Went into the bike shop yesterday asking about new clutch plates, and was talking to the fellow there about how the clutch doesn’t fully release when you pull it in, and doesn’t fully grip when you let it out, and how the gears are really tricky, and he suggested i might be using the wrong type of oil in the engine.
When I mentioned I was running the Shell Helix that I used to use in the car, he pointed out that apparently you’re supposed to use a special oil in bike engines, because they share the oil between the engine, gearbox, and (in the case of my bike with a ‘wet’ clutch) the clutch..
So i did a full oil+filter change last night with this new Shell Advance motorcycle oil. As I was pouring the stuff in, I knew it was different – it was sticky, like honey, rather than being ‘just oil’ that the Helix stuff is..
Took he bike for a spin afterwards, and all I can say is HOLY CRAP! I can rev the bike out to the redline without a drop in power, there’s a LOT more compression there, and the gearbox is a lot smoother (much ‘tighter’ to change, but it doesn’t do its annoying kick-back thing as you try to change gear, just slides right in).
Yes, definitely a success.. – Arrived at work this morning with a huge grin on my face – there’s something extremely satisfying about passing cars while screaming along at 8500 rpm 😉
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