there is a big misconception about using fs and ss oils in new bikes.. And there are a lot of reasons given for that by many ppl. The oil is thin is the most common.
In wet clutch bikes the oil need to have an optimum viscosity for the bike to give performance as well as control.. As you go down from 20w to 10w to 5w to 0w oils this viscosity keeps on decreasing and oil remains less viscous even at - 30 deg celcius. How this is done ? Use of synthetics come into play here.. These oils have very linear structure and very defined specifications are present. Whereas in mineral oils there is absence of this linearity which makes the oil very viscous at temperatures as low as -10 deg celcius. to further reduce its viscosity synthetics are added to mineral oil. How much are added depends upon what grade of oil you want to make.
In nearly all the bike oils you see in the market, you will observe none is available below 10wXX grade. Wheres in car oils 0w or 5w specs are easily available.

We talk of Motul and the like but let me assure you that these oils cant contain more than 50 percent esters even when they say double esters etc. The reason is the moment they use esters the oil starts getting thin and thinner. If you use 100 percent ester the oil will qualify 0w spec. But this oil will not qualify JASO MA, MA1 or MA2 spec. Though JASO MB (for dry clutch bikes) can be qualified. Just search and have a look at JASO qualified oils and only a few will have 5w ratings that too are the oils which are either used in snowmobiles, STVs, ATVs etc. Or they are racing oils which doesnot last more than 500 kms.
OK enuf of background, now coming to the point straight away. Bike oils which are JASO MA, MA1, MA2 qualified does not contain/negligibly contains any friction modifiers like molybdenum. There is no reason for it to interfere in the breakin procedure of a bike. As a precaution you can extend using mineral oils until the second service of the vehicle(3000km- for the fz), but delaying use of synthetics any further is of no use at all.. And one should ask why shouldnt I? Whats the problem in using synthetics from 1000 kms? But always remember whatever synthetic you use it should be JASO qualified.
I started using ss oils from the day I clicked 1000 kms. My bike was very rough ( just like devil's friend - same problems) on putting a fresh oil the problem used to go but again haunted me.. It continued till 3000 kms even on ss oils.. Then I started using Shell advance ultra FS (extremly hydrocracked mineral oil).. The problems never resurfaced. 4000 kms on it.. 4 months.. Not a single drop loss ( tells me my engine is quite nicely settled) will advice all new owners to shift to ax7 shell ss oil from 1000 kms and upgrade to any fully synthetic of their choice when they are confident to go for it.. Shell and castrol uses hydrocracked mineral oil and legally use the word 100 percent synthetic, so even those ppl who are scared of the word ester, PAO, double ester and the like can use them with confidence.
And guys please dont come after me for this.. Just google and see 'when to use synthetics in motorbikes' not everyone can be wrong you see. After all synthetics in bikes are not pure synthetics.
Dont cry after using mineral for 7 - 8000 kms that your synthetic vapourises and you are seeing dips in oil content. You rubbed off your engine for 10% of its life with mineral, it has got rubbed off to a level where only mineral oil thickness can prevent oil burns.. The moment you pour in a good thin weight synthetic it will start leaking into the combustion chamber then you will use higher weight synthetic.. It will actually contain even less amount of ester. 10w will have more ester content than 15w. Oil consumption will decrease :-)
Use JASO MA2 synthetics as JASO MA1 is having lesser friction.DOnt go for API ratings for selecting bike oils they are decreasinh zddp content like hell and this is a vital ingredient for our bike oils. JASO has a limit for atleast xyz percent ( dont remember exactly) of phosphorus to be present in oils. As car oils can use friction reducers this lower, actually half of zddp content in api rating after api sg (now obsolete for cars) is very detrimental for bikes.. Even cars :-) see the link.

ZDDP Oil Issues

Good Muztarik! Very good that someone takes the time to write a documented post against this legend of the use/ non use of FS oils before 5,000, 8,000 km. Why not 15,000 (to be more on the "safe" side!) or 25,000, etc...?

It is effectively widely recommended not to use FS oils until the engine has nicely polished all the "friction" parts during the running in process, which will take some 1,000 to 1,500 km depending on your ride (1,000 km of city riding is more than 1,500 on the road, nearly all done in fifth gear!) but there is no reason not to use FS afterwards.

While at it, I want to say something about another legend: this now famous "Motoman" fast running in process! It is amazing that a long time well known procedure has just been re-discovered and now presented like an "invention" by someone who did nothing more than explain it on his flashy website! These are the funny things of our modern "Internet" days and ages....

What he says is basically true, sure, and has been known as I said for a long time, but what he forgets to say is that:
1- running in is a very different thing for race engines or mass production ones, due to much more precise tolerances and surface finish in the race parts, needing far less "running in" to become fully efficient while not over-heating. These engines are run at full power on a test bench, with very close monitoring, for a few minutes. The total "running in" rarely exceeds one hour. This has been done for years and years on race engines but could simply not be done on a mass production engine!
2- gearboxes need a completely different treatment: whether race or mass production, they need careful, slow, long running in.

So: you may do a fast running in on an engine which has got a new piston/ cylinder/ rings, but whose gearbox already has had a more gentle treatment. Not WOT for one hour like a race engine , but some short bursts WOT (Wide Open Throttle), but never high revving. It is, however, very good to go WOT at times, even on a brand new engine and gearbox. This will effectively force the rings outwards and accelerate their wearing while the cylinder/ sleeve still has the honing marks, properly matching piston, rings and cylinder, while it will not have had the time to deteriorate the gearbox. The best way is to do WOT accelerations, shifting through all the gears (so that not one of them takes all the burden), never high revving as I said, and very carefully monitoring the temperature since not only very hot oil gets thinner (not that much with our modern multigrade oils, but still!), but also that any over-heating will cause an excessive dilatation of some parts, sometimes even just locally, causing them to wear excessively in some areas where they should not have been worn that much.

