Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > Supersports: SS / SuperSport / Supersport 950 > Do i need expensive oil?

[Chaz]

Always use the best oil you can buy it's cheap maintainance & change it
every couple of thousand miles.

[tranquil_rage]

Change it every 6000 miles unless your using the cheapest **** you can find. Even semi-synth can last at least 6000 miles let alone a fully synth. Your just wasting your money if you change it more often.

[Chaz]

Originally Posted by tranquil_rage

Change it every 6000 miles unless your using the cheapest **** you can find. Even semi-synth can last at least 6000 miles let alone a fully synth. Your just wasting your money if you change it more often.

That's every 2yrs for most of us lot on that argument.

[multi600]

Originally Posted by chass

That's every 2yrs for most of us lot on that argument.

And every two months for those of us who ride our bikes. It costs enough to run a Ducati in the first place without throwing money away on needless oil changes.

Mike

[frosty]

Gentlemen, Please accept some wisdom from someone who has worked in engine oils for an oil company for over 25 years. When a manufacturer quotes a specificaion, it will be the minimum required not the optimum. Some places n the world you cannot get oils THIS good! We all know how expensive it is to repair and service our engines so surely a little investment will act as an insurance. Buy the best that you can. The only problem is spotting ther best. Forget Sponsorhip LOGOs as that just confirms who gave the team some money. It's no guarantee of the oil used in the bike. Firstly pick a viscosity. I would use nothing less than 15w50 as the viscosity will be marginal a high temperatures. It's the film thickness at 150 degrees which is critical. A cheap oil will also break down (shear) and that fine film will become metal to metal contact at high temperatures. Result is tell tale shards in the filter strainer. My 900SSie has done 25Kmiles and I have never seen debris in the filter! Only use fully synthetic as these stand 150.c plus without degradation. Degradation is spotted by lacquer or brown deposits in the engine. This is the oil oxidising. Another enemy of our bikes is oil shear. What oil do I use. Mobil 1 Racing 4T (Halfords). Oh yes, I do use the bike! All the miles have been European trips and ride schools on most tracks and the ring (several times) with no mechanical failures (wheres the wood!) ps. Harley love this oil too.