Hello Stu, greetings from Florida, USA. I have had my 2017 Classic 500 for one year now, she had 2300 miles on it, changed the oil day, black dirty wicked thin the oil was. I put in Motul 5100 4T 15W/50 Synthetic. Now over this past year I have risen just over 6K miles on the HOT Florida roads. Done two oil changes getting ready for a third, I can say honestly that the synthetic oil does a great job cooling the engine and the magnetic drain plugs are showing less particles. NOW as for these viewers who are stating that your videos are too long, they have no attention span, they can click elsewhere and piss-off.
You will get the most pleasure out of saving up and buying your own bike 🙌 I did that as well for 3 years before getting my own GT535. Smiles every ride and even just by looking at the bike
Thank you for getting to the point immediately and avoiding "click bait" invective. Your experience and analysis is greatly appreciated when addressed directly. I'm in!
I actually love a bit of chatter in your videos… Explaining the pros and cons behind each videos is always welcomed by me. Another great informative piece that I will keep in mind for my next service of my Classic 500. If there is camping in your immediate future, can I say that your videos are a rare medium well done? 😁 👍 Enjoy your R & R my friend!
I use full synthetic, with the addition of a cartridge filter, on my 40-yr old Bonneville. (Just need to make sure it's rated for wet clutch). It did reveal a couple of pre-existing leaks, but I've fixed those and it's oil-tight now. My oil stays cleaner for longer, and being air-cooled it gives peace of mind knowing the oil is high-spec and keeps those qualities for longer periods. I think some people have the idea that synthetic won't mix with any residual dinosaur oil and it will solidify - I think this comes from the days of Castrol R (which definitely doesn't mix).
Stuart, I have paid attention to my manuals, I've cared about the oils and choices I've made. But I've never spent the time to go so deep into this slippery subject. Great explanation, love the jokes,your sense of humour is appreciated.
Always enjoy your videos regardless of how “short” they are, and regardless of how exciting the topics may seem to be. You’ve even made Oil an interesting topic👍⭐️😎
Another great video with more completely practical advice. I have always run synthetics in my bikes (after break-in) and as a result, every single one of them has performed flawlessly and the engines remained like new inside. I ignored the naysayers and heard all those same myths - but whereas others had bikes wear out, mine styed like new. Definitely worth the extra money for good oil (if you value your bike's engine and want it to last).
I agree with many others and yourself.....if you don't like it then don't watch it .. .. as for me I watch every second and enjoy them fully..thankyou stu for your enjoyable video's
I like this 500. Beautiful dash arrangement. A motorcycle mechanic friend back in the 90s was servicing a much abused 125 and said, if it was up to him, he would put synthetic oil in it. He would concur with everything you say. He used to put Silkolene Pro 4 in my early 90s bike. Lovely cherry colour. Excellent video.
I remember the 80', my father wrcked the engine in his Mercedes with Synthetic oil, hehehehe... Nowdays I use Motul 7100 in all my bikes. Stuart, I'm so happy with the longer videos containing sarcasm, cheeky comments and sceptisism...Love them.. Thank you!!
I used Motul 7100 in my vintage Honda Shadow VT500C 1986 and tried Millers as it would perform great. Unfortunately it does not: slipping clutch, found out when I needed to jumpstart it. Cheers from the Netherlands 🤝👍🇳🇱
My Classic 500 is now on Shell Advance 4T 15W-50 Ultra full synthetic. I changed over to full synth at the 2nd service as I considered it had completed the break-in. The sump magnets on mine had relatively few particles, which I was pleased to see.
My 2021 RE Classic 500 has now done 5,800km and has had its second service.. The dealership is telling me to run the bike on Shell Advance AX5 15W-50 oil.. Is this mineral or semi-synthetic??? I'm finding I'm topping up the oil every two tanks of fuel, is this normal??? I don't rev the bags out of my bike, the fastest I've ever gone is 95kph up about 5km stretch of the freeway, otherwise I'm tootling around on back roads.. It seems happy at 80kph...
@@sirgalah561 Shell don't seem to provide much info but that oil looks OK to use but the frequent topping up isn't normal. Are you checking the level correctly? It's a bit quirky to do on the Classic 500 and it's easy to overfill as a result.
@@sirgalah561 I don't know the answer as regards the Shell oil - why now ask them? The spec looks OK. The frequent topping up is unusual so I'd get back to your dealer on this. Checking the oil level on a Classic is a bit quirky and it's easy to misread and over fill.
I used Silkolene in my Tiger Sport , fully synthetic cherry flavour and I have to say it made a noticeable difference in terms of smoother running and gear changes a very good oil. 👍
St Louis, MO (USA) here, and quickly becoming a huge fan. Great info and very much enjoy the dark humor! I have never heard someone speak with such an absolute command of the English language! Cheers!
Thank you thank you thank you! I often feel like the madman shouting in the desert, defending my choice of using full synthetic oil in my RE Classic 500. Great to hear the full breakdown and advise (run in period with semi an switch to full after that) and addressing the myths that surround the use of full synthetic oil. I must sign up to your Patreon! Oh wait - I already did that a good while ago :) Money well spend I'd say! :) please keep doing your videos like you do - love the humour and they always leave me smiling AND educated at the same time.
When it comes to oil in depends on 'when', IMO. New engine, do 100 miles, drain the factory oil and replace with non-synthetic. This allows the rings to seat and polish the cylinders. At 600 miles drain and replace with synthetic and run that from then on because it is a better lubricant and will significantly reduce wear. Of course filter changes at all oil changes. My 2 cents worth. ;)
I have a 2006 Harley Davidson custom883. On the 2nd oil change . I asked Harley service manager, what was the best oil, for the bike. He recommended the synthetic oil. I asked him if synthetic oil would keep my engine cooler. He said 20 degrees cooler. So I have used synthetic every since. Good job on the video. Thanks so much
I’ve never even considered that not all oils are equal. Until this video it was a liquid (probably) poured in at the garage every service. You have now sold me the idea of taking a great deal of interest of what will be poured into my engine at its next service. Thank you.
