Updated: Opinion (was review): Motul 300V

[johnster]

So I did an oil change on my S4 last night, and decided to try Motul 300V which I've never used before. The first thing that stood out at me was the fact that it was flourescent green! I felt like I was filling my engine up with antifreeze. 
The stuff ain't cheap, but I decided to give it a whirl, and I'm glad I did.

I was excited, because when I inspected the drain plug magnet + screen, I found almost NO metal shavings or chrome bits  , which would've suggested that my rocker arms were flaking. I figured I'd see more gearbox shrapnel from those days of trying to practice clutchless downshifting  .

So I poured the Motul in, let it get up to the top like in the sight glass, then ran the engine for about 5 minutes and let it settle back for an hour. I was then able to top it off + take the bike for a shakedown ride, and all I can say is WOW!!    The engine ran VERY smooth compared to how I'm accustomed to it running. Noticably so!! I have posted numerous threads on here about how I thought I had air in my clutch line due to clunky shifting, but now I've changed my mind. I adjusted my clutch lever pull length a bit, and that combined with the fresh Motul in the gearbox made it shift silky smooth, almost effortless. I've never felt that for as long as I've owned this bike!! I just thought that "clunky" is how this gearbox is supposed to feel.

We all know engines like fresh oil. In conclusion, I don't know how different Motul 330V really is from other synthetic oils, but in all my history of changing the oil in motorcycle + car engines, I've NEVER seen an engine that loves it's new oil more than my 916 engine w/Motul 300V in it. Last oil change was with Mobile1 Synthetic, and this is night + day compared to the first ride with that.

I'd say that everyone should give it a shot. My father said that it's all in my head (he used to race motorcyles), but I can assure you it's not!! There was a drastic improvement over the engine performance when the Mobile1 was first added, I'm sure of it. 

[Hedgehog]

I'd say that everyone should give it a shot. My father said that it's all in my head (he used to race motorcyles), but I can assure you it's not!!

Sorry, but your dad's right.

[johnster]

Sorry, but your dad's right.

   Yeah?!?

You're not the first person who's said this to me. It's more the gearbox that feel smoother than anything. Honest to god it feel smoother than I've ever felt it. I've heard people dis Motul in the past, how come? Is there something I'm missing?

[Ducatiloo]

any diff in operating temp?

[johnster]

any diff in operating temp?

Not that I've noticed. In retrospect I probably should've waited a while to see what kind of viscosity breakdown occurs as opposed to the Mobil1 before posting my opinion.

My Father (here right now): "Well Duh!! ALL oil is going to make the engine run smoother at first. Talk to me at 3k.  "

-Fair enough. New Thread Topic: Who runs Motul and what do you think? I like it after 24 hours!!    

[Hedgehog]

  Yeah?!?

You're not the first person who's said this to me. It's more the gearbox that feel smoother than anything. Honest to god it feel smoother than I've ever felt it. I've heard people dis Motul in the past, how come? Is there something I'm missing?

I'm not dissing Motul.  I'm dissing the idea that there is any noticeable difference between any two brands of oil; whether its synth or dino.

[tangueroHondo]

I gotta agree on this one:  05 S2R 3000mi first change put in dino oil.  When it got warmed-up the engine/valve train rattled like hell and the shifts felt like someone was dropping boulders beside me on the road.  Forget clutchless downshifting - I was stressed-out enough about cluch-assisted upshifting.  Went to dealership (Skagit).  Told them the story. Service guy said the only thing they use in the Ducati is 300V.  I looked at the $54 price on a gallon and laughed out loud.  Right; they only use 300V b/c they make a fortune selling over-priced French oil to idiots.  ... ...  Being a desperate idiot, I bought a gallon and a filter and skulked out of the dealership. 

I couldn't get over the diff either.  it was night and day.  The motor behaves the same at lo temp as at 220F.  The tranny when cold is a little clunky but when she warms up it shifts with the lightest touch and a reassuring 'bump'...  The whole machine sounds like a symphony.  If I had a dry clutch singing away with the symphony, folks would applaud and ask for an encore as I drove by.

Now at 5500mi.  Same performance.  Still a beautiful thing......  It's green.  It's wierd smelling.   It's French.  Whatever.  I say throw a can down the hatch and let the symphony begin!!

[Spike]

I have been running 300V for over 12k miles and I have noticed that my bike runs cooler and the motor is smoother. I run a Moto Detail temp gauge and have kept track in various conditions for the last 5 years.  I was skeptical at first but I must say that I am sold on Motul 300V. Prior to I was running 5100 Ester Synthetic blend by Motul. Changes are every 3000 miles. As far as the cost, it is expensive but I buy in bulk from Motodepot so that helps. My 2 cents.

[clubhousemotorsports]

Every thing I have heard about Motul is that is is a first rate product, I have been told there is a fair amount of moly in there. I do not know how it holds up long term but I have never seen gearbox damage from bikes running motul. My only complaint would be that it leaves the internal parts coated in black sludge, this could have been the ester based oil but any bikes running it were black inside when you pulled the covers.

