oil consumption in 2008 klr's

[AnanthR]

I have a nice red 08 KLR 650. I recently changed my oil on my bike at 2200 miles and put in some Castrol GTX 20w 50. While the bike seems to be much smoother, my mileage seems to have dropped noticibly. Where I would go about 230 to 250 miles before hitting reserve, now I hit the reserve around 190 miles. I chose 20w 50 because the weather was fairly warm (Bay Area, CA) and I use my bike everyday for a 90 mile roundtrip commute. So it seemed like a good idea to go with an oil suited for warmer conditions. I must add, that the weather has been cooler from the very next day since I changed my oil : ) I am not sure what the relation is between oil weight and the mileage ? Does anybody have an explanation? I am thinking about switching back to 10W50 as recommended by the manual to see if it helps.

[E.L. Green]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "AnanthR" wrote:

> I have a nice red 08 KLR 650. I recently changed my oil on my bike at > 2200 miles and put in some Castrol GTX 20w 50. While the bike seems to > be much smoother, my mileage seems to have dropped noticibly. Where I > would go about 230 to 250 miles before hitting reserve, now I hit the > reserve around 190 miles. I chose 20w 50 because the weather was fairly > warm (Bay Area, CA)

20W50 is not necessary in an '08 KLR because the water cooling keeps the engine at the same temperature year 'round. This isn't an air-cooled engine that runs hotter in the summer than it runs in the winter. All 20W50 does is kill your gas mileage, as you found out.

[Jeff Saline]

On Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:10:39 -0000 "AnanthR" writes:

> > I have a nice red 08 KLR 650. I recently changed my oil on my bike > at > 2200 miles and put in some Castrol GTX 20w 50. While the bike seems > to > be much smoother, my mileage seems to have dropped noticibly. Where > I > would go about 230 to 250 miles before hitting reserve, now I hit > the > reserve around 190 miles. I chose 20w 50 because the weather was > fairly > warm (Bay Area, CA) and I use my bike everyday for a 90 mile > roundtrip > commute. So it seemed like a good idea to go with an oil suited > for > warmer conditions. I must add, that the weather has been cooler > from > the very next day since I changed my oil : ) > > I am not sure what the relation is between oil weight and the > mileage ? > Does anybody have an explanation? I am thinking about switching back > to > 10W50 as recommended by the manual to see if it helps.

<><><><><><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><><><><><> ananthR, You must be running in some pretty hot temperatures to need a 50 weight oil. I use a 15w/40 from 15 degrees to over 100 degrees without problems in my 2003 KLR650. I also use a home built thermostat housing that mimics the Thermo-Bob and I now have a second radiator on my bike. The first number in your 20w 50 is how the oil acts when it is cold. When it warms up it acts like a 50 weight. So changing to a 10w50 is only lowering the viscosity when the oil is cold and wouldn't really affect your warm running issue. I only got to look in an 08 owner's manual for about 1 minute at the dealer last spring so I don't know what the 08 manual suggests for oil viscosity. But it sure seems to me like it would need to be very hot all the time to require a 10w/50 or 20w/50. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT ____________________________________________________________ Click to shop and compare great deals on trucks. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/Ioyw6i3l1wa7ilFjE613FUq3cHgqkBKiq7rIMfH7KGbfJk3wHVnsoM/

[kusstj]

Hello, I have done every weight imagineable with my A16. 10-40 is where I think the engine seems happiest. I believe the heavier oil seems to cause the engine to work more in just rotating around. "just a feel" I guess. I happen to like Amsoil Motorcycle oil in 10 -40. but I doubt you can go wrong with any oil these days. I think too that the basic engine design is not modern and thus I wouldn't go lighter than 10-40 or maybe 10 - 30. Modern cars are going with lighter oil as the modern engine is a less slopppy design and thus needs oil to flow more than it needs it to fill sloopy spaces. and yes the lighter oil tends to give better mileage. I don't know if this applies to bikes however, (it may) pretty intuitive I think. at the end of the day, any good clean oil is better than oil left unchanged. good luck, todd

[Jon Neet]

I've used 10W-40,5W-40,and 15W-40. The 5W-40 was the Rotella synthetic.The 15W-40 is the Delo400 diesel engine oil.The shifting was slightly better with the Rottela, but I have a good stock of the Delo, so I'm using that oil right now.Last tank was 60.6 miles per US gallon, so I can't complain.Mine is a 2005 with 12,000 miles, all stock. Jon [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[AnanthR]

Thank you for the replies. Didnt mean to start another oil thread, but it was a bit puzzling to see mileage drop suddenly. Bob, not sure if I am using a motorcycle oil. The oil I am using is 20w50 from the list at this link http://tinyurl.com/6n7vx7 I didn't realise that you would have to look for motorcycle specific oil besides looking for the weight and API specific rating. I will make sure to watch out for that in future.

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "kusstj" wrote: . I believe the heavier oil > seems to cause the engine to work more in just rotating around. "just > a feel" I guess. This sounds about right.

