I started it.
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- On the street
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I started it.
Ok I am new to the forum and Suzuki 2 strokes.
I have a 550 and need some advice on what oil to use, as in synthetic or non synthetic.
Also I live in Canada and don't have the same choices.
What is Ipon?
I have a 550 and need some advice on what oil to use, as in synthetic or non synthetic.
Also I live in Canada and don't have the same choices.
What is Ipon?
- tz375
- Moto GP
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- Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 10:47 am
- Location: Illinois
Boy did you start something there
Welcome and we all have to start somewhere. Oil is an interesting and very emotional subject for some odd reason. We all have opinions and if I'm first to reply I'll tell you I'm right and the rest have opinions
Almost any two stroke oil designed for use in an injector system will be better than anything available back in the day.
Synthetic is good but it's not really necessary on our old soft bikes. try to get a reputable brand form a bike store so you know it's not sled oil (designed to run at very low temps) or PWC oil (designed to be water miscible).
Royal Purple, Castrol, Shell, maxima, Suzuki CCI, Spectro, Silkolene, yamalube S, Honda oils, Motul are all fine.
Pre-mix oils are thicker and may not flow through the oil pump system properly, and auto type oils are not low ash/low smoke so try to avoid them. If struck in the middle of nowhere, any oil will get you home including cooking oil, but don't make a habit of it.
For the transmission, some of us use motorcycle specific oil, some of use 2 stroke transmission oil and some use whatever they can get cheap from Wal mart. My preference is 2 stroke Honda CR oil, but there are many good alternatives.
Teazer

Welcome and we all have to start somewhere. Oil is an interesting and very emotional subject for some odd reason. We all have opinions and if I'm first to reply I'll tell you I'm right and the rest have opinions

Almost any two stroke oil designed for use in an injector system will be better than anything available back in the day.
Synthetic is good but it's not really necessary on our old soft bikes. try to get a reputable brand form a bike store so you know it's not sled oil (designed to run at very low temps) or PWC oil (designed to be water miscible).
Royal Purple, Castrol, Shell, maxima, Suzuki CCI, Spectro, Silkolene, yamalube S, Honda oils, Motul are all fine.
Pre-mix oils are thicker and may not flow through the oil pump system properly, and auto type oils are not low ash/low smoke so try to avoid them. If struck in the middle of nowhere, any oil will get you home including cooking oil, but don't make a habit of it.
For the transmission, some of us use motorcycle specific oil, some of use 2 stroke transmission oil and some use whatever they can get cheap from Wal mart. My preference is 2 stroke Honda CR oil, but there are many good alternatives.
Teazer
- H2RICK
- AMA Superbike
- Posts: 1659
- Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 11:07 am
- Country: CANADA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: GT550A, GSF1200SK6 currently
- Location: Cowtown aka Calgary, Canada
Well, as many on here know, I'm a big fan of Bardahl Injector Oil. This is available through many small oil distributors across North America. Some chain stores even carry it. It is a medium-ash dino oil. They now also offer a full synthetic version although I have NOT tried it myself.
Many Suzi dealers carry Suzuki's own CCI Injection Oil which, IIRC, is also a dino oil and will, of course, work great in your Suzi stroker, no matter what age.
Suzsmokeyallan uses Castrol Synthetic Snowmobile Injector Oil in his Buffalo and has had no problems....even after our gruelling high speed run through BC last summer, with Allan flogging the t!ts off his Buffalo while trying vainly to keep up with my 1200 Bandit.
This oil is widely available through Cambodian Tire.
Fred (Buffalo Guy) uses Amsoil Synthetic Injector Oil in all his strokers and has for years. He's quite happy with the results. One caveat: Amsoil can be somewhat hard to find when you're on the road, though.
My .02 worth....
Many Suzi dealers carry Suzuki's own CCI Injection Oil which, IIRC, is also a dino oil and will, of course, work great in your Suzi stroker, no matter what age.
Suzsmokeyallan uses Castrol Synthetic Snowmobile Injector Oil in his Buffalo and has had no problems....even after our gruelling high speed run through BC last summer, with Allan flogging the t!ts off his Buffalo while trying vainly to keep up with my 1200 Bandit.

