STUFF YOU’ LL NEED
WHICH OIL SHOULD YOU USE?
WORKSHOP
With less riding on the cards, winter’ s a great time to service your bike, an oil / filter change is a good start.
Whether you commute to work, enjoy a weekend ride or take your bike on track at anywhere near its performance potential, your oil has a service life and needs changing regularly. Not only does your oil lubricate the hard working crankshaft, camshaft, pistons and gearboxes, even your electrical system can rely on the oil too. Your bike’ s oil helps take heat away from the engine, and in some designs it does the same for your electrical system’ s stator as well. Most of us ride less in winter, so now is a good time to drain out the old and fill up with the new.
STUFF YOU’ LL NEED
• Bike manual, owners manual or information downloaded
• Fresh oil. Know the volume, viscosity rating i. e. 10w30) and type( mineral, semi-synthetic, fully synthetic)
• Oil drain pan
• Clean rags
• Rubber Gloves( used oil is carcinogenic, limit your exposure)
• Funnel
• Filter strap or socket
• Spanner or socket to remove sump plug
• New oil filter
• New sump plug washer
WHICH OIL SHOULD YOU USE?
WORDS & PHOTOS: TODD SUTHERLAND
Unless you do track days or know you put more stress on your engine than most, mineral oil and the recommended intervals will be fine, unless your manual specifically asks for a synthetic. Just make sure you change the oil according to the schedule. Dirt bikes, rev-happy or track day riders should look at a semi-synthetic. If you’ re racing then look for fully synthetic oil. Synthetic oil is around twice the price but handles more extreme stress( heat, higher revs) much better.
KIWI RIDER 67