Synthetic rear gear oil

What's the weather like where you live? If it gets hot in the summer I'd go with 15w-50. 10w-40 is what I'd use in the winter.

[Cajunrider]

Originally Posted by caddmannq

What's the weather like where you live? If it gets hot in the summer I'd go with 15w-50. 10w-40 is what I'd use in the winter.

Today the temp maxxed out at 93. After middle of June, mid 90's are the norm up until mid to late September. Amsoil for motorcycles is 10w40 or 20w50. They reccomend the 20w50 for air cooled V-Twins (Harleys) and 10w40 for water cooled. I guess I could use the 20w50 in Summer and 10w40 in the cooler months. I've never used synthetic oil in any of my vehicles and this is my first bike. I just want to do what's best. Go figure, spend $30Kon a truck and use petroleum based oil and $13K for a scooter and will use synthetic??? My Silverado Z71 has 110,000 miles and has never been in the shop. Original front and rear disc brakes with plenty of pad left. Only thing is I slowly lose antifreeze and never see it on the concrete. I think it may be leaking from the intake gasket and it cooks off up there before dripping. I sometimes smell it but don't ever see it.

You can mix 10w40 and 20w-50 as well. That will give you an intermediate weight. I do that sometimes just because wet-clutch bikes can be sensative about oil weights.

Lots depends on the riding you do too. I ride in stop & go traffic a lot. If you ride mostly on the open road and don't flog it all the time, then the 10w-40 will be fine for you.

[Cajunrider]

Originally Posted by caddmannq

You can mix 10w40 and 20w-50 as well. That will give you an intermediate weight. I do that sometimes just because wet-clutch bikes can be sensative about oil weights.

Lots depends on the riding you do too. I ride in stop & go traffic a lot. If you ride mostly on the open road and don't flog it all the time, then the 10w-40 will be fine for you.

Thanks CQ. I appreciate the good advice. :)

BTW, whe mixing the results aren't quite linear. 50% 10w-40 and 50% 20w-50 does not give you exactly 15w-45. I believe it will be just a little thinner.

In the winter I mix 1 qt of 10w-40 & 2.75 qts. 20w-50, which seems to work well down to about 32^oF

[macmac]

Yeah Doc your right... It is wishful thinking that it held a little more...
Terre, this topic is on rear end gear oil, not engine oil.....

Yeah, we kinda got sidetracked.

[Cajunrider]

Originally Posted by macmac

Yeah Doc your right... It is wishful thinking that it held a little more...
Terre, this topic is on rear end gear oil, not engine oil.....

Sorry bout the side track. When I read Amsoil, I jumped right on the engine oil because I've been thinking about the 4,000 mile change so much. Thanks again for the advice.

Mitch