Oil & Tires
- Thread starter Ed's NT700V
- Start date
Any name brand motor oil meeting JASO MA or MA2 spec will work just fine. The best bang for the buck oil wise is Shell Rotella T6, 15W-40. It is a heavy duty oil rated for diesels but is also rated MA and MA2. There is a large group of Rotella afficianados amongst motorcyclists. Continental tires are a good choice but for longevity, I would look at Michelin or Dunlop Roadsmart tires.
Mike
Mike
Thanks for responding Mike. The bike came with full synthetic (Motul) oil and i like the use of synthetic oil because I live in Florida and the extreme heat during the summer is very hard on oil. I've used Amsoil in my other bikes, but they recommend the Honda HP4 conventional oil or the GP4 synthetic blend. I've heard a lot of good things about the Shell Rotella oil, but I'm hesitant to go back to conventional oil. Your thoughts?
Woodaddict
Site Supporter
Rotella T6 is full synthetic. I use 5W- 40 that is the T6, T5 is 15W. Good deal in the 5qt jug. And is properly rated. Using in NT1100 and Can Am Spyder
Thanks again, I didn't know that. I'll give it a try!
JQL
Growing old disgracefully
My NT700 did 199,500 km (123,990 miles), see avatar, on Motul 5100 and the engine was as sweet as a nut. As for tyres, commuting in all weathers, I used Michelin PR then the later Road series. Can't ask for better.
ST1100Y
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In the UK on mixed roads (and weathers!) at legal or more velocity (but no pillions) have consistently got 30k km on the front and just under 20k from the rears when using the Michelins, very much endorse the grip and feel.
JQL
Growing old disgracefully
To the best of my recollection (all distances in kilometres), the bike came new with Bridgestone BT21 they lasted about 18,000 km. I put on the new BT23(?) which lasted about 19,000. I then changed to PR2 which transformed the handling in the wet (outstanding) and I did about 21,000. 3 sets of PR3 (brilliant - probably the best tyre on the NT) doing ~24,000 each set. Then 2 sets of PR4 which were 24,000 rear and 27,000 front each set. Lastly, a set of Road 5 which were still on when I sold the bike and had about 5,000 left on the front and 2,000 on the rear.
I get about 10,000 km for Michelin Road 5 on the FJR. And 20,000 rear and 10,000 front for Dunlop Road Smart 4 on the FJR. The FJR scallops the Michelin front tyre really badly. I'm amazed that the Dunlop rear lasts much longer than the Michelin but it is more skittish in the wet - front is fine.
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ST1100Y
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JQL
Growing old disgracefully
Unless otherwise stated, this is about the 2018 Yamaha FJR1300 AE European model using the GT spec tyres, so Off Topic - sorry, but, also, a lot of the information applies to the NT.
Background: I ride a lot of the small and very minor roads in a spirited manner. Lots of twists and turns mainly in 2nd and 3rd gear. The speeds are not necessarily high (usually below the limit - honest
), the roads won't allow it, but the cornering forces are very high (the pegs are a bit scraped...). I keep off motorways and dual carriageways wherever possible and also try to avoid "trunk" roads, sticking to the departmental "D" and "C" roads. Therefore, the sides of the front tyres do get a lot of work - more than they are probably designed for. This type of riding is not really what the bike was designed for but, the FJR handles it very well, although she is a bit heavy for this type of riding. If my injuries would allow, I'd use a mid range sports bike like the CBR600, but that's no longer an option .Tyres:
For the Pan ST1100 (not the ST1300) Avon were always thought to be really good. But there is a stigma re Avon and the Pan after a British Police motorcycle officer was killed on the Pan ST1300 and his death, allegedly, mainly attributed to the tyres. He was on "a shout" and was travelling way above the UK speed limit at the time (if memory serves about 200 km/h) and had a "death wobble". The Avon Roadrunner on the ST1100 never had a problem ever and were very stable up to the bike's top speed.
The Michelin Road series are by far and away the best in the wet. Nothing comes close. Front and rear last me about 10,000 km - your mileage will vary. The problem seems to be scalloping on the front on the Road 5. Over 8,000 km the front feels like you are falling off a cliff when turning at very low speed, <30 km/h. Not dangerous and not a problem, even in the wet - grip is still excellent, just annoying. They may have fixed this with the Road 6 but I have no experience of the Road 6, so can't comment. I note that Michelin don't seem to be suggesting the Road 5 for the FJR. Just the Road 4 and Road 6.
The Dunlop Road Smart 4 start off really good in the wet. Not quite as good as the Michelin but, after about 3,000 km, the rear gets a bit squirrelly in the wet. Nothing too worrying but you need to take it easier. Interestingly, the rear seems to be slightly less squirrelly after 10,000 km, but that could be just me taking it easier. The rear is going to last me close to 20,000 km the front was down to the wear bars at 10,000 km. In the dry they are excellent.
Bridgestones are not suited to my riding style on any bike. The FJR came with Bridgestones, I don't remember which but they were BT something. The OEM Bridgestones lasted ~8,000 km and were replaced due to handling problems but were getting close to the end of their life. I might have got 10,000 km from them. In the dry, they are excellent. In the wet, not a patch on the Dunlop or Michelin. The only times I've triggered the Traction Control (TCS) has been on the Bridgestones in the wet, and I did it more than once.
I haven't used Metzlers, Pirellis or Continentals on the FJR so can't comment. People say they are OK. The FJR Club in the UK used to recommend the Pirelli Angel GT but aren't so keen on the Angel 2 GT. They now recommend the Continental Road Attack 4 GT so you may want to have a look at those as an all round touring tyre.
Your type of riding will be different to mine. In my opinion, if you are doing more Sports Touring, go for the Michelin Road 6. More twisties, the Dunlop Road Smart 4. It might help to have a look at the ST Forum.
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