Changing Oil Brand !!

[dragonworld.]

40,000k service due, so I tootle down to the bike shops were I usually pick up my non dedicated Duc oils and stuff for the service and grabbed the 5lt container of the recommended Shell oil for the DS and nearly bloody fell over when informed that that will be $98 thanks! 

What?? You're shitting me?? The same thing was $64 7 weeks ago?? As usual, all I got was an indignant look from the sales person and some feeble, not very convincing reasons why the increase.....Pffffft! 

That's the last time I'll be using that shop and Shell oil if that is now the "normal" cost. The greedy bastards !! A 30% increase is just plain greedy!! 

Had to go to Repco for some car parts and asked them about their Shell oil and could they get the bike stuff??

Apparently not!! Because, according to him the Motorcycle Industry doesn't want the likes of Repco etc undercutting them, so Shell wont supply these large chains. 

Friggin' bullshit I reckon! So he suggested Mobil and showed me the specs book and in particular, the oil that meets the Ducat specification, and it is around $35 for 4 litres or thereabouts! 

I know what I'll be using next service!  [moto]

[bazz20]

want too cut through the bike oil crap , go too your local caltex servo by a tub of delo 400 then go on there web sight and look up there specs youll get a shock as i did , i was put on too it by a freind that works in oils , too cut through the crap its a diesel oil thats multi fleet that includes cars and bikes and also excels in gear-engine applications and exceeds all api specs for bikes , be running in my bike all sumer and love it gear shifts are alot easier , done a fair bit of searching and found other bike users have been using it for ages now , george on the old board was impressed by it and the oil test that he did , on net rider theres some good info , but the best news cam from a friend in the oil business that told all oil except diesel oil has sulfar removed now because it shortens catalytic converters life and sulfur  in oils is the main anti wear adittive in oils so for any one intrested and wanting to save some bucks and get the best oil in there bike cheers bazz ps i wont be drawn into a shit fight about oils

[DUCMONROB]

The recomended full synthetic oil costs what you have quoted. This oil is ment to last the entire 12000km between services.

I normally use Castrol GPS which is a semi synthetic. I use this and change the oil every 5-6000km. You can get this oil from SuperCheap auto for around $45.

If you keep the oil changes regular there is no problem.

My two cents.

Rob

[dragonworld.]

+1 Bazz  

Thats pretty mucj what the fella at Repco said, he seemed to know his stuff.

But this bullshit that the bike industry carries on with about supply of "BIKE" (Shell obviously! ) oils to only "bike" shops to protect their margins ("apparently"). Hmmmm, smacks of monopoly ??  

[dragonworld.]

The recomended full synthetic oil costs what you have quoted. This oil is ment to last the entire 12000km between services.

I normally use Castrol GPS which is a semi synthetic. I use this and change the oil every 5-6000km. You can get this oil from SuperCheap auto for around $45.

If you keep the oil changes regular there is no problem.

My two cents.

Rob

Well, thats a HUGE increase in a short period of time ?? The Repco man said that it doesnt need to sold at that price ! The word he used was "exorbitant" ! But you can  get THAT oil at bike shops? 

Repco for example sells Shell oil and other Shell products so they know what the costs for the products are and he stopped short of saying straight up that it could be an interesting case of price fixing between the motorcycle industry and Shell. 

Maybe yes, maybe no, but it wouldnt suprise me that the customer once again is getting screwed !? 

[MonsterDorf]

Interestingly, I just bought a new Mondeo Turbo Diesel and it requires a special full synthetic oil that is only available from dealers (Caltex SLX Professional OE). When I took my car in the Ford dealer,they had no idea and were going to use the "red stuff" (Caltex Magnatec). It's not recommended by Ford. Long story but I made them get the right stuff and then called Caltex who put me onto a local distributor. He was able to supply the oil for $209 for a 20L container (smallest available). When I look at the specs it seems to meet or exceed the Ducati requirements. Not only that but they supply a range of brands at very good prices. So search for a Lubs distributor in your area and you might find what you need at a good price.

[bazz20]

The recomended full synthetic oil costs what you have quoted. This oil is ment to last the entire 12000km between services.



Rob

iterpendant oil sturdys have shown known brands of fully synthetic oils in bikes only last at most to 5000 kays after that there base polymers are stuffed , so what they are supposed to do is not taken into account on bikes but cars with larger sumps and seperat gear boxes so the rule of thumb is what rob said half your service time , one other thing about dello 400 15 w 40 is it is also designed as a stand alone gear box oil for trucks with internal hydrolick pumps so the must be fairly good too stand that treatment , any way hopes this helps some people and 5 litres cost 38 bucks just need too find a cheaper oil filter now cheers bazz

[DUCMONROB]

 

iterpendant oil sturdys have shown known brands of fully synthetic oils in bikes only last at most to 5000 kays after that there base polymers are stuffed , so what they are supposed to do is not taken into account on bikes but cars with larger sumps and seperat gear boxes so the rule of thumb is what rob said half your service time , one other thing about dello 400 15 w 40 is it is also designed as a stand alone gear box oil for trucks with internal hydrolick pumps so the must be fairly good too stand that treatment , any way hopes this helps some people and 5 litres cost 38 bucks just need too find a cheaper oil filter now cheers bazz

I only stated what Frasers told me with regard to the 12000km between changes.