Yup, there's a reason why most expensive cars (and now bikes) have synthetic oils specified by their manufacturers: Their customers get so angry if the engines wear out early! Also, by being more constant in their viscosity over a wide temperature range (partly due to lean burning required by emission regs) they allow closer machining tolerances, and thus lower amounts of unburned gases being emitted. That wide viscosity range is good for transmissions, too, and synthetic oils are appearing now even in car transmissions.
@@daveinwla6360 I was shocked a couple of years ago when changing the oil in my partners car. went to halfords to pick up some oil. they had I think, one mineral oil for sale , the rest were all synthetic.
@@stuartfillingham - Yes, and as I recall from your video on the interceptor 650's YSS fork upgrade, Silkolene's fork and suspension fluid is synthetic, too, for a more constant viscosity over a wide temperature range.
As a mechanic once told me "I've never seen an engine that had enough of any type of oil in it seize". Sometimes I wonder if we worry too much about oil for such pedestrian machines as street motorbikes.
Don't shorten your videos Uncle Stu! I love the length of your videos and how you go into every nitty gritty detail on the bikes! I sometimes leave your videos on when I drive (not watching just listening), therapeutic stuff!
Out of interest, I was once repairing some equipment in a Shell plant that was filling containers with oil. The containers changed suddenly from their cheaper type to (at the time X100) their better / best grade. I asked how this was possible to the operator and he assured me that the most expensive oil was still good value because it came with a better guarantee. I left it there and asked no more questions.... admittedly, that was about 30 years ago. I've wondered about synthetic oils and wondered exactly what they were since they are not actually synthetic since they all come from an oil base. They seem to be better, however I think there is still a lot of smoke and mirrors in marketing oil products. I did use "Castrol" in Canada at one point until the clay deposits blocked the oil passage to the overhead camshaft on the old Volvo I was driving and seized the camshaft. I was later advised that I was not the first. There were lumps of what I could only call clay in the oil which when crushed looked indeed like grey clay. Now, you can't take much stock in this because the oil in the container could have come from anywhere and it was simply put in the container somewhere unknown who was operating under license from Castrol simply as marketing and selling a product. Put this all together and you will realize that I'm not certain of anything!!
Excellent content and advice mate! Been using Silkolene fully synthetic in my 2015 Classic 500 since I bought her from new. She now has 21,800 miles on the clock with no problems. Love your channel.....subscribed!
Well done Stuart. I am all for using excellent quality fully synthetic oils, even in older vehicles. I have 3 motor vehicles. Mercedes 300 SE from 1991. I have owned it for 16 years and 110,000 miles.Always fully synthetic (usually Mobil 1). My motorcycle, BMW K75 from 1988. Owned for 13 years, lots of miles (not sure how many, but adventures have included the Sahara desert and Atlas mountains in Morocco). Same oil. Finally my classic vehicle, (yes those are my moderns): 1936 Austin Seven Ruby. Owned for 25 years. You guessed it. Fully synthetic Mobil 1. Why people choose to use inferior lubricantes for older vehicles, just because that was what they had back in the day, just beats me. Good quality oil, changed regularly, is cheaper than engines.
As usual thank you for my morning laugh with your bellyaching comment... lol I have used fully synthetic oils on my motorcycles ever since it came to Market it is my oil of choice even in my truck. And I change my oil twice each season. I purchased my oil in bulk when it comes to my motorcycles because both bikes take the same weight oil my Royal Enfield Interceptor and my Triumph Bonneville T120. 😊 I hope you had an enjoyable weekend ride safe stay safe. 😎
Well Done Stuart, another very useful and informative video. You Keep me in touch with the old country. My latest Enfield Bullet is as rewarding as the Interceptor i already owned. After 40 years on bikes these two are the most interesting and absorbing i have owned. Now looking for a Continental GT 535, followed in time by 650 GT or by then maybe 750 GT !! we can only hope. No more Harley,s for me. All the best from the Gold coast Australia.
Have used fully synthetic oil in 3 bikes....was recommended by my local bike garage....more expensive...but supremely better....and I would like much longer vids please....many thanks
Haha, you got me at the beginning ;-) I don't have many subscribers but decided from the start to make videos for me, and any like minded people are welcome to come along for the ride. My Interceptor 650 is coming up on 12,000 using Maxima ProPlus 10W-50 100% Synthetic Ester Formula API SL/JASO MA2. Last time I couldn't get Silkolene. Hoping to switch over this time. Thank you for the video.
Have watched your vids Sir! Touring about on your Baker Express(?). I used the same Maxima oil in my 2020 INT 650 at the 300 mile service. But after sitting the winter and back into service I noticed a bit more valve train noise at idle after full warm up. At the 12 month oil change with 3200 miles on the Maxima oil, I changed to Motul 7100 and the tappets quieted down considerably. I waited 14 months at 3600 miles to check the valve lash the second time and they had not changed since the initial setting at 300 miles. Hope this is useful to you!
@@michaelabernathy7013 First, thank you for watching. Boy, this oil thing can be so confusing. So many options and anecdotal evidence from very experienced sources. It is hard to find actual facts so that we can make the perfect decision. To back up what you are saying the Tucson Royal Enfield dealer where I'm getting my work done recommend Maxima or Mutol 5100, but I already have the Silkolene. So now I will be burning the electrons on my laptop this weekend trying to decide what to run on for the next 12,000 miles. I greatly appreciate you input and that you care enough to speak up. What bike do you have? Thank you.
@@MeAndMyRoyalEnfield I own a 2020 INT 650 in Mark 3 color scheme. If excellent reliability continues it may be the best bike I've owned. Previously that includes all of the Big 4 Japanese brands. Been riding since 1973.
I fully agree with you on the "break-in engine wear". My commuting bike (not a Royal Enfield or Triumph) has over 120,000 miles and I've own her from new. After the 1st full service (not the running-in service) I've used fully synthetic oil though the manual say use semi-synthetic. The engine is absolutely fine, no problems what-so-ever. If anything, she has less engine wear than a lot of bikes with (a lot) less mileage.
