Running on mineral oil.

[Spindrift]

I am using mineral oil in my scooter XC500. It's an high quality 10w/40. Have used mineral oils in almost all my bikes and I must say they are awsome. Did a "test" on my 125cc underbone Bashan, Chinese made Honda Innova, and I drove it quite hard in 11000km with no more than 2000km between oil services. This model have no oil filter... When I sold it the engine was smooth as silk, I checked valve clearance, clutch and cam wear etc. But nothing.. when I did the valve checks I noticed how thick the oil film was on the rocker arms etc. Never going back to syn again. If you have an single or a twin bike go for mineral.

Don't  get me wrong, I understand that you can get better test result in a lab with an syn oil and some engins require syn just because they have so tight fit in the engine (tolerance), even lower mpg, higher power etc. BUT... does your low powered bike need all this? A fiend of mine used to race his Suzuki 1100 with god who knows how many hp. With more tha 80000km on the dial. An other with 800hp car-only mineral oil.

What type of oil are you using?

[Cortez]

I was using 15W50 mineral in my 650cc Kawasaki since the factory recommended that.
I'm using fully synthetic 5W40 in my 300cc scoot.. also factory recommendation.
Oh well.

[Vivo]

Just use recommended oils, mineral or synthetics... change as needed and monitor oil levels regularly... and all will be fine...

I use 15w-40 mineral...   

[sissy mary]

I would think the film on your rocker arms would be do to the fact that the bike had no oil filter, not that you had used syn oil. Synthetic oil is so much better than standard oil in all catagories, that the case has been closed on that subject years ago. I had 324,000 miles on my truck before the head gasket went, and I had used syn since the propper break in. I also use syn oil with a very high quality oil filter in all my vehicals. I change oil and filter about once a year. It saves me alot of money also as I am not changing it every 4,000 miles, as I would have to do with standard oil. Just my thoughts and or 2 cents. 

[Spindrift]

You are right. In an expensive tuned car or bike I would also use syn. In my case mineral API SL quality are just what I need. Low powered bike who most of the time sits in my garage. Up here in scandinavia the season is very short and due to other interests the bike doesent run so many km/year. It's not hot outside either.