[grilldcheese]

I tried searching, but didn't find a thread about oil filters, and personal opinions...

Anyways, I'm due for an oil change. What filter choices do you have? What do you go for? Basically, do you buy the Kawasaki OEM filter? Or do you use a Fram/Puralator/AMSoil/etc?

I guess I should ask about oil as well... Any suggestions? I heard people say you should get a fully synthetic oil. Is that opinion?

My bike is a '01 ZX6-R with just over 6,300 miles.

thanks for any input,
Kevin

 

[Curt]

I can't tell you what's right, but I can tell you what I do.

I use Fram filters. They're cheap, so I change the filter at every oil change. A few years ago Consumer Reports tested various brands of auto oil filters, and Fram was at the top of the list as I recall. I'm sure they've done more tests since then, but I haven't kept up.

A lot of the racing guys will tell you that Fram is cheap crap. They may be right. But I value Consumer Reports more than unproven opinions.

As for oil, I use Castrol Act-Evo 10W40 fully synthetic motorcycle oil. Lots of guys use automotive oil (as long as it's not the "saves gas" type -- as many are -- since that has friction modifiers that will make a motorcycle clutch slip). The way I figure it, even though synthetic oil costs four times as much as cheap auto oil, it's still only $100 or $200 over the life of the motorcycle. And suppossedly it sticks to the metal parts better, especially overnight. Suppossedly startup is where you get the most engine wear, because all the oil dripped off, and it will be a few seconds before it starts flowing again.

Really the bottom line is that I use synthetic oil because that's what I want to use. If I was trying to save money, I'd use automotive non-synthetic oil in a heartbeat.
Curt

 

[Cale]

My choice is Kawasaki oil filter and Kawasaki full synthetic oil. Money is not a big issue for that, and you cannot be wrong.

 

[Imposter]

This year I went to the bike shop and asked what I should use. Having over 7000 miles on the bike and summer is comming the guy told me my bike would be happier with fully synth oil. He recommened I use 20W50 (a little thicker, less engine wear, stays on engine parts longer) castrol brand which was fine with me. My bike has been running on it the last month without a hitch and has been purring. I also used a kawi filter with the last oil change.

 

[ZX-2R]

OIL FILTER

IF you are going to change anything the filter is the thing to change. Check with the OIL manufactures and see what they recommend for their oil change recommendations...Amsoil as long as you are using a filter every change is good for about 50,000 miles...partially because everytime you change the filter you replenish the oil that is removed with fresh oil. Synthetic oil doesn't evaporate, or break down (shear strength) like crude oil does. A filter does its job bu filtering certain size of contaminants in Microns. Fram has been on the front line because they have a better filter now than they did in the past. WIX, AMSOIL...and several other filter companies are built in the same plant, using what ever filterpaper is required by the manufactures. I use AMSOIL, but it is only a personal choice. IF I was to just be on the road and I hit my 5,000 mile mile mark (every 5, 000 miles is very easy to see on an odometer) I'd put a Fram on in a heart beat. My oil gets a little darker than I like I might change the filter at 2500, and then again at 2500 so that my 5000 mile interval on the odometer is still intact. IF you ar enot a believer of the synthetic oil then I invite you to contact an AMSOIL dealer and purchase the oil sample kit that will send you the lab results of your oil samples, or any other lab that has the resources to do so...and quit wasting valuable money throwing away good oil...filters do the removal of contaminants...if anything do filter changes more often and that replenishes the oil in your bike!