@@stuartfillingham It would have been closer to 150,000 if it weren't for the current state of affairs. FYI, she's 670cc, 11 years old and apart from the recommended servicing at the required intervals she's had brake discs replaced at 105,000 (I did mention I commute on her...), the clutch replaced at 112,000 and the water pump at 117,000. She's about to have the rear shock changed and the fork springs replaced. I believe she'll do at least 250,000 possibly more if the rest of the bike holds up.
Good video, Stuart. A sensible overview of the black art of vehicle lubrication. About 20 years ago, I returned to biking after some years. I bought a brand new Chinese 125 four stroke single for summer commuting. I had a few conversations with knowledgeable petrol heads re lubrication while running in. Being a fearless dabbler (as opposed to "expert"), I tried an experiment I had not done before on this cheap transport. I was assured that "own brand" cheap oil was made from the same bright stock as the high profile brands but lacked the additives which extend the mileage that the oil remains "in spec" and keeps the engine clean with it's in-built detergents. I bought a large bottle of "own brand" with the correct viscosity and changed the oil every 500km until the cheap oil was gone ( 4 changes I think). I treated this little engine with due respect until run in and then switched to a decent oil brand thereafter. That little engine never used a drop of oil. At the end of the summer I gave the bike to my son who was at Uni and couldn't afford any transport of his own. Despite several years of merciless thrashing at his hands, It never used any oil. Finally, I do use synthetic oil in my vehicles now and never miss an oil change.
@@redtobertshateshandles Fuel saving oils synthetic or otherwise are the culprit…for they have an additive that contaminates the discs and makes them slip against the plates even under full clamping pressure….JASO MA type oils do not have this additive and are safe to use. Notwithstanding the problems of a worn basket which are indeed a source of woe.
Best opening to a RUclips video EVER!! Longline the King!!!😂😂😂👍👍👍👌👌👌✔️✔️✔️ Really informative vid. Thanks uncle stu!!. I learn a lot here about proper maintenance, I’m very grateful to you again. Ta!!!😁
Uncle Stu is a good trigger point for me to show a little bit more love to my Basanti Interceptor 650. I did the oil change and installed a power plug today
Hi Stuart. My bullet has 1,400 miles on the clock and she is 1 year and 7 months old. I want to change the oil before the winter sets in. So this time I will stick to the semi synthetic and the next oil change change to fully synthetic when I have a few more miles on the clock. Keep the videos coming Kiddo they are the best on the Web. Ride and be safe. Ron.
Your style is your style…which I happen to like a whole lot. No need to change a blasted thing. One thing I've learned from riding a smaller-displacement bike (Vespa GTS 300) quite frequently on highways (rather hard) here in the States is to keep a closer-than-usual eye on the oil - both level and condition. (CVT drive-belt, too, but that's another matter.) Your Classic is air-cooled whereas my ride is liquid-cooled, but I'm betting we both run pretty far up in our respective bikes' capable performance range. Since I'm garage-less (have an okay driveway, as I might've mentioned before) I leave most of the service duties to my dealer, which knows just how hard I ride the thing, and wrench on the bike appropriately; as I believe mine is by far the highest-mileage Vespa they've dealt with so far, my GTS has become something of a barometer for how and when something is going to fail. Keep up the great work. I'm a tad envious of your garage, not to mention its contents. :-)
I’ve just used shell 15w-50 full synthetic oil in my classic 350 in replacement of liquid gun. There is noticeable reduction in the vibration and the engine noise. There was a slight tappet noise earlier which is now no longer there after full synthetic oil. Bike seems to be more relaxed on higher revs. If you do a lot of long distant riding go for full synthetic, and if your purpose is only for daily commute with few miles a day then go for semi synthetic. Remember to change your oil on time. A lot goes into a bikes smooth operation and oil is just a part of it, check the spark plugs, oil & air filters, clean your fuel filters once in a while. Delayed oil changes results in sludge formation and it effects the performance of your engine. Always ride safe.
I agree with everything you have said. All my research has pointed me to the same point. I do however, use mineral oil since I have a bunch laying around that are bike rated. By far the most important thing I have found is changing it on a reasonable schedule. Got an old guzzi running. Had tons of issues shifting, ended up changing the gnarly transmission oil and it shifted great. Who knows how many decades that was left untouched. Running non- JASO MA oil in a wet clutch bike is too risky for me. Not worth it to save a little money, but possibly need to do a clutch job.
I like the speed.of your videos...just right for a Friday and well Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday and the weekend too... Keep up the good work. Bye Stuart 🙂
Morning Stu, hope that you're allright. I don't consider myself a princess as such but I'm pleased to see that you finally have a Royal Enfield keyring on the bullet 😆. I'll just sashey off now Princess charming might be popping round later...
You didn't lull me, Stu. I knew there was no way you'd give a poop about people with the attention span of a gold fish! It's great to have content that doesn't rot your brain and requires you to actually engage a bit. Eventually people will realise that the 'easy to consume' content they *think* they prefer has changed them into internet zombies. Or perhaps they won't... but it'll be too late for them...
Hi Stuart, don’t know how I missed this one. I’d be interested if you use OE filters when changing your oil, or an aftermarket one. I watched a video somewhere where the OE filters weren’t as good due to keeping production costs down. Many thanks again for your time and effort putting together these very informative videos for us.
Could not agree with you more, and I have taken Masters level classes in Tribology at University way back in the day. Tribology is the science of wear, friction and lubrication, and encompasses how interacting surfaces and other tribo-elements behave in relative motion and aslo includes bearing design and lubrication.
The bonus with syntec it has a much higher heat dissapation property and friction does not brake down its mollicules so fast hence smoother running engine ,the only thing ro remember on very long trips in the outbacks bring a few quarts along
Hi Stu, love the video, However the greatest difference between synthetic oil and mineral oil is on a molecular level the base oil in a synthetic has molecules of the same size whereas mineral oil is made from focalised plant material hence different sized molecules. In addition because most motorcycles these days have a common gearbox and engine lubrication the oil has to resist extreme pressure of the power transmission hence the reason motorcycle oil has a lot more additives and so the price difference between standard car oil and bike oil. The end result is not now but when the engine has done 40 thousands miles or more as such it will always be a hotly debated issue unless you subject multiple engines to the exactly the same conditions over a long period of time using different kinds of oil from different manufacturers but in my opinion/experience you get what you pay for and oils are cheap in comparison to engines
Thanks for the info but that's not really what this video was about. I cant really buy several bikes and spend several years carrying out the tests you suggest.
