what oil are you using?

I'm using some local brand API SG 15W50 found in a small workshop. This is commonly used here for the 125cc or 4T scoots.

I was considering using my car motor oil (API SJ 15W40) with higher specifications but cheaper until I found this in wikipedia:

Note that the API oil classification structure has eliminated specific support for wet-clutch motorcycle applications in their descriptors, and API SJ and newer oils are referred to be specific to automobile and light truck use. Accordingly, motorcycle oils are subject to their own unique standards.

The latest API service standard designation is SM for gasoline automobile and light-truck engines. The SM standard refers to a group of laboratory and engine tests, including the latest series for control of high-temperature deposits. Current API service categories include SM, SL and SJ for gasoline engines. All previous service designations are obsolete, although motorcycle oils commonly still use the SF/SG standard.

I just use whatever motorcycle oil I find, I can't recall the brand name.

In China I'm never really sure what oil is in the bottle but I usually get the best of what's around.

Chinese company, I've never gone wrong with the KunLun but I'll usually get the Mobile if it's available.

Both Motul and name brand full synthetics can be found in Chengdu but at over 140RMB/bottle is more expensive than I'm willing to pay.

CC

The stuff that comes in the bike from the factory is some really strange looking bright yellow stuff... And I think it also had some stringy stuff in it...

Jim,

That's probably break-in oil. You should get rid of that relatively soon...like after a few hundred miles.

Not sure about the "stringy" stuff. You could be more descript.

CC

I wish I could but no idea, just really wierd oil... I did, I changed it before running the engine. :)

I've been using a reasonable quality motor oil 10w40 for years on all my bikes without the least hint of trouble. The last few years I've treated them to semi-synthetic, sometimes referred to as "synthetic base" but I draw the line at fully synthetic on Chinese engines. It appears that clutches may slip, the same applies to molybdenum disulphide additives, these really bugger up your clutch plates.

Sometimes there are explicit warnings about using synthetic, like on this site selling Zongshen engines:

http://www.monkeybike.co.uk/acatalog...ry_Clutch.html

When I bought my bike I rid of that something was in the crankcase and fill it with Motul 5100 semysintetic oil. I change it already a few times, but now I'm planning to use fullysintetic oil. Now is summer and I drive time to time in hot places, so better to have good "blood", espetialy into air cooled engine.

15/40 Wally world special. I have been in and out of these motors both OHC and Pushrod, and I never saw a reason to use Synthetic. I do believe in Synthetic, and use it in all my vehicles minus the MH, so I am not bashing it. Without a real oil filter, and a true pressure system, it is almost a waste. Plus at a bit over 2.50 an oil change, I drop the oil and screen every 30 days or 1K miles.