Hope this helps clarifying some misconceptions.

Also hope new-comers on this site take the time to look at previous posts and not ask their already dozen of times answered question! Best is to send these lazies back to earlier pages than continuously reading the same things again and again (another rant by the old angry man!).

excellent post muztariq.
Been using the stock engine oil from the svc. I've done close to 4.5k. So the question is, do I go directly to FS skipping SS or has it been too late?

1) should I go for the complete chain set along with sproketsfrom yamaha or the only chain?? can I buy the golden chain & regular sprokets from SVC?

2) should I continue with the mineral oil(as I keep the engine oil for around 3000-4000 odo reading) & my feedback to mineral is still fine or should I opt for FS/SS oil with filter change during next service??

Hi All,

I bought the FZ 16 last wednesday. Kindly clarify my doubts.

1. Will the mileage be low during the early days of the bike?
2. Apart from riding the bike below 40 KMPH, what else should I take care till the first service?
3. My rear brake is not very powerful. I have to press bit hard for the desired effect.

Thanks in Advance!!!

excellent post muztariq.
If this forum had a point system, I'd give you everything I had
This clears up a lot of things, wish I'd know earlier.
Been using the stock engine oil from the svc. I've done close to 4.5k. So the question is, do I go directly to FS skipping SS or has it been too late?

Hi All,

I bought the FZ 16 last wednesday. Kindly clarify my doubts.

1. Will the mileage be low during the early days of the bike? It depends.. 38 to 43 is the usual we get. If you are getting 43.. it wont increase.
2. Apart from riding the bike below 40 KMPH, what else should I take care till the first service? Do not idle too long.. after a continous ride of lets say 40 mins, let the engine cool down. Avoid riding a pillion.. Unnecessary trips with friends for the SHOWOFF should be done after 1000 kms.. I mean reduce load on engine.. included is unnecessary trips to the hills! ;-)
3. My rear brake is not very powerful. I have to press bit hard for the desired effect. It will take more time to get the bite.. your's is too new.

Thanks in Advance!!!

... & the engine is smooth,getting a fuel efficiency of 43+constantly for last 7 months.only the chain has reached its limit,have to get a new set after 1month scheduled service .Now the question is:-
1) should I go for the complete chain set along with sproketsfrom yamaha or the only chain?? can I buy the golden chain & regular sprokets from SVC? Already answered by Abhijit. Buy a set.. dont mix daytona chain with regular sprokets.
2) should I continue with the mineral oil(as I keep the engine oil for around 3000-4000 odo reading) & my feedback to mineral is still fine - You are taking too much from the mineral - oil change frequency is every 3000 km (for mineral as well as ss) even if it is was done in a month.

You can go for synthetics right away. I dont advocate unnecessary use of synthetics. My earlier post was for those who are waiting for more mileage on the odo to use synthetics. I can suggest what I preached.. SS from 1000 and FS after 3000 kms.





Replies in bold

^ I think that has been answered above. Why are you so skeptical regarding the use of SS or FS oil? IF you still need more info then refer the Engine oil thread.

It's ok,I got it.but my question is what should I do?"stick to mineral oil or go for SS/F in next service?".
please help me at the earliest.

so you want me to write down - benefits of synthetic vs mineral .. :-)

the question is why you want to use synthetics? Just for trying? Coz the whole world is using it or you genuinely require synthetics.. I believe your question is my odo is 22k can i use synthetics - answere is yes.
Should i use synthetics? - answere is, it depends. Just writing down some benefits-
1) synthetics flow faster than mineral - good for cold start protection.
2) they uniformly grasp and convey heat - better for high rpm rides as they prevent localised heating to buildup
3) the ride is smoother in comparison to mineral
4) these do not easily break down under heat and pressure, hence can be used for a longer duration in comparison to mineral
5) they cant be oxidised easily, minerals needs good antioxidants.. But whether your oil contain antioxidants or not how does that matter to you? :-)
6) you feel good that you are more protected (even tho you never needed synthetics)
7) as power is conveyed better, slight increase in mileage can be observed

benefits of mineral
1) you can experiment more and more with various brands.. It wont last 2500 kms.
2) easy on pocket. A good synthetic will last 5k only and costs 3 times a good mineral
3) impurities generated during running operation doesnt keep floating around for long enuf.
4) easy on environment
5) easily available at a petrol pump near you
6) warranty of the vehicle doesnot get voided (if you wont drain the same grade synthetic for 70 days or 3000 kms)
7) if you feel good everytime you put in a new oil - you will feel good a lot of times in an year.
8) if there is a problem in your vehicle's clearances :
a) synthetic will leak faster and chances of running low on oil increases.
b) fuel will mix with oil - will burn and carbon deposition chances increases(and if you are on synthetics you will keep thinking wow the detergency of synthetic is great, see the carbon/sludgey deposits has been dislodged and is now dispersed in the oil).

These are all I can guess right now.. No googling done.. May have missed some really important ones.

Oh I forgot- Semisynthetics -
you get best of both the worlds.. You just have to choose the right one for your driving style.. Change them every three thousand kms. Keep experimenting with grades.. Loads of options.. Warranty safe.. Good cold start protection 10w40 and 15w40 are better at cold starts than a 20w40, just an example.

Hi All,

here is the video of our Sunda ride for XBHP on my FZ-X.

Yamaha FZ Race Concepts Free Flow Exhaust (FFE) - Go Pro - YouTube

Couldn't go beyond 105kmph coz of traffic and bad roads. Thanks Abhimanyu31 and Iceman331. Will post a higher res video later...


Cheers