Oil and coolant

[Guest Minty]

Hi would like the most currant thinking on what is the best oil for the X11 and clarify that fully sysnthetic is ok. Also has anyone used that waterless coolant or heard anything good or bad about it. Ooh and are Iridium spark plugs worthwhile? Ta peeps.

[AndyH 35]

I believe that semi synthetic oil is recommended for an X11/Blackbird.Although

there are bound to be people who use fully synthetic and swear by it...

I have recently fitted Iridium plugs to one of my bikes,didnt seem to run any better 

although I am hoping that they wont need any attention now for a few years to come.

Coolent I use ready mixed Honda stuff .

[Guest mitch83]

I've been running a couple of months Motul 5100 10W40, which is Ester based semi synthetic. Does the job, cannot complain. There's also Motul 7100 available, which is fully synthetic ester based oil. Cannot tell why full synthetic would or would not work?

 

As for coolant, why not make it the old fashioned way? I just drained the old coolant out, rinsed the system with hose and plenty of water, and put about 30% mix of regular green Glycol based coolant and water in. I think the main job for the glycol itself is to lubricate the moving parts (water pump), keep things from corroding and stop anything from "living" there. Also works as anti-freeze, should you ever ride in snow I've understood that water is actually better heat transformer than the coolant glycol itself, which makes me wonder what is actually waterless coolant? There are coolant enhancing products like Red Line Water Wetter, but I've never tried them or know what they actually do.

 

Spark plugs: I decided I would try Iridiums, so I decided to order them from fleabay. NGK CR8EHIX-9, a set of 4 was about £30 delivered from UK to here in Finland... Only to find out that it was the very same spark plug type I already had in my bike Maybe it is actually the OEM type? Dunno... But they work

Edited August 22, 2014 by mitch83

[Guest Minty]

Thanks guys. Think I'll stick to semi and a good normal coolant. I'll try iridium plugs.

[HornetJay 31]

Minty, I had not long put the best oil money could buy in the bike, brand new iridium plugs, and the coolant was completely flushed and oil and air filters replaced.  this was done in July you do not need to change any oil, coolant or plugs.  Seriously if you change them again you will be wasting your money.

 

If you want a job to do I would clean up the brake clipers and flush the brake fluid, I was waiting for a bloke in my club to lend me his brake fluid flusher that forces the oil out through pressure as I had not flushed a linked system and wanted to make sure I could do the job, also the brake pads are about halfway so don't do those, and as I said its not an emergency, but when you can and think of it........valve clearance.  One you have done that the bike would have had a major service this year.

Edited August 24, 2014 by HornetJay

[Guest Minty]

Minty, I had not long put the best oil money could buy in the bike, brand new iridium plugs, and the coolant was completely flushed and oil and air filters replaced.  this was done in July you do not need to change any oil, coolant or plugs.  Seriously if you change them again you will be wasting your money.

 

If you want a job to do I would clean up the brake clipers and flush the brake fluid, I was waiting for a bloke in my club to lend me his brake fluid flusher that forces the oil out through pressure as I had not flushed a linked system and wanted to make sure I could do the job, also the brake pads are about halfway so don't do those, and as I said its not an emergency, but when you can and think of it........valve clearance.  One you have done that the bike would have had a major service this year.

Hi Jason. What oil did you put in? I'll run the same stuff. That's cool that you did all that. Was just checking on what to do when the next service was due. The bike is certainly in good order. Cheers, Carl.

Edited August 24, 2014 by Minty

[HornetJay 31]

The oil put in was Castrol power 1.  The seller has updated the item but I believe it was also a K&N oil filter put in.

 

Here was the EBay number 130877748396

 

Cant remember the make of Coolant, but it wasn't cheap stuff, the plugs were NGK Iridiums.

 

The air filter was a pattern part, but it was good one not cheap rubbish.

 

The thing is with these kinds of bikes is they are high performance and you cant skimp on the quality of oil and parts.

 

If you look in he service bike I wrote the date down, I and my mate from the club who is an ex mechanic both serviced the bike as I was using it for Belgium.

[Guest Minty]

Cool. Thanks Jason. Glad it's Power 1 oil. That's what I used in my Bandits. I'll certainly be using quality service items.