I've used the Rotella T6 Synthetic before with good success.
However, my local TSC store stopped carrying it and Canadian Walmarts don't have nearly the variety as the American versions.
I was able to find at my TSC store the Valvoline equivalent of the Shell Rotella product at a similar price ($26 CDN for 4 litres): Valvolene Premium Blue® Extreme Diesel Synthetic 5w40 and my bike seems to like it even better. My tranny has never shifted so smoothly.
It is wet clutch safe as it contains no friction modifiers.
I bought my 2004 new and used Shell Rotella T 5w40 T5 in it ever since, no clutch issues, on long trips I will put in Shell Rotella T 15w40. The new Rotella T6 5w40 has a bit more moly in it than the T5 I've been using, I have cases of the T6 on hand when my T5 supply runs out. I can't speak on the T6 but think it's ok for clutch.
I initially had great success with the t6.....shifting was sooooo smooth, I got so excited I went out and bought 3 jugs. Then...or but, I found out that it wore out quickly...shifting got super clunky/notchy fast....like 3000km fast...I was always changing oil. This is MY seat of the pants assessment.
Try Castrol ActEvo 10w40. It's a "part" synthetic oil. I get it at Cycle Gear stores, but most dealers sell it, too. Great stuff, but it's getting expensive anymore. Used to get it for $3.99 a quart, but now now it's up to $6.00 +/- on sale. I may try going to Valvoline motorcycle-specific oil. O'Reilly's auto parts carries it, and it's reasonably priced.
my big ol' bike has always made clunky, chunky sounds when shifting, regardless of the oil type. I've used dino and synthetics, 10w40, 15w40, blah, blah, blah. It's just a clunky, chunky shifter. But it sure is fun to ride!
Just changed my bikes oil to the T6. Went and put 100 miles on it prior to Thanksgiving. Shifting has improved greatly, will stay with it going forward. Plus it's reasonably priced at $22/Gal compared to other full synthetics.
I just serviced my new to me 2005 Nomad. It had some noises that it made. Enough that I took it to my local dealer after I got it home. The service manager said they were all normal. It had a Fram filter and who knows what oil in it. I changed it to Rotella 5W40 and a Kawasaki filter. The results are dramatic. Idling noise is reduced. A transmission whine at certain speeds is gone. I have used Rotella for years in my 1998 Goldwing with super results. The Nomad will get the same treatment.
Another intersting thing. Fram lists the same filter for the Nomad and my Wing. I have a case of Honda filters for the Wing. I compared the new Kawasaki filter to the Honda one and saw no significant difference. They both had the same number of return holes and appeared the same inside. The only difference was the way the end was assembled. What do you think?
I'd rather pay the money for a genuine Kawi Filter than risk a Fram.
In fact, many motorcycle mechanics would risk almost any other brand before they would use a Fram.
I totally agree with you on filters. I use OEM on all of my vehicles. Why pay lots of money for a vehicle and take a few dollars chance on an aftermarket filter. My Goldwing buddies are the worst for that. They brag about finding a WalMart Supertech filter for some car that screws on OK and run car tires on the back of the 1800s. Not me.
You almost can't beat a SuperTech filter, been running them for years on a variety of bikes and according to the filter tests I've seen, they are superior to most "MC" filters. But fortunately for those that thumb their noses at them, they have quit producing them.
Just take a moment and click this link and add your Nomad model, and I bet it will take a Wix 51358 oil filter. Vulcans use the 51358, that's what I've been using for years on my bike, and the 800 when I owned it, great filter, I get a bag of 10 at a time at my auto parts store, I do my own oil changes.
Not a thing wrong with the Walmart supertech oil filters. They are made by champion who also makes the bosch filters. And for under $3.00 it's a bargain for a great filter. Been using them for many years in my vulcan and goldwing.
I just switched from Kawi oil to rotella t6 5-40 I noticed right away the shifts were alot smoother on my 1700 vaquero. And it seems to run a little cooler. So far im happy with the switch
Just dumped the 5w-40 Rotella out of mine, clutch slipped and shifting was clunky. I went back to Dino 20w-50. I have also used the Rotella 15w-40 with good results.
I'm running the Rotella T6 too. It doesn't shift as nice as the Valvoline MC oil I was running though. It's not bad though, and shifts much quieter than the OEM Dino oil the Dealership put in when I bought it.
I ride almost every day. I'm mostly a 40-50 mph cruiser and expect to get at least 5000 out of the T6 before changing. And as much as I'm riding, shouldn't take very long.
the Rotella T6, is that specifically motorcycle oil? I do not know much about this so when I go to my local autozone I always ask for motorcycle oil and they have a limited supply in which none is Rotella, however, when I am looking at the engine oil in the normal section for oil, there is rotella there. Is this what everyone is talking about or is the T6 something completely different?
No, it is not specifically motorcycle oil. T6 is a heavy duty diesel oil (HDEO); however, it meets performance requirements of JASO MA spec which makes it suitable for motorcycles with shared sumps/wet clutches. Same goes for Rotella T (15w-40).
T6 is good oil, I run it in my 1700 Nomad, it results in a bit better gas mileage, smoother shifting and a quieter engine.
by the way, both rotella oils are not true synthetic oils, they are highly refined dino oils... there are only a couple of true synthetic oils out there, Amsoil is one of them, but in my opinion the full synthetics are not worth the high cost... most "synthetics" are highly refined dino or blends of dino oil... but the industry reg's allow them to still be called "synthetic"
but T6 is still a good oil for a reasonable price and works great for me...
I use the Mobil 1 filter and change oil every 5000 miles
I think you'll find that if you use Mobil 1 10w40 or 20w50 motorcycle oil, you can go the 5000 miles without any degradation of the shifting quality. I do it all the time. Mobil 1 is a true synthetic, no dino in it at all.
I think some bikes react differently to various oil types. I have already bought the T6 so will have to try mobil next. I came close to trying it. This will be 3rd oil change for this bike.
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Changed the oil. The ticking is gone and shifting is smoothed out. I think at last oil change, I may not have filled it with enough oil.
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