[Hedgehog]

I'm not sure that the proper function of an oil that lubricates an engine is to reduce transmission noise.  There is a balance that must be reached between what the crank needs (30-50W) and what the tranny needs (80-90W).  Maybe the moly sticks to the gears and not the crank (haha) or maybe theres something else going on.  But, today's oils are essentially all of the same quality.  All the oil manufacturers spend a lot of money on their research chemists, and they really do look at the formulations of their competitors' oils with expensive equipment.  Of course, they also spend a lot of time on marketing and customer education.  Brand loyalty is a powerful thing.  I doubt anyone could point out an engine or transmission failure and say "that was caused by using such and such brand oil".

My old 900CR has 58,000 miles; all Castrol GTX.  I have a MCN article here about a CBR900RR with 240,000 miles; all done on Castrol GTX.  A coincidence?  Yes, actually it is.  Both Mike Case (CBR owner) and I use the cheapest oil we can find: Castrol GTX.

[clubhousemotorsports]

After years of selling brand x oil and then tearing the motors down to freshen them (race bikes) when you see the bikes that ran brand x oil had spauling of the teeth in the transmission and the bikes that ran brand y did not you stop selling brand x. I get to see gearboxes that have teeth eroded to the point that they were a liability. These days it is common on higher mileage motors that the bikes have  not been well maintained.

Does this mean that you can only use "the best" oil? No, price does not = good oil. It may help in many instances but it is not a sure thing. There are plenty of low dollar oils out there that will perform fine as well, you just need to do your home work. I am funny about oils If there is a oil I have tons of first hand knowledge from years of use and teardowns I stick with it. I know there are many others that would work as well but why mess with success? We each have our comfort envelope of what we are willing to try. I try to keep my oil testing to certain motors that are well lets just say expendable.

There are a few that are being beaten hard right now , time will tell.

[Howie]

The transmission in my bike prefers Mobil 4T 10W-40 or Klotz 20W-50.  Never tried Klotz 10W-40.  Each bike will be different, depending on wear and manufacturing tolerances.  All we, the typical consumer (not ducvet) really know about what we are putting in our bikes is it meets the specs written on the container, API and JASO standards.   Even claims of full synthetic can be bogus.  True racing oils may not be good for a street machine since they are often formulated for low friction and maximum power, not  long engine life.

[He Man]

Anyone have a link to that amsoil oil research? It was amsoil biased, but it did give information of many other brands inicluding motul,mobil 1, royal purple (car oil) and many others.

I personally run Repol semi synthetic right now, and sadly i cannot find any reviews on that oil. (hey if repsol races with their own stuff ( i hope) then it must be good right?) Was only 30 bucks for 4 liters. I might just go with generic mobil 1 full synthetic for cars next time since my dry clutch is not bathed in oil.

Chris @ ca-cycleworks does not sell motul, and he told me why, i remember the not so important reason, but i cant seem to remember the actualy reason why motul sucks as an oil. Maybe 300V is different than the regular motul stuff, but i remember on amsoils oil test, the 300v did get ratings in the top 3 most of the time.

[Hedgehog]

Anyone have a link to that amsoil oil research? It was amsoil biased, but it did give information of many other brands inicluding motul,mobil 1, royal purple (car oil) and many others.

All industry oil "research" papers are biased toward the sponsoring company.

(hey if repsol races with their own stuff ( i hope) then it must be good right?) Was only 30 bucks for 4 liters. I might just go with generic mobil 1 full synthetic for cars next time since my dry clutch is not bathed in oil.

There's a commercial that plays on TV now and again where this old bat says "They give it away for free?  It must be good."  Think  about it.

As I mentioned in a previous post, oil companies spend a lot of money just on sampling the competitors oils contents.  You don't think there's some sort of ethical code that prevents Mobil 1 from buying Shell oils, do you?  There's also the issue of API specs.  When those change, oil formulations change - and they don't even bother to changing the name on the bottle.  I haven't kept up with oils issues, but I remember a time when there were oils sold without an API seal, but with a pseudo API code on the bottle.  This was back in the API SH days, I think, when the flack about moly was in full swing.

[He Man]

All industry oil "research" papers are biased toward the sponsoring company.

There's a commercial that plays on TV now and again where this old bat says "They give it away for free?  It must be good."  Think  about it.

As I mentioned in a previous post, oil companies spend a lot of money just on sampling the competitors oils contents.  You don't think there's some sort of ethical code that prevents Mobil 1 from buying Shell oils, do you?  There's also the issue of API specs.  When those change, oil formulations change - and they don't even bother to changing the name on the bottle.  I haven't kept up with oils issues, but I remember a time when there were oils sold without an API seal, but with a pseudo API code on the bottle.  This was back in the API SH days, I think, when the flack about moly was in full swing.

I wish i could find the article, but everything you said was absolutely spot on to what i read. And as far as the saying "they give it away for free? it must be good" Thats how Motul operates from what retailers have told me. As for the Amsoil oil research article, yes it is bias, but its still intresting to see how other oils stack up to other oils in the eyes of amsoil. These are the same guys that made the oil filter that makes new oil cleaner too but i'm not sure if you should read that with a  or  .