rotella T Synthetic in everything and change oil every 2000 miles or 1 year whichever comes first.

BTW... Shell just received the coveted JASO MA rating for both the Rotella 5W40 and 15W40 oils, first non-motorcycle specific oils to do so. All the rest of the oils to meet this rating are motorcycle only and cost 2 to 3 times what Rotella does.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 5/5/2010 @ 9:16 AM *

heres mine on the mobil 1

my wife pulled one on me..i had rotella 6 t in there and was regretting not putting amsoil in there cause of da price...well one day after work i came home to ride bike, crunk it and it sounded sweet..took it for a spin and it was shifting better..got home and was telling her...she started laughing, i said wat funny. she said while i was at work she called a friend of mine to change da oil in my bike with amsoil.. new nothing about it and could tell the difference upon start up...but that just me, and will not stray from amsoil again..

She's a keeper! I noticed the better shifting too.

Amsoil makes a huge difference in shifting performance in my Husky. I was a Rotella user until I tried Amsoil.

Scott, I read your lab results. I recently bought an 08 and I normally run Mobil 4-T,were you using regular Mobil 1 or the 4-T?

Also, anyone know what they meant by "lingering wear" in Scott's labs.
Thanks

* Last updated by: emsdriver on 11/25/2014 @ 10:27 AM *

The comments from the Blackstone analyst is that the out of family levels of “metals” is normal for a “young” engine. I expected nothing but a normal range of materials in the oil so now I’ll have to worry about this until the next test at 15000 miles, and at my slacker ride miles/yr of ~2000 rate I’m doomed to worry for another 2-3 yrs.

It would be nice to see a few other reports on these lumps at similar mileage and some of the bikes with 50-60K would be nice to see that data also. I wonder how many samples of the 1442 engine, or this Motul 300V oil Blackstone has, I guess If I asked, they would tell me. Anyway, data is below.

Blackstone labs has a very easy process, I don’t recall the exact cost but its about $30. Go online and order, they send you the kit to collect the sample and then you just drop it in the USPS box. This took less than 2 weeks from when I sent the sample to when I receive the data

Here's mine from today. My oil change history was as follows:

First change @ 575 mi with Kawasaki mineral oil (Aug '19)
Second change @ 2,200 mi with Motul 7100 full syn (May '20 - The results below are for that oil)
Third change @ 5,600 mi with Mobil 1 4T full syn (Sep '20)

I have a 4YR extended warranty on the bike so I have to abide by the 3,800 mi OCI Kawasaki requires or I could easily run this oil for 5K miles or more once the engine wears in and aluminum goes down to a normal level.

My Al was 40 with Motul 300V, 5300 miles on the oil and 10K on the bike. Univ avg is 21?? and your bike is 37 and mine is 40 that means some bikes are 10 - wtf.

Something doesn't seem right here, have to try and look up what Blackstone defines as Univ Avg. Is it all bikes, only G2 14Rs, all Kawasaki's? There are only a few data sheets in this thread and I think we are the only 2 14Rs and both have double the Univ Avg. of Al which is the material the cylinders and block is made of.

The G1 AL data listed is much lower than G2 data (all 2 data points)

One big difference is that both those Gen 1 samples (bgordon and scottjkyl) have significantly lower miles on their oil than you or I did. But in any case, a sample size of two bikes is far too small anyway to use as a baseline. The universal avg should be a better indicator, but in this case, even that isn't because Blackstone seems to lump Gen 1 and 2 together which is incorrect since the engine internals changed between the two.

So our option is look at our own bikes individually and set up historical trends. I will be testing mine again after the same mileage (probably in early Spring '20) and if the numbers do not go down at all, then there's something to worry about. Otherwise, I won't be concerned.