So, while I was at NAPA getting an oil filter for my CTS, I found Shell Rotella T5 (10W40) synthetic heavy duty oil. I know the Rotella T is popular amongst riders, and Rotella T6 (5W40) is becoming more popular.
Coinsidentally, earlier in the day I was speaking to one of my friends about what I would use in the summer, since I had not seen a Rotella 10W40 heavy duty oil. Now I can stay with the Rotella and use the T5.
Any thoughts on this? Anyone seen or try the Rotella T5?
Just as the Rotella T and T6, T5 meets all the criteria for the moto, only in the proper grade.
Location: Chesapeake, VA '06 ZZR fighter, 05 VTX-1300
Posts: 14,552
Why is this in the 250 section?
I suggest motorcycle oil for a motorcycle, and diesel truck oil for a diesel truck. T6 in my bike made for clunky shifts (wanted see what all the fuss was about). No more for me.
But hell, no one has reported engine failure from using Rotella, so if your bike doesn't deserve premium synthetic motorcycle oil then stick with it.
Are you sure the T5 says JASO MA on the back? I don't recall seeing that last time I was in Walmart looking at it.
I personally haven't even seen the 10w-40 full synthetic but just as Larry said if it is JASO MA certified then it's okay to run.
I run Shell Rotella T6 and mike bike has been running fine even though I probably should be sending oil samples out for testing to truly know what's going on.
I asked why it's in the 250 section because this is not a 250 specific topic. Lots of sport bike and even metric cruiser riders use it. Whatever's clever. Rotella isn't good enough to go in my machines. Personal preference.
Not the synthetic stuff, But the regular Rotella triple T or whatever its called. Well, Let me see how to explain this. It meets all the specs but it doesnt say Jaso-MA certified. I ended up sending an email to and then calling an engineer at Shell in Houston Texas. He sent me all the data sheets on the oil and said it most definately works just fine and would be JASO-MA certe'd except Shell doesn't want it to be because of some oil they sell in europe but not here and don't want their say 4'ish dollar a quart oil to compete with their $15 a quart botique motorcycle oil.
Anyway it meets all the specs, I'll try to dig through my email in a few days and post the info.
Also I've been running the Rotella in my '06 636 since the second oil change with nary a hitch, no shifting problems or anything, just remember to tru the proper viscosity based on the chart found in your owners manual.
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So, while I was at NAPA getting an oil filter for my CTS, I found Shell Rotella T5 (10W40) synthetic heavy duty oil. I know the Rotella T is popular amongst riders, and Rotella T6 (5W40) is becoming more popular.
Coinsidentally, earlier in the day I was speaking to one of my friends about what I would use in the summer, since I had not seen a Rotella 10W40 heavy duty oil. Now I can stay with the Rotella and use the T5.
Any thoughts on this? Anyone seen or try the Rotella T5?
Just as the Rotella T and T6, T5 meets all the criteria for the moto, only in the proper grade.
i've used it in the past and the bike didn't seem to like it, so i moved on to something different. now i only use amsoil. i have a dealer right in town and it seems to do well in the bike.
s3aturnr
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1998 zx9r (sold)
2008 zx6r vivid yellow (gone, but not forgotten)
2009 yami r6 orange
I like an oil mix to make my own semisynthetic, but many people would get a blowjob from their grandmother before they mixed oils.
A couple of quotes that I found-
"The oil that works well for others might not work well for you, even in the same make/model bike. Amsoil made my bike jump out of 5th and was a bear to find neutral, but other people run it without issue."
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"The ZX-14 has a lot of HP and torque and it loves the Rotella T. The ZX-14s run hot normally and the Rotella T has helped the bike run much cooler too. I highly recommend Shell Rotella T synthetic [T5 or T6]."
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Shell Rotella T
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