I run Rotella T6 5w40 full synthetic oil, available only in gallon jugs. However, given the oil change intervals for a motorcycle, conventional would be fine. There are some who recommend holding off switching to synthetic until 1000 or 1500 miles. Mind your change intervals, make sure you have enough oil at all times, and buy what's on sale. Don't worry about the brands too much, motor oil has come a long way.
Those of us who ride during the winter months might use a 5w40 synthetic for better flow in colder temps. 10w40 should be fine for you.
If that oil bolt is on tight and I have to really crank on it, I suppose there is no possiblilty of turning the bike over on top of me, right. It looks like the action of loosing the oil bolt and the filter bolt would tend to push backwards on the bike rather than forward, so it shouldn't make the side stand lift.
On my 10r i had 5 oil changed before it hit 1000 miles...1st was at about 20 mi(most important break in time too)2nd about 200 mi..3rd at 500 mi 4th at about 800 mi then last with full synthetic at 1000ish..She now has about 3000 miles on it and has had 2 more full synthetic changes and new plugs goin in this week...
Location: Chesapeake, VA '06 ZZR fighter, 05 VTX-1300
Posts: 14,553
Quote:
Originally Posted by PHL
Doing the oil change yourself will not void the warranty, as noted above. Keep good records, will help with the sale when you upgrade to your 600 I think one of the big things about the 600 check-up is to check all your bolts and fluids.
From what I remember from doing the first oil change (bought it used with 4K miles), a decent 3/8 breaker bar will make easy work of the bolts. Also, I almost attempted to change the oil without a rear stand. It's a pretty tight fit, and, without a stand, may require taking off a fairing or two to clear the space.
Maybe there's someone local who can help you out with your first change? Could also use the opportunity to clean and lube the chain.
What the fuck bolts are you using a breaker bar on? There are two nuts that you will need a breaker bar for: definitely the front sprocket nut and the rear axle nut (if you're a weakling).
I've only ever needed a breaker bar on the front sprocket nut. A torque wrench is a great tool to invest in when putting fasteners back on though. All torque specs are outlined in the owner's manual.
Also the oil pan drain bolt only requires about 17 ft-lbs, which is basically hand tight then another 1/8 to 1/4 turn. That's it. Retard strength is never necessary on any drain bolt.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Craig_sez
On my 10r i had 5 oil changed before it hit 1000 miles...1st was at about 20 mi(most important break in time too)2nd about 200 mi..3rd at 500 mi 4th at about 800 mi then last with full synthetic at 1000ish..She now has about 3000 miles on it and has had 2 more full synthetic changes and new plugs goin in this week...
You wasted a lot of oil and money unnecessarily. But it is your bike.
OP you may want to put motorcycle specific oil in your bike if you plan on keeping records to avoid dealership crazy prices. Rotella T6 is NOT motorcycle specific oil, so I wouldn't put it past a dealer to deny warranty work based on that. Rotella will work in your bike because it does meet the minimum standards for motorcycle oil, but there are better motorcycle oils out there. People buy Rotella because you can get it cheaper at Walmart than you can get motorcycle specific oils. Do what you want, but just keep in mind that any work you do yourself will be looked at if for some reason you need warranty work done in the future.
Be aware that at 600 miles the book calls for a first service, not just an oil change. If this isn't done, and if you can't prove it was done, then anything on that service check list which later fails may not be covered under the warranty.
'dealer cannot void it unless they can prove that what you did affected the bike.'. or unless something that should have been done or inspected wasn't. Can you prove that all the service items listed in the book were carried out competently? Only use oils and parts listed as approved in the book, and keep the receipts.
Drain bolt us easy to strip. Overtightening it also tends to bugger the crush washer.
Excessive oil changes are probably not good for the bike. There's some research now that indicates that oil doesn't really do it's job at its best untill it's a couple of thousand miles old. First oil change at 600 miles is more about draining any particles from the initial break in. The filter will catch these, but if the filter starts to clog the bypass will allow the possibility of particles circulating. This won't happen in the first 600 miles though, so get the initial break in over then drain the oil to flush any bits.
Definitely make sure to get motorcycle specific oil, remember we have a wet clutch setup. The clutch is oiled, so you want to have oil that is designed to work with the clutch. I've read that the wrong oil can cause adverse affects with the clutch.
The Rotella T6 5W40 meets all the requirements in the Ninja manual. So does the cheap Walmart Supertech motor oil 10W40 which is API SM, SL, SJ or SH which sells for $2.60 a quart. The only oil to avoid is the "energy conserving" oils that can allow the clutch to slip. Look on the API circle on the back of the oil jug. If it is energy conserving oil it will say that in the bottom half of that circle. There may be other info in the bottom half, but that's ok so long as the words "energy conserving" are not there. Just make sure it doesn't say 2-stroke oil cause the Ninja is 4-stroke. The companies put the words motorcycle oil and picture of a motorcycle just to get a couple bucks more. I am getting ready to put some 5W40 Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel in my Ninja. It meets all the requirments of the Ninja too.
Be aware that at 600 miles the book calls for a first service, not just an oil change. If this isn't done, and if you can't prove it was done, then anything on that service check list which later fails may not be covered under the warranty.
'dealer cannot void it unless they can prove that what you did affected the bike.'. or unless something that should have been done or inspected wasn't. Can you prove that all the service items listed in the book were carried out competently? Only use oils and parts listed as approved in the book, and keep the receipts.
Drain bolt us easy to strip. Overtightening it also tends to bugger the crush washer.
Excessive oil changes are probably not good for the bike. There's some research now that indicates that oil doesn't really do it's job at its best untill it's a couple of thousand miles old. First oil change at 600 miles is more about draining any particles from the initial break in. The filter will catch these, but if the filter starts to clog the bypass will allow the possibility of particles circulating. This won't happen in the first 600 miles though, so get the initial break in over then drain the oil to flush any bits.
Hi fellas, so Im reaching the 600 mile mark on my ninja and Ive read on these forums that its a good idea to give the motorcycle its first oil change. My question is should I take it to the dealership for the first oil change or should I try changing iy myself following Dr. Shortys writeup thats posted up here in the DIY section. Also, how much would the Kawi dealership charge me? Thanks for the info guys!
Hello ... I just took my bike last week to the dealer's for the 600 miles service. They charged around $190 after 20% discount as I bought it from them.
Here's my experience:-
They claimed to tighten nuts 'n bolts, change oil, oil filter, clean-adjust the rear wheel chain...etc. Is it worth the money... I think not.
The labor charges alone were $180 (before rebate) and around $40 for the oil and filter.
I was looking (off and on) through a small window in the service area, They hoisted my bike to do the oil changes etc. After about 45 mins, they got the bike down. I saw the bike sitting there for the next hour without anyone doing anything to it.
So, did they charge me two hours for only 45 mins of work.? Rip offf - ??? you make the call
Quote:
Originally Posted by Craig_sez
On my 10r i had 5 oil changed before it hit 1000 miles...1st was at about 20 mi(most important break in time too)2nd about 200 mi..3rd at 500 mi 4th at about 800 mi then last with full synthetic at 1000ish..She now has about 3000 miles on it and has had 2 more full synthetic changes and new plugs goin in this week...
.... the first oil in the engine is called as 'break-in' oil, its required to be in there to ensure the engine's 'health' in the long run. So, changing it within 20 miles was a waste of all that oil. This holds true for all engines in the automobile industry with each having its own range of miles.
Your choice... your bike.
Last edited by VA_Glocker; 02-06-2012 at 07:09 PM.
I think one of the big things about the 600 check-up is to check all your bolts and fluids. 
Linear Mode
