Triumphrat

UtahRAT · 07-24-2007

Hey all. I recently acquired a '67 T120 chopper/bobber/custom thingy.

I'm planning on freshening the fluids this weekend. On most modern bikes, the engine oil lubricates the clutch, so it's important to use motorcycle specific oil to avoid friction modifiers in automotive oils that hurt clutch performance. Since a Triumph twin has a seperate primary resevoir, any suitable engine oil would theoretically work in the engine. Right? Wrong?

From what I gather here, my primary and engine oil are not mixed (1967), so I can run Synthetic ATF in the primary and different oil in the engine. I'm just trying to decide what the options are without unleashing another endless "what oil" thread. So, just wondering if any and all automotive oils are viable.

Mecchanica · 07-24-2007

You are correct. Old britbikes with separate dedicated oils for each function are more like automobiles than new bikes .....and this is one reason I prefer the older bikes.....though the later Triumphs can be converted back to the old style.

Synth. ATF in the primary, Syth. gearlube in the gearbox (these gears are not honed and lapped, as are modern gears which can't use hypoid oil because they share lube with the engine), and Royal Purple or Amsoil 10w-30 in the engine, IF it's in sound mechanical condition.

UtahRAT · 07-25-2007

Thanks Mec. The Bonnie is a bit different than my 2002 Suzuki, but it's a fun learning experience. The bike motor was rebuilt this spring by some Triumph twin specialists, so it should be in sound mechanical condition, and its performance gives me no reason to think otherwise. Some on this board would probably recommend a tear down "just to be sure," but I see no point in that. I just figure a fresh engine needs fresh oil... frequently.

THANKS AGAIN.

Mecchanica · 07-26-2007

Less frequently with the synthetic oils, which resist shear, heat, oxidation, and acid contamination much better than do the mineral oils. If you aren't racing, you can go six thou miles easy. I had a leak or two...ahem... and just topped up for nearly 15K miles/18 months. Sort of a rolling oil change. No problems.