Learning curve I know but I believed the dealer's parts guy when he gave me the container of oil. Later I was researching oil types for a presentation and realized I had used mineral instead of semi or synthetic. (Manual) I have not ridden the bike since the oil change. What is the impact? Do I just suck it up and drain the mineral to replace with synthetic? Weather has been hot here. I put distance on the bike when I ride.
Assuming the mineral meets the required spec I wouldn't worry about it but just change it a bit earlier than with SS/FS oil. If it doesn't meet the minimum spec required I'd change it. A big plus of synthetics is they stay in grade longer. If it falls
Thanks. It meets the specs except for the source.... Unless someone suggests otherwise I'll keep it for this trip which is short.
Keep it for your trip, some sources are of the opinion that running a bike on mineral oil when new is good for the engine in that it lets everything bed in better, then at first oil change switch to fully or semi synthetic
This is the first oil change I performed but not the bike's. (In March the 500 mile was done at a dealer). The bike has 5100 miles now but I will go with the mineral for this short trip (@300 miles). Thanks for the confidence.
But to add.... @Jammin Jones IF it doesn't meet the required spec then I would be draining it back into it's original container and putting it firmly back on their counter! Tell them it's secondhand now and the reason you've brought it back for credit plus you want a goodwill gesture, reference their incompetent parts person. Yesterday, I was fortunate to go for breakfast at the cafe fastened onto a Triumph dealer. Whilst stirring my tea I looked at the x3 shims and alternator gasket I'd just bought. what, that gasket is snapped in the bottom corner. Mistakes do happen but it's how it's resolved that matters, replacement gasket given no issues. Fortunately it was only next door but I wouldn't have been a happy bunny if I'd have got all the way home, 20+ miles away.
This is like learning a new language! The only part of the specs that it didn't meet was that it was a mineral formula. Manual requires SAE 10w-40 or 50, SH or higher. semi or synthetic. The oil I used was Maxima SAE 10w-40 mineral formula API SL. Other than the mineral part it seems to have the right "specs". Am I understanding this correctly? (I did speak to the parts guy, he is humbled....I'll get a good discount on my next purchase).
Triumph Spec calls for fully or semi synthetic....here in the UK they spec the Castrol Brand.....thats what I stick with....there are cheaper brands out there but not for me. I take it it was not a Triumph Parts Store you used. To me I would drain it and replace the oil filter The only time these engine have straight mineral oil in them is for the run in period. I use Semi Synthetic of the Castrol Brand....the type formulated for motorcycle engines. Theres a thing...the oil the guy sold you....was it a car engine based oil??? Its quite different to bike engine oil due to the clutch.....car engine oil can have additive's that can make the clutch slip.
It was a Triumph dealer that sold it to me! He had castrol in the quart and I wanted the galloon. He reached for the Maxima and said it was the same but different brand. We have both learned from this!!
I have changed the oil today. Castrol synthetic 10w-40. The brand new mineral oil that drained out was not the honey color it went in two days and less than 5km ago. Thanks for the advice! On to the next adventure.
That mineral oil looks fine to me, bike specific and exceeds the latest JASO MA2 spec bit it 's your choice and you can't put a price on peace of mind. Triumph recommend Castrol, yeah OK. When I had my FZR1000 years ago, Yamaha recommended Motul. When I asked a tech guy at the Bikeshow why they recommended Motul specifically he replied, "they sponsor our race team sir". Just sayin'.
I really debated whether to change the oil or not. I suspect it would have been fine for this short trip. The bike is a 2023 with all the new stuff that i am learning about... I'm used to an older bike. I figured it has done me well so far, I should baby it a bit. (I bought it in March with 100 miles on it and have 5200 now so it has been a great machine for me...) The service folk at the oil shop said the same thing about the different "names" of oils, all depends on who sponsors etc. They did seem to encourage the change from mineral to synthetic because of my riding habits, the hot weather and age of bike. I hate the idea of turning in a gallon of new oil though! I sure have learned a lot about grade, viscosity and oil specs recently! Thanks for the feedback.
I think you should consider buying your oil elsewhere. Those clowns don't know hay from a bull's foot, it seems to me.
I know for a fact there are good dealers and bad dealers but poor customer service and product/model knowledge is the main reason I went down the DIY route years ago with maintenance and servicing. I've had both great and rubbish service from dealers in the past, some from guys who really knew their stuff and some from those who clearly didn't know their a*se from a hole in the ground. Very frustrating!
The world operated just fine for over a 100 years on good 'ol mineral oil. And refineries today make it just about as good as the syns. Honda doesn't even recommend syn in my '19 Goldwing with changes @ 8k. And filters only every other oil change. Don't get all caught-up in the hype. JMHO.