Fred (Buffalo Guy) uses Amsoil Synthetic Injector Oil in all his strokers and has for years. He's quite happy with the results. One caveat: Amsoil can be somewhat hard to find when you're on the road, though.
My .02 worth....
GT550A Mint & Original
H2A Semi-Hot Rod Built From A Basket Case
KZ650C2 Mint & Original...mostly
GSF1200SK6 Bandit...My LD Ride
Additional H2 projects In Boxes.....
MBD Sufferer
H2A Semi-Hot Rod Built From A Basket Case
KZ650C2 Mint & Original...mostly
GSF1200SK6 Bandit...My LD Ride
Additional H2 projects In Boxes.....
MBD Sufferer
- oldjapanesebikes
- Moto GP
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As you are on the cold side of the border (snowed most of the day again today here in CalgaryH2RICK wrote: One caveat: Amsoil can be somewhat hard to find when you're on the road, though....

Ian
If at first you don't succeed, just get a bigger hammer !
If at first you don't succeed, just get a bigger hammer !
- Suzsmokeyallan
- Moto GP
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Rick, by the way it was Shell snow ultra synthetic oil and it seems to work really good in the Buffalo so im sticking with it.
Although if you remember, we did put in the bottle of Bardahl we bought in Cranbrook at the Suzi dealer somewhere along the trip and it made the green Shell oil a reddish green instead.
The bike pulled clean and strong all the way for the near 1500.00 mile journey and actually came back running smoother and better than before. I must have loosened up some of Nigels old urban cycle residue in the engine, possibly sticking rings, loose carbon etc.
It definately sounds and feels a lot better all around now than before the trip, nothing a good few hundred miles of blasting behind your Bandit couldn't cure ehh.
For this ratio of metering with modern oils i basically followed Iron butt Allens method and ended up with the oil pump set at full off to its rest stop when the engine is at idle.
Although if you remember, we did put in the bottle of Bardahl we bought in Cranbrook at the Suzi dealer somewhere along the trip and it made the green Shell oil a reddish green instead.
The bike pulled clean and strong all the way for the near 1500.00 mile journey and actually came back running smoother and better than before. I must have loosened up some of Nigels old urban cycle residue in the engine, possibly sticking rings, loose carbon etc.
It definately sounds and feels a lot better all around now than before the trip, nothing a good few hundred miles of blasting behind your Bandit couldn't cure ehh.
For this ratio of metering with modern oils i basically followed Iron butt Allens method and ended up with the oil pump set at full off to its rest stop when the engine is at idle.
Two strokes, its just that simple.
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- To the on ramp
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Re: I started it.
Helix. To answer your "Ipon" question. It is spelled Ipone, and it is a fairly high end oil from either France or Italy, I believe. My Ducati dealer carries it, and I used their four stroke oil in my GT 1000 at its initial service. It worked just fine through the early breakin period. I suspect their two stroke oil would be just fine also, if that brand is available to you. Where in Canada?Helix wrote:Ok I am new to the forum and Suzuki 2 strokes.
I have a 550 and need some advice on what oil to use, as in synthetic or non synthetic.
Also I live in Canada and don't have the same choices.
What is Ipon?
There is probably a thousand trains of thought on the oil subject, but what it boils down to is that most any oil available now is superior to anything on the shelf when your bike was designed and built. What ever works well in your bike, and is readily available, you should feel comfortable using. My two bits worth. Cheers.
Fred
Suzuki GT 750s
Ducati 750 GTs
2007 Duc 1000 GT (the clone)
2002 V Strom 1000 (lives again)
Suzuki RE5s
CBXs (18 cylinders, 72 valves)
Ducati 750 GTs
2007 Duc 1000 GT (the clone)
2002 V Strom 1000 (lives again)
Suzuki RE5s
CBXs (18 cylinders, 72 valves)
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skids wrote:I'm running the Motul 710 right now and it seems to be working well, my plugs are tanning nicely. All the bike shops here on the Canadian east coast seem to be carrying it.
Nothing wrong with that except, perhaps, the price. If you're happy with it, keep using it.
Lane
If you stroke it more than twice; you're playing with it.
Too many bikes, too much time, ENOUGH SPACE, FINALLY! Never enough money.........
Too many bikes, too much time, ENOUGH SPACE, FINALLY! Never enough money.........