Didn’t think you would my point is that although lubricant manufactures would have us believe that their product is the best something they cannot guarantee as mineral oil varies so much. The base of ester based oils is always the same we as consumers have to try and make a decision based on a the information that we able to glean from product nomenclature. You have mention one manufacture should you not mention that there are lots of other manufactures out there that meet the same specifications after all a lot of them are made in the same factory and sold under different labels ( badge engineering ) regards Tim
@@timeggleton8142 Yes I think that's exactly what I did Tim. I was very clear that any mainstream manufacturer will offer similar products and that I was not suggesting that silkolene was the only product people should consider. However it just happens to be the one I am using. Please don't infer I was suggesting otherwise. For your information all Silkolene products are made by silkolene at their factory in stoke on Trent.
Were you riding over the Humber Bridge? I was amazed at the great curves around the Lincolnshire Wolds - I shall explore more of this great part of the UK - especially loved Louth to Horncastle road past Cadwell park.
Exactly same for me. Interceptor sold as I was passing it by for the bullet. Although a lot was due to comfort as I.m 6ft 4. Interceptor better bike but the bullet. . .lovely.
I've thunderbird 500, it has as same uce engine as bullet 500. everyone including mechanic told me to use semi synthetic oil despite me being ready to pay for fully synthetic oil. now I'll do it no matter what.
Spot on I've used synthetic oil for decades. Cars and motorcycles. And yes,in vintage British twins,that have separate primary/trans/engine oil cases and/or requirements. Oil has been likened to liquid ball bearings. Cheap oil has molecular 'ball bearings' of various sizes and quantities. Synthetic oil has smaller 'ball bearings' in greater quantity,and uniformity. Snake oils come and go. Silkolene or Amsoil, are worth every penny.
Hi Uncle Stu - thx very much for this again! informative and entertaining video... I use "normal" but high quality oils (typically Liqui Moly) in my older bikes, i.e. the 40+year old BMWs and Hondas. the engines which consider themselves "modern" get full synthetic, like the XK8 or the 1987 Corvette. modern in this respect not only means "a lot of parts" as in the XK8-V8, but also lean burn low emissions, like the Corvette with hydraulic tappets. good idea to consider that for the lean burn UCE Bullet when the running-in is completed. that one falls certainly in the "modern= hot" categorie and obviously can profit from reducing additional wear when fully broken in. no problems expected as the almost new engine certainly is reasonably clean inside and modern production methods (liquid gaskets) prevent leaky surprises.
I may have mentioned this years ago, and you may have been aware of it even then, but do you own or have you looked into Pete Snidal's Royal Enfield Bullet manual? It's a beast, but still has a lot of information in it I haven't seen elsewhere. Out of the blue, yesterday I was browsing my old copy* and read the section on upgrading the Bullet to full synthetic oil (well, actually to use SAE90 in the gearbox instead of grease)... as well as perusing sections on returning the shifter to the right side (subsequent to countries making companies move it to the left), removing the dreaded sprag system and making various improvements. Now, today, this new-to-me older video. * A CD version from 2013, which I had copied to the cloud long ago - I wonder if Pete is still around and updating it.
Shell Advance Ultra 4T 15W-50 here in the U.S. seems to align with your silkolene. JASCO MA2 , High-performance air and water-cooled four stroke motorcycle engines, including race-tuned and ones with integral gearboxes and wet clutches.
Good one Uncle Stu - everyone is free to watch what they like. I choose your channel.
Hello Stu, greetings from Florida, USA. I have had my 2017 Classic 500 for one year now, she had 2300 miles on it, changed the oil day, black dirty wicked thin the oil was. I put in Motul 5100 4T 15W/50 Synthetic. Now over this past year I have risen just over 6K miles on the HOT Florida roads. Done two oil changes getting ready for a third, I can say honestly that the synthetic oil does a great job cooling the engine and the magnetic drain plugs are showing less particles. NOW as for these viewers who are stating that your videos are too long, they have no attention span, they can click elsewhere and piss-off.
Motul 5100 is not fully synt. It is semi sytn. 7100 is fully sytn
This man is a poet.
"Belly aching like a little princess" - I nearly spat my coffee all over the keyboard...brilliant comment.
Keep the videos as they are Stu. They're spot on!
Damn Stu. I wish there were more people on RUclips that actually gave useful information. Kudos.
I'm saving up for two years now and most probably i'll buy myself a conti gt this winter. Fingers crossed.
Brilliant. It’s great having a purpose for your saving. You’ll be rewarded with a bike that will give you a great deal of pleasure.
You will get the most pleasure out of saving up and buying your own bike 🙌 I did that as well for 3 years before getting my own GT535. Smiles every ride and even just by looking at the bike
I got my Interceptor last week after 3 years of saving and it's brilliant. Best of luck to you!
Thankyou guys😊😊😊. Appreciate it.
Hey guys. I have an update. I have bought me a gt650. Thankyou for your wishes. 😊😊
Thank you for getting to the point immediately and avoiding "click bait" invective.
Your experience and analysis is greatly appreciated when addressed directly. I'm in!
I actually love a bit of chatter in your videos… Explaining the pros and cons behind each videos is always welcomed by me.
Another great informative piece that I will keep in mind for my next service of my Classic 500.
If there is camping in your immediate future, can I say that your videos are a rare medium well done? 😁 👍
Enjoy your R & R my friend!
I use full synthetic, with the addition of a cartridge filter, on my 40-yr old Bonneville. (Just need to make sure it's rated for wet clutch). It did reveal a couple of pre-existing leaks, but I've fixed those and it's oil-tight now. My oil stays cleaner for longer, and being air-cooled it gives peace of mind knowing the oil is high-spec and keeps those qualities for longer periods.
I think some people have the idea that synthetic won't mix with any residual dinosaur oil and it will solidify - I think this comes from the days of Castrol R (which definitely doesn't mix).