[LDHunter]

From what I understand a motorcycle puts a lot more demands on oil and "regular" oil will froth up in a motorcycle and become somewhat ineffective. Oil is cheap... Were I you, I believe I'd do an oil change right away and use the "good stuff". There's obviously some major issue or your mileage wouldn't have dropped off so radically. I go to a local Yamaha motorcycle dealer and buy Yamaha oil. It meets all the requirements and is fairly inexpensive. I think I pay about $20 per gallon jug or slightly less for it including tax. I buy Fram oil filters from Discount Auto Parts here. They have a small motorcycle section and have filters for all three of my bikes in stock. I don't use synthetic oil or a synthetic blend in my KLR either. I don't think it's necessary in a KLR. $bob$ Thank you for the replies. Didnt mean to start another oil thread, but it was a bit puzzling to see mileage drop suddenly. Bob, not sure if I am using a motorcycle oil. The oil I am using is 20w50 from the list at this link http://tinyurl. http://tinyurl.com/6n7vx7> com/6n7vx7 I didn't realise that you would have to look for motorcycle specific oil besides looking for the weight and API specific rating. I will make sure to watch out for that in future. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Greg May]

Funny how an oil thread is one of those things that seems to take on a life of it's own eh...While Castrol GTX is an oil I have used in the past and I remember it being a staple in the 70's and 80's in my opinion for a KLR there are better choices now. I say this because after using several synthetics I find them all to make what ever motor I put them in start easier, especiallly when it is really cold out and to just generally run smoother. I presently use either Kawasaki Synthetic or Mobil 1. That being said if you like dino oils I don't think there is any problem there either, from previous posts there has been lots of info posted about personal favorites of both types, there secret seems to be change it often. That being said I think 20/50 is too heavy, but again I don't think it will hurt anything. Just realized I got caught up in the oil thread thing..... .....the point behind ny post was if my mileage dropped suddenly under the same riding conditions I think I would look at more stuff then just the oil. Last year my mileage dropped something like 75 to 100 km's a tank, not every tank at first just seemed to no be as consistant as it had always been, turns out it was the choke cable binding, when I opened the choke all was good because the cable was being pully but when I shut the choke off since the cable was being pushed rather then completely disengaging the choke the outer cable was being pushed off it seat at the habdle bar end allowing the choke to stay partially on, there was no diference in performance that I noticed, it even idled find. I change the cable last winter as was surprized to find the original had never worked properly since I bought the bike, it worked that much smoother and easier. Anyway I'm not saying that your problem is the same as mine but if your drop in mileage is that noticeable and happens not just on one tank I think I would probably look for other issues and just to satisify myself do another oil change to the 10/40 that seems to be the norm....have a great day.....Greg

--- On Mon, 7/28/08, AnanthR wrote: From: AnanthR Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Drop in mileage after an oil change ? To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Received: Monday, July 28, 2008, 1:42 PM Thank you for the replies. Didnt mean to start another oil thread, but it was a bit puzzling to see mileage drop suddenly. Bob, not sure if I am using a motorcycle oil. The oil I am using is 20w50 from the list at this link http://tinyurl. com/6n7vx7 I didn't realise that you would have to look for motorcycle specific oil besides looking for the weight and API specific rating. I will make sure to watch out for that in future. --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogro ups.com, "kusstj" wrote: . I believe the heavier oil > seems to cause the engine to work more in just rotating around. "just > a feel" I guess. This sounds about right. __________________________________________________________________ Yahoo! Canada Toolbar: Search from anywhere on the web, and bookmark your favourite sites. Download it now at http://ca.toolbar.yahoo.com. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Jeff Saline]

On Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:15:55 -0400 LDHunter writes: SNIP SNIP SNIP

> I buy Fram oil filters from Discount Auto Parts here. They have a > small > motorcycle section and have filters for all three of my bikes in > stock.

SNIP

> > $bob$

<><><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><><> $bob$, Just a point I recently learned about the Fram filters for the KLR. Some of the newer ones are about 2.5mm longer than other filters. I had one I bought last spring to check the o-ring. Recently I heard on KLR650.net that the new Frams are longer than the older ones. I measured the one I bought and it was longer. When Steve and Chris were out here last month when returning from Alaska we tried to install it in each bike. One is an 06 and the other is an 07. It was too long and the cover wouldn't seat. So although I think Fram filters are as good as the next filter for most applications... I think they are risky business with the KLR650. Just a data point. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT ____________________________________________________________ Shop now for huge discounts on quality surveillance cameras. Click here! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/Ioyw6i3mYPu6zct3PeWN8oWzm7xfBq16J415DOGuPXoSFGerLRjt6M/

[LDHunter]

Jeff, Thanks for the head's up. The ones I bought must be the "Old Ones" because no problems but I'll start keeping an eye out. $bob$

> Just a point I recently learned about the Fram filters for the KLR. Some > of the newer ones are about 2.5mm longer than other filters. I had one I > bought last spring to check the o-ring. Recently I heard on KLR650.net > that the new Frams are longer than the older ones. I measured the one I > bought and it was longer. When Steve and Chris were out here last month > when returning from Alaska we tried to install it in each bike. One is > an 06 and the other is an 07. It was too long and the cover wouldn't > seat. >