Ducati Monster Forum

 I'm approaching the 600 mile service on my 696 and was wondering what type of oil to run. The salesman suggested full synthetic but I,ve never used it before for breaking in a bike.

The old-school belief has always been that full synthetic works too well and won't allow an engine to break in properly.  That idea seems to be fading away now.  There are many manufacturers that equip their brand-new bikes with full synthetic oil right from the factory and/or recommend them right off the sales floor.  In fact Harley Davidson puts a sticker right on the engine of their Screamin' Eagle models that says they're equipped with the Screamin' Eagle synthetic oil right from the factory and specify that this oil must be used in these engines.  It may have been true at one time, but today's oils are so well engineered that I doubt a proper motorcycle-specific synthetic oil would be a problem at all during break-in.  But if you're concerned at all, it doesn't hurt one bit to run regular non-synthetic until your first major service or oil change and then switch over to synthetic, if you so desire.  The main thing with oil and motorcycles is to change it regularly and use only motorcycle-specific oil, especially where wet clutches are concerned.

I think it also has some bearing (no pun intended) that many manufacuturers pre-run their engines as well, for warranty's sake.  I know that all the Rotax engines we get have a bit of oil in them, and black plugs.

Motul 300V.  IMO.

 Thanks guys....

ducati pre-runs every bike after assembly.

i have video.

Someday when you have 3 or 4 hours with nothing to do, read this thread. You will then learn more about oil than you ever wanted to know.
http://www.ducatimonster.org/forums/tech/122020-motor-oil.html

I have and as a result run Mobile 1 MX4T.

zarn02 summarized everything here:
http://ducatimonsterworldwide.org/index.php?topic=1912.0

Yeah don't worry a bit about putting synthetic oil in there cuz that is what your supposed to do.  On a side not from my understanding the bikes come from the factory with a synthetic blend.

IMO, your engine is not broken in yet...you only have 600 miles on it, and you have (supposedly) kept the rpm below 6000...that level of operation so far will not break an engine in.

Connecting rods stretch at high rpm, and the pistons (and rings) visit areas up high in the cylinder that they don't reach at lesser rpm. That's one reason I have a problem with the rule of "max 6000 rpm for the first 600 miles". But I digress...

My point is, your engine is not yet broken in. I would use a top quality non-synthetic from now until the 6,000 mile mark, changing it (and the filter) once at 3,300 miles.

After 6,000 miles, run synthetic...you're broken in by then.   [moto]

Just my $.02.

+1 on that [thumbsup]  My bike also runs a little cooler with the full syn. (MX4T)

I was looking for the Mobil 1 MX4T and found out that the name has been changed to Mobil 1 Racing 4T.  Same stuff, different name.  Think they changed the name because outside of U.S. it is known as Racing 4T.

I just did my 600 mile oil change and used Hondas HP4. Cuz I happened to be at there shop when I thought of it. Anyhow, I believe that my S2R 1K was delivered to me with full synthetic. I also believe that if you use a well respected quality of oil, you will not have any problems. My question is with changing oils (manufactures) not grades. I like to get as much of the old stuff out as possible. I will most likely be changing to Mobil 1 at my 3000.

Oh yeah,  the only thing that will hurt if you change you oil too often is your pocket-book.

RTFM