Darn, thanks for keeping them the length you do.
"Cherry flavoured".... "Raspberry goodness" love the entertainment.
Many questions answered Stuart.. Best wishes from Australia.
Love the long videos Stuart, keep them the length they are! Or make them longer 😄
Stuart,
I have paid attention to my manuals, I've cared about the oils and choices I've made. But I've never spent the time to go so deep into this slippery subject. Great explanation, love the jokes,your sense of humour is appreciated.
Always enjoy your videos regardless of how “short” they are, and regardless of how exciting the topics may seem to be. You’ve even made Oil an interesting topic👍⭐️😎
Another great video with more completely practical advice. I have always run synthetics in my bikes (after break-in) and as a result, every single one of them has performed flawlessly and the engines remained like new inside. I ignored the naysayers and heard all those same myths - but whereas others had bikes wear out, mine styed like new. Definitely worth the extra money for good oil (if you value your bike's engine and want it to last).
I agree with many others and yourself.....if you don't like it then don't watch it .. .. as for me I watch every second and enjoy them fully..thankyou stu for your enjoyable video's
Yes, thanks for coming.
I like this 500. Beautiful dash arrangement.
A motorcycle mechanic friend back in the 90s was servicing a much abused 125 and said, if it was up to him, he would put synthetic oil in it. He would concur with everything you say. He used to put Silkolene Pro 4 in my early 90s bike. Lovely cherry colour.
Excellent video.
I remember the 80', my father wrcked the engine in his Mercedes with Synthetic oil, hehehehe... Nowdays I use Motul 7100 in all my bikes. Stuart, I'm so happy with the longer videos containing sarcasm, cheeky comments and sceptisism...Love them.. Thank you!!
I used Motul 7100 in my vintage Honda Shadow VT500C 1986 and tried Millers as it would perform great. Unfortunately it does not: slipping clutch, found out when I needed to jumpstart it.
Cheers from the Netherlands 🤝👍🇳🇱
My Classic 500 is now on Shell Advance 4T 15W-50 Ultra full synthetic. I changed over to full synth at the 2nd service as I considered it had completed the break-in. The sump magnets on mine had relatively few particles, which I was pleased to see.
My 2021 RE Classic 500 has now done 5,800km and has had its second service.. The dealership is telling me to run the bike on Shell Advance AX5 15W-50 oil.. Is this mineral or semi-synthetic??? I'm finding I'm topping up the oil every two tanks of fuel, is this normal???
I don't rev the bags out of my bike, the fastest I've ever gone is 95kph up about 5km stretch of the freeway, otherwise I'm tootling around on back roads.. It seems happy at 80kph...
@@sirgalah561 Shell don't seem to provide much info but that oil looks OK to use but the frequent topping up isn't normal. Are you checking the level correctly? It's a bit quirky to do on the Classic 500 and it's easy to overfill as a result.
@@sirgalah561 I don't know the answer as regards the Shell oil - why now ask them? The spec looks OK. The frequent topping up is unusual so I'd get back to your dealer on this. Checking the oil level on a Classic is a bit quirky and it's easy to misread and over fill.
The perfect video timing for my oil change this month. Thank you Stu! ♥️
We love yout video's no matter how long the videos are uncle Stu 🙌🙌❗️
I used Silkolene in my Tiger Sport , fully synthetic cherry flavour and I have to say it made a noticeable difference in terms of smoother running and gear changes a very good oil. 👍
St Louis, MO (USA) here, and quickly becoming a huge fan. Great info and very much enjoy the dark humor! I have never heard someone speak with such an absolute command of the English language!
Cheers!
Thank you thank you thank you! I often feel like the madman shouting in the desert, defending my choice of using full synthetic oil in my RE Classic 500. Great to hear the full breakdown and advise (run in period with semi an switch to full after that) and addressing the myths that surround the use of full synthetic oil. I must sign up to your Patreon! Oh wait - I already did that a good while ago :) Money well spend I'd say! :) please keep doing your videos like you do - love the humour and they always leave me smiling AND educated at the same time.
I love your work Stuart, cheers from Australia
I agree with you on the whole oil discussion. Use the best oil you can get regardless of the motorcycle.
When it comes to oil in depends on 'when', IMO. New engine, do 100 miles, drain the factory oil and replace with non-synthetic. This allows the rings to seat and polish the cylinders. At 600 miles drain and replace with synthetic and run that from then on because it is a better lubricant and will significantly reduce wear. Of course filter changes at all oil changes.
My 2 cents worth. ;)
I am no motor mechanic, but what has engine oil got to do with piston rings and cylinders ?.
I have a 2006 Harley Davidson custom883. On the 2nd oil change . I asked Harley service manager, what was the best oil, for the bike. He recommended the synthetic oil. I asked him if synthetic oil would keep my engine cooler. He said 20 degrees cooler. So I have used synthetic every since. Good job on the video. Thanks so much
I love your long videos. Don’t make to many to short! I learn so much from you!
I’ve never even considered that not all oils are equal. Until this video it was a liquid (probably) poured in at the garage every service. You have now sold me the idea of taking a great deal of interest of what will be poured into my engine at its next service. Thank you.
Yup, there's a reason why most expensive cars (and now bikes) have synthetic oils specified by their manufacturers:
Their customers get so angry if the engines wear out early! Also, by being more constant in their viscosity over a
wide temperature range (partly due to lean burning required by emission regs) they allow closer machining tolerances,
and thus lower amounts of unburned gases being emitted. That wide viscosity range is good for transmissions, too,
and synthetic oils are appearing now even in car transmissions.
@@daveinwla6360 I was shocked a couple of years ago when changing the oil in my partners car. went to halfords to pick up some oil. they had I think, one mineral oil for sale , the rest were all synthetic.
@@stuartfillingham - Yes, and as I recall from your video on the interceptor 650's YSS fork upgrade, Silkolene's fork and suspension fluid is synthetic, too, for a more constant viscosity over a wide temperature range.
I’ve used Amsoil Metric 15w 50 in my 2015 Classic has been performing just fine 9000 miles of good use.
As a mechanic once told me "I've never seen an engine that had enough of any type of oil in it seize". Sometimes I wonder if we worry too much about oil for such pedestrian machines as street motorbikes.
