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I have a '06 KDX 200. I recently bought the Honda HP trans oil 80W/85W after my local shop talked me into buying. I havent changed to it yet due to getting worried that it may not be such a good idea. I have heard it makes it shift better but I also have heard it's too thick for a 200cc two stroke machine. Any input would be great.

Just go buy the cheapest 10-30 or 10-40 oil you can find! I use Advanced Auto's brand now... my bike has never shifted better! Just make sure it doesn't say "Energy Conserving" on it or has any Friction Modifiers in it!

Forget the fancy oil.... buy cheap and change often and your bike will thank you!

Yeah, I used the Honda HP stuff for my first tranny oil change, and it worked great but way too expensive! Another option is Shell Rotella 15-40. You can buy a gallon at Wallmart, k-mart, etc, really cheap, like $13.00. It's really good stuff!!

Take care,

Matt

I am using Type F now just to see how it does, but it is kind of expensive ($4.50/qt) so I will likely go back to Rotella 15-40.

I really like the honda oil, but it is indeed too pricey. I have been running type f for quite a while and I like it as well.

Another Type F user here as well. Buttery smooth shifting. Some say to change it on more frequently running ATF.

i already change ever 2-3 30-40 miles rides. so even more often than that?

No. That is more than enough IMO.

I change mine about every 2-3 rides as well, but mileage is more like 75-100+.

I have used the HP for years and it works great. Last year I used cheap oil, my shifting became very sticky. Went back to the HP and no more problems.

Thanks for all the advice.

You referred to it maybe being 'too thick'.

Gear oil specs are not the same as motor oil specs. Some think that a gear oil rated at 80W is somehow twice as thick as 40W motor oil.

It's not.

API viscosity ratings for gear oils are not directly comparable with those for motor oil, and they are thinner than the figures suggest. For example, many modern gearboxes use a 75W90 gear oil, which is actually of equivalent viscosity to a 10W40 motor oil.

From HERE!

mdckdx wrote: I recently bought the Honda HP trans oil 80W/85W after my local shop talked me into buying.

Do me a favor and do a search for "Honda" oil refineries.

Indies right, buy the cheapest 10-30/40 NON "Energy Conserving" and change it often.

No... not ENERGY CONSERVING! That will make your clutches burn up!!!!

Indawoods wrote:No... not ENERGY CONSERVING! That will make your clutches burn up!!!!

Brain fart on my part....................corrected.

MXOldtimer wrote:

mdckdx wrote: I recently bought the Honda HP trans oil 80W/85W after my local shop talked me into buying.

Do me a favor and do a search for "Honda" oil refineries.

Indies right, buy the cheapest 10-30/40 NON "Energy Conserving" and change it often.

You mean google 'Honda oil refineries'? Sorry...I don't get it.

What is it I'm trying to learn?

canyncarvr wrote:

MXOldtimer wrote:

mdckdx wrote: I recently bought the Honda HP trans oil 80W/85W after my local shop talked me into buying.

Do me a favor and do a search for "Honda" oil refineries.

Indies right, buy the cheapest 10-30/40 NON "Energy Conserving" and change it often.

You mean google 'Honda oil refineries'? Sorry...I don't get it.

What is it I'm trying to learn?

There are no Honda refineries. Mobile/Exxon mixes their stuff and they badge it as a Honda product.

I can buy Honda brand oils, mix in a little Valvoline and badge it as "MXO Oils" The latest and greatest oils and charge extra for my name on the bottle.

Yeah... mostly hocus pocus.... Some oils are inportant like premix and suspension oils but oil for the tranny is 6 of 1, half dozen of another for the most part...

Maw Kaw says 10w-30 or 10w-40... Motor oil... SE,SF or SG class..

SE: This performance category identified oils suitable for vehicles manufactured in the 1972-1979 period in North America. The MS tests were again upgraded to evaluate high temperature oil thickening.

SF: This performance category identified oils suitable for vehicles manufactured in the 1980-1988 period in North America. Once again the multicylinder tests were upgraded, adding evaluations particularly appropriate for smaller, higher revving, higher operating temperature engines.

SG: This performance category identified oils suitable for vehicles manufactured in the 1989-1992 period in North America. Oils meeting this service category provided improved engine cleanliness and wear protection for both stop-and-go driving and high speed highway service.


Most everything you see now is SL rated and even if it doesn't say so, most 10w-30 is Energy Conserving. And from what I have found is that most SL rated 10w-40 oil is not Energy Conserving if it is not posted on the API Service tag.

The best thing you can do is look it up on the manufacturer's website.

I find this website very helpful...

http://eolcs.api.org/FindBrandByService ... ategory=SL

There are no Honda refineries. Mobile/Exxon mixes their stuff and they badge it as a Honda product.

I can buy Honda brand oils, mix in a little Valvoline and badge it as "MXO Oils" The latest and greatest oils and charge extra for my name on the bottle.

Got it. Well...I knew that already, but didn't know what the inference was of your statement.

Thanks for 'splainin'.

The performance categories listed are important, btw, which is to say SJ, SL, or SM oils do NOT qualify. Don't know this...but maybe all three of those DO say 'Energy Conserving'.

The point is a couple of components critical to wet clutches have been reduced to the point of non-existence. I never remember the two...zink and fosphorus I think?

It matters. I ran 'automotive engine' oil for quite awhile in my Honda street bike (700SC). The clutch always slipped when I was traveling (added weight of packed stuff). I changed friction plates, steel plates, springs... a couple of times using different brands and OEM parts. Still..kick it down three gears to pass something and about the time the engine started to work (8500rpm or so), the tach would ZING past red-line (about 11K). But...the bike wasn't accelerating that fast.

I switched to oil specified for 'motorcycle use'..and approved for 'wet clutch applications.' (Yamaha branded oil).

No more slip.

I'm not proclaiming the wonders of Yamaha's 4T oil. I AM saying that the oil you use can make a difference in a machine. My Honda puts out a few more ponies than the KDX. I don't spend a lot of time fanning the clutch on my Honda. The Honda clutch is considerably bigger (more friction area) than the KDX.

The point is...not everything is all the same. At the very least, stick to the OEM spec unless you know something different to suit you better.

OEM specs an 8ES plug. 8EGs suit me better...and gapped quite outside spec, too. I have demonstrated to my satisfacton that those 'out of spec' choices suit me. Not everybody agrees with those choices...but they don't ride my bike, neither!

MXOldtimer wrote:>|
I can buy Honda brand oils, mix in a little Valvoline and badge it as "MXO Oils" The latest and greatest oils and charge extra for my name on the bottle.

How much? Got a website? Will it make me faster? Better looking? More manly? Ohhhhhh, I want some!!!!

I started using Rotella T in the Big Blue Pig (YZ450F) and have stuck with it now that I've returned to the light side.

I have used auto oils in a CBR600 and a Yamaha R6 racing motorcycle and never had a problem with the clutch slipping, but maybe I was just lucky.

Now I use Mobil 1 15W50 car oil in my Ducati 1098 (dry clutch and that is a non-energy conserving oil)
Yamaha R6 - Rotella 15W-40 (not synthetic)
KDX - Castrol Type F (my later try Rotella 15W40).