Me, I go with the change in the middle of the service range.

I think I might check this Dello 400 out!

[bazz20]

yep rob i know you stated that you change your oil with less kays just yoused your post to inform others that dont know, i change  my oil before winter so thers no nasties laying in the oil while she hibernates for the winter cheers bazz

[brimo]

If you've got a spare couple of hours this thread will keep you amused.
From "tech"
All about oils.
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=1912.0

[CairnsDuc]

Ok, better chime in here with Regards to the Shell Oil, I'm not defending the price, I think it is bloody extortion, but just some stuff FYI.

* Shell Motorbike oil is not distributed in Australia by Shell, it is imported by a company known as MotoNational
http://www.motonational.com.au/

* Including GST The Shell Ultra 4t 10-40W oil has a cost of approx $67 not allowing for freight for a 4 litre bottle, I now have 2 full bottles spare(bought em at cost  )  for when I do my next couple of services, after that I'm switching to a cheaper brand!

* Ducati dealers must to use this oil when doing a service within the warranty period, it's in there dealer agreement with Ducati Australia, some don't, but if they are caught, it is grounds for Ducati to cancel there franchise.

[bazz20]

If you've got a spare couple of hours this thread will keep you amused.
From "tech"
All about oils.
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=1912.0

thanks brimo for that , i miss george 

[dragonworld.]

Ok, better chime in here with Regards to the Shell Oil, I'm not defending the price, I think it is bloody extortion, but just some stuff FYI.

* Shell Motorbike oil is not distributed in Australia by Shell, it is imported by a company known as MotoNational
http://www.motonational.com.au/

* Including GST The Shell Ultra 4t 10-40W oil has a cost of approx $67 not allowing for freight for a 4 litre bottle, I now have 2 full bottles spare(bought em at cost  )  for when I do my next couple of services, after that I'm switching to a cheaper brand!

* Ducati dealers must to use this oil when doing a service within the warranty period, it's in there dealer agreement with Ducati Australia, some don't, but if they are caught, it is grounds for Ducati to cancel there franchise.

Hmm, that would explain a fair bit ! When you are the only game in town you can charge what you like !

All they are definately going to do is push customers away from their product when it just isnt competitive in its pricing! 

I have noticed in a couple of the bike shops that I go to locally dont stock as much Shell stuff as they used to, particularly the range of bike oyles.

It certainly ISNT double the price better than some of the other brands out there!! 

[DUCMONROB]

yep rob i know you stated that you change your oil with less kays just yoused your post to inform others that dont know, i change  my oil before winter so thers no nasties laying in the oil while she hibernates for the winter cheers bazz

No offence taken Bazz.

Who listens to Frasers anyways?

[loony888]

Hmmmm, oil, prickly one this, like petrol, tyres, filters, helmets etc it's personal preferance and no matter what someone will have the "good oil" but at the end of the day as long as what you use meets the minimum requirements of the bike and you change it regularly, like within service intervals or shorter you will be fine. Of course, certain common sense rules apply, like changing oil and filter before a track day etc.
i'll add 2 things if a may though,
1. diesel oils, and they are the ones marketed and manufactured specifically for diesels have a very high detergent additive level and should not be used on high mileage engines, ever! on the specs too when you see the API (american petroleum institute) ratings you will see that almost every oil will list as an example SG/CD or whatever the rating may be, SG = petrol engine standard, and CD = diesel engine standard. These have moved on and are now something like SH/CF but you will notice that a SH oil that is primarily for use in a petrol engine will still have a diesel (CD or whatever) rating, just not as high as the petrol rating, and vice versa with an oil primarily for diesel engine use. essentially you can interchange them and they will do the job but putting a petrol type oil in a diesel will not be ideal. Bazz' mate is correct about sulphur as well, and makes a very good point, people should also be aware of the EPA markings on some oils as well, they have large amounts of friction modifiers to reduce emissions but they aren't suitable for chrome or nikasil bores and will cause oil consumption quickly.
2. I steer clear of "boutique" type oils, the major oil companies like shell, mobil, texaco etc. know what they're doing and if you think $100 for a tub of shell ultra is pricey, try buying some fancy race type stuff, from my experience it costs about as much but the profits go to sponsorship deals rather than R&D and just don't perform for a full change period. notchy shifts, consumption near the end of the cycle etc.


paul.
p.s, i worked in the oil industry once upon a time and saw more than my fair share of "smoke & mirrors!