Don't shorten your videos Uncle Stu! I love the length of your videos and how you go into every nitty gritty detail on the bikes! I sometimes leave your videos on when I drive (not watching just listening), therapeutic stuff!
Hi Stu, don't change what you are doing or how you do it, we love it as it is, and if someone doesn't, to bad
I love the longer vids ❤ even more so now were back in full lockdown again 🙄
Out of interest, I was once repairing some equipment in a Shell plant that was filling containers with oil. The containers changed suddenly from their cheaper type to (at the time X100) their better / best grade. I asked how this was possible to the operator and he assured me that the most expensive oil was still good value because it came with a better guarantee. I left it there and asked no more questions.... admittedly, that was about 30 years ago. I've wondered about synthetic oils and wondered exactly what they were since they are not actually synthetic since they all come from an oil base. They seem to be better, however I think there is still a lot of smoke and mirrors in marketing oil products. I did use "Castrol" in Canada at one point until the clay deposits blocked the oil passage to the overhead camshaft on the old Volvo I was driving and seized the camshaft. I was later advised that I was not the first. There were lumps of what I could only call clay in the oil which when crushed looked indeed like grey clay. Now, you can't take much stock in this because the oil in the container could have come from anywhere and it was simply put in the container somewhere unknown who was operating under license from Castrol simply as marketing and selling a product. Put this all together and you will realize that I'm not certain of anything!!
Excellent content and advice mate! Been using Silkolene fully synthetic in my 2015 Classic 500 since I bought her from new. She now has 21,800 miles on the clock with no problems. Love your channel.....subscribed!
Well done Stuart. I am all for using excellent quality fully synthetic oils, even in older vehicles. I have 3 motor vehicles. Mercedes 300 SE from 1991. I have owned it for 16 years and 110,000 miles.Always fully synthetic (usually Mobil 1). My motorcycle, BMW K75 from 1988. Owned for 13 years, lots of miles (not sure how many, but adventures have included the Sahara desert and Atlas mountains in Morocco). Same oil. Finally my classic vehicle, (yes those are my moderns): 1936 Austin Seven Ruby. Owned for 25 years. You guessed it. Fully synthetic Mobil 1.
Why people choose to use inferior lubricantes for older vehicles, just because that was what they had back in the day, just beats me. Good quality oil, changed regularly, is cheaper than engines.
Thanks Stuart . I was thinking of running semi synthetic in the Interceptor but i will think i will give that a miss!! Cheers Ian
Ive got the electra x i think im in love with it!
As usual thank you for my morning laugh with your bellyaching comment... lol I have used fully synthetic oils on my motorcycles ever since it came to Market it is my oil of choice even in my truck. And I change my oil twice each season. I purchased my oil in bulk when it comes to my motorcycles because both bikes take the same weight oil my Royal Enfield Interceptor and my Triumph Bonneville T120. 😊 I hope you had an enjoyable weekend ride safe stay safe. 😎
This little princess sticks it out-- every time. Great work, Uncle Stu!
Well done Stuart, the adage of can't please everyone springs to mind
Stay safe as always
Great attitude from you.Really like your videos!
Love the sound of that big single at higher revs
I totally agree with your entire vlog!
I have been using full synthetics in all of my vehicles for decades!
Keep well mate👍
Well Done Stuart, another very useful and informative video. You Keep me in touch with the old country. My latest Enfield Bullet is as rewarding as the Interceptor i already owned. After 40 years on bikes these two are the most interesting and absorbing i have owned. Now looking for a Continental GT 535, followed in time by 650 GT or by then maybe 750 GT !! we can only hope. No more Harley,s for me. All the best from the Gold coast Australia.
I’ve been using fully synthetic on my V-Strom Suzuki practically from day one. Now at 153.000 km and rolling strong.
Have used fully synthetic oil in 3 bikes....was recommended by my local bike garage....more expensive...but supremely better....and I would like much longer vids please....many thanks
Haha, you got me at the beginning ;-)
I don't have many subscribers but decided from the start to make videos for me, and any like minded people are welcome to come along for the ride.
My Interceptor 650 is coming up on 12,000 using Maxima ProPlus 10W-50 100% Synthetic Ester Formula API SL/JASO MA2. Last time I couldn't get Silkolene. Hoping to switch over this time. Thank you for the video.
Have watched your vids Sir! Touring about on your Baker Express(?). I used the same Maxima oil in my 2020 INT 650 at the 300 mile service. But after sitting the winter and back into service I noticed a bit more valve train noise at idle after full warm up. At the 12 month oil change with 3200 miles on the Maxima oil, I changed to Motul 7100 and the tappets quieted down considerably. I waited 14 months at 3600 miles to check the valve lash the second time and they had not changed since the initial setting at 300 miles. Hope this is useful to you!
@@michaelabernathy7013 First, thank you for watching.
Boy, this oil thing can be so confusing. So many options and anecdotal evidence from very experienced sources. It is hard to find actual facts so that we can make the perfect decision. To back up what you are saying the Tucson Royal Enfield dealer where I'm getting my work done recommend Maxima or Mutol 5100, but I already have the Silkolene. So now I will be burning the electrons on my laptop this weekend trying to decide what to run on for the next 12,000 miles. I greatly appreciate you input and that you care enough to speak up. What bike do you have? Thank you.
@@MeAndMyRoyalEnfield I own a 2020 INT 650 in Mark 3 color scheme. If excellent reliability continues it may be the best bike I've owned. Previously that includes all of the Big 4 Japanese brands. Been riding since 1973.
@@michaelabernathy7013 Very cool. I have over 12K miles on my 2020 and I'm very happy. How many miles on yours?
@@MeAndMyRoyalEnfield About 3900 miles now.
Very interesting Stuart, as you say, hearsay, myths and rumour don't replace evidence and scientific facts, well done!
Thank you for this info. I did my 1st oil.change w/full synthetic oil and wondered if I changed oil types too soon.
Brilliant video as always Stuart and your videos are perfectly formed in every way 😃👍🏻, and don’t think I didn’t notice the new key ring 😊.
I fully agree with you on the "break-in engine wear". My commuting bike (not a Royal Enfield or Triumph) has over 120,000 miles and I've own her from new. After the 1st full service (not the running-in service) I've used fully synthetic oil though the manual say use semi-synthetic. The engine is absolutely fine, no problems what-so-ever. If anything, she has less engine wear than a lot of bikes with (a lot) less mileage.
That is impressive mileage sir!
@@stuartfillingham It would have been closer to 150,000 if it weren't for the current state of affairs. FYI, she's 670cc, 11 years old and apart from the recommended servicing at the required intervals she's had brake discs replaced at 105,000 (I did mention I commute on her...), the clutch replaced at 112,000 and the water pump at 117,000. She's about to have the rear shock changed and the fork springs replaced. I believe she'll do at least 250,000 possibly more if the rest of the bike holds up.
Good video, Stuart. A sensible overview of the black art of vehicle lubrication.
About 20 years ago, I returned to biking after some years. I bought a brand new Chinese 125 four stroke single for summer commuting. I had a few conversations with knowledgeable petrol heads re lubrication while running in. Being a fearless dabbler (as opposed to "expert"), I tried an experiment I had not done before on this cheap transport. I was assured that "own brand" cheap oil was made from the same bright stock as the high profile brands but lacked the additives which extend the mileage that the oil remains "in spec" and keeps the engine clean with it's in-built detergents.
I bought a large bottle of "own brand" with the correct viscosity and changed the oil every 500km until the cheap oil was gone ( 4 changes I think). I treated this little engine with due respect until run in and then switched to a decent oil brand thereafter. That little engine never used a drop of oil. At the end of the summer I gave the bike to my son who was at Uni and couldn't afford any transport of his own. Despite several years of merciless thrashing at his hands, It never used any oil.
Finally, I do use synthetic oil in my vehicles now and never miss an oil change.
As for synthetics being bad for the clutch….kinds that are meant for motorcycles rated JASO MA may be safely used……
@@redtobertshateshandles Fuel saving oils synthetic or otherwise are the culprit…for they have an additive that contaminates the discs and makes them slip against the plates even under full clamping pressure….JASO MA type oils do not have this additive and are safe to use. Notwithstanding the problems of a worn basket which are indeed a source of woe.
Best opening to a RUclips video EVER!! Longline the King!!!😂😂😂👍👍👍👌👌👌✔️✔️✔️
Really informative vid. Thanks uncle stu!!. I learn a lot here about proper maintenance, I’m very grateful to you again. Ta!!!😁
Really interesting.
Liked your videos, best of luck from Uruguay Sr.
Uncle Stu is a good trigger point for me to show a little bit more love to my Basanti Interceptor 650. I did the oil change and installed a power plug today
You keep waffling Stuart and I’ll keep listening! Very interesting info👍
Good vlog. Very educative Stuart!👌🏼
Hi Stuart. My bullet has 1,400 miles on the clock and she is 1 year and 7 months old. I want to change the oil before the winter sets in. So this time I will stick to the semi synthetic and the next oil change change to fully synthetic when I have a few more miles on the clock. Keep the videos coming Kiddo they are the best on the Web. Ride and be safe. Ron.
Your style is your style…which I happen to like a whole lot. No need to change a blasted thing.
One thing I've learned from riding a smaller-displacement bike (Vespa GTS 300) quite frequently on highways (rather hard) here in the States is to keep a closer-than-usual eye on the oil - both level and condition. (CVT drive-belt, too, but that's another matter.) Your Classic is air-cooled whereas my ride is liquid-cooled, but I'm betting we both run pretty far up in our respective bikes' capable performance range. Since I'm garage-less (have an okay driveway, as I might've mentioned before) I leave most of the service duties to my dealer, which knows just how hard I ride the thing, and wrench on the bike appropriately; as I believe mine is by far the highest-mileage Vespa they've dealt with so far, my GTS has become something of a barometer for how and when something is going to fail.
Keep up the great work. I'm a tad envious of your garage, not to mention its contents. :-)
I’ve just used shell 15w-50 full synthetic oil in my classic 350 in replacement of liquid gun. There is noticeable reduction in the vibration and the engine noise. There was a slight tappet noise earlier which is now no longer there after full synthetic oil. Bike seems to be more relaxed on higher revs. If you do a lot of long distant riding go for full synthetic, and if your purpose is only for daily commute with few miles a day then go for semi synthetic. Remember to change your oil on time. A lot goes into a bikes smooth operation and oil is just a part of it, check the spark plugs, oil & air filters, clean your fuel filters once in a while. Delayed oil changes results in sludge formation and it effects the performance of your engine. Always ride safe.
I agree with everything you have said. All my research has pointed me to the same point. I do however, use mineral oil since I have a bunch laying around that are bike rated. By far the most important thing I have found is changing it on a reasonable schedule.
Got an old guzzi running. Had tons of issues shifting, ended up changing the gnarly transmission oil and it shifted great. Who knows how many decades that was left untouched. Running non- JASO MA oil in a wet clutch bike is too risky for me. Not worth it to save a little money, but possibly need to do a clutch job.
1600 spin speed on that dual carriageway, go on Stu !
Great content, keep it up 👍
Very well thought out and good reasoning. I will be following suit. Oh yes make the video's as long as you like I will still watch them.
today I found one of the most sympathic biker channels 👍👍
Good onya Stuart! All the best from Oz!
Thank you Stuart. Please just keep being yourself.
I like the speed.of your videos...just right for a Friday and well Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday and the weekend too... Keep up the good work. Bye Stuart 🙂
Great Vid Stu. Very Informative! Love your Channel and Content! Please keep up the Good Work. Cheers from Salem, Ohio US.
Morning Stu, hope that you're allright. I don't consider myself a princess as such but I'm pleased to see that you finally have a Royal Enfield keyring on the bullet 😆. I'll just sashey off now Princess charming might be popping round later...
Nice one Stuart, informative as always...
Excellent food for thought. Cheers and thanks.
You didn't lull me, Stu. I knew there was no way you'd give a poop about people with the attention span of a gold fish!
It's great to have content that doesn't rot your brain and requires you to actually engage a bit.
Eventually people will realise that the 'easy to consume' content they *think* they prefer has changed them into internet zombies.
Or perhaps they won't... but it'll be too late for them...
Agree with everything you said in this. Although I suggest the manufacturers oil change intervals are often too far apart for marketing reasons.
Another very interesting video will be having a look at the recommendations for my meteor thanks stu very well researched and presented appreciated
Hi Stuart, don’t know how I missed this one. I’d be interested if you use OE filters when changing your oil, or an aftermarket one. I watched a video somewhere where the OE filters weren’t as good due to keeping production costs down. Many thanks again for your time and effort putting together these very informative videos for us.
Could not agree with you more, and I have taken Masters level classes in Tribology at University way back in the day.
Tribology is the science of wear, friction and lubrication, and encompasses how interacting surfaces and other tribo-elements behave in relative motion and aslo includes bearing design and lubrication.
The bonus with syntec it has a much higher heat dissapation property and friction does not brake down its mollicules so fast hence smoother running engine ,the only thing ro remember on very long trips in the outbacks bring a few quarts along
Your channel you can make on this longer as short as you want amazing how you keep your composure love the videos keep it up
Hi Stu, love the video, However the greatest difference between synthetic oil and mineral oil is on a molecular level the base oil in a synthetic has molecules of the same size whereas mineral oil is made from focalised plant material hence different sized molecules. In addition because most motorcycles these days have a common gearbox and engine lubrication the oil has to resist extreme pressure of the power transmission hence the reason motorcycle oil has a lot more additives and so the price difference between standard car oil and bike oil. The end result is not now but when the engine has done 40 thousands miles or more as such it will always be a hotly debated issue unless you subject multiple engines to the exactly the same conditions over a long period of time using different kinds of oil from different manufacturers but in my opinion/experience you get what you pay for and oils are cheap in comparison to engines
Thanks for the info but that's not really what this video was about. I cant really buy several bikes and spend several years carrying out the tests you suggest.
Didn’t think you would my point is that although lubricant manufactures would have us believe that their product is the best something they cannot guarantee as mineral oil varies so much. The base of ester based oils is always the same we as consumers have to try and make a decision based on a the information that we able to glean from product nomenclature. You have mention one manufacture should you not mention that there are lots of other manufactures out there that meet the same specifications after all a lot of them are made in the same factory and sold under different labels ( badge engineering ) regards Tim
@@timeggleton8142 Yes I think that's exactly what I did Tim. I was very clear that any mainstream manufacturer will offer similar products and that I was not suggesting that silkolene was the only product people should consider. However it just happens to be the one I am using. Please don't infer I was suggesting otherwise. For your information all Silkolene products are made by silkolene at their factory in stoke on Trent.
I've had my C5 for 10 years and have 18,000 miles on it. I've always used full synthetic oil (Mobil 1) and the engine runs like new. No worries!
Were you riding over the Humber Bridge? I was amazed at the great curves around the Lincolnshire Wolds - I shall explore more of this great part of the UK - especially loved Louth to Horncastle road past Cadwell park.
Exactly same for me. Interceptor sold as I was passing it by for the bullet. Although a lot was due to comfort as I.m 6ft 4. Interceptor better bike but the bullet. . .lovely.
Having had triumphs of old I did joy like the vibration and wondered I the 650 RE was different in the vibration.
I've thunderbird 500, it has as same uce engine as bullet 500. everyone including mechanic told me to use semi synthetic oil despite me being ready to pay for fully synthetic oil. now I'll do it no matter what.
Spot on
I've used synthetic oil for decades.
Cars and motorcycles.
And yes,in vintage British twins,that have separate primary/trans/engine oil cases
and/or requirements.
Oil has been likened to liquid ball bearings.
Cheap oil has molecular 'ball bearings' of various sizes and quantities.
Synthetic oil has smaller 'ball bearings' in greater quantity,and uniformity.
Snake oils come and go.
Silkolene or Amsoil, are worth every penny.
As usual a balanced and informed video, thanks 👍👍👍👍
Hi Uncle Stu - thx very much for this again! informative and entertaining video... I use "normal" but high quality oils (typically Liqui Moly) in my older bikes, i.e. the 40+year old BMWs and Hondas. the engines which consider themselves "modern" get full synthetic, like the XK8 or the 1987 Corvette. modern in this respect not only means "a lot of parts" as in the XK8-V8, but also lean burn low emissions, like the Corvette with hydraulic tappets. good idea to consider that for the lean burn UCE Bullet when the running-in is completed. that one falls certainly in the "modern= hot" categorie and obviously can profit from reducing additional wear when fully broken in. no problems expected as the almost new engine certainly is reasonably clean inside and modern production methods (liquid gaskets) prevent leaky surprises.
Good one uncle Stu as always thanks for the info
I'll keep in touch for the update in a year or so ...
But I think your onto something - Good
I may have mentioned this years ago, and you may have been aware of it even then, but do you own or have you looked into Pete Snidal's Royal Enfield Bullet manual? It's a beast, but still has a lot of information in it I haven't seen elsewhere.
Out of the blue, yesterday I was browsing my old copy* and read the section on upgrading the Bullet to full synthetic oil (well, actually to use SAE90 in the gearbox instead of grease)... as well as perusing sections on returning the shifter to the right side (subsequent to countries making companies move it to the left), removing the dreaded sprag system and making various improvements. Now, today, this new-to-me older video.
* A CD version from 2013, which I had copied to the cloud long ago - I wonder if Pete is still around and updating it.
Hello Mr. Fillingham,
Hope you are doing good.
I request you to kindly make a video on full service of Classic 500.
Regards
You always will get the nobs, Stu. Ignore them and just keep producing your excellent videos.
Thanks again . Great stuff 🙂
Shell Advance Ultra 4T 15W-50 here in the U.S. seems to align with your silkolene. JASCO MA2 , High-performance air and water-cooled four stroke motorcycle engines, including race-tuned and ones with integral gearboxes and wet clutches.
Morning from PNW, Chateau Bel- Ray not cheap but cheaper than a engine.Good job Stu👍🏍