Which type of Oil?

I have an old CB450dx that had been lying for a few years, due to the colour
of oil I gave it a couple of changes, then changed the filter and put in
semi-synthetic, Duckhams IIRC, I thought the clutch was OK but in the last
few outing the clutch has started to slip. Now it could be the clutch was
knackered at 30K before I got it or I wonder if using the semi oil in a 16
year old bike accelerated it's demise!
Now it needs rear shocks, fork seals, clutch?, collector box, pads all
round, front master cylinder...now how much is that Hongdhu?

Des

 

I've used fully synthetic in my SO XJ600 for the last 12,000 miles and had
no hint of clutch slip. It is now fast approaching 48k and the clutch is as
good as the day I bought it three years ago.

 

Could be; just use a cheap car mineral oil if economy is a priority. You
might want to replace the clutch anyway, if it's showing signs of
knackeredness or simply fit 3 stronger springs (not 6, they are overkill
for most applications).

 

A more pikey trick is to shim the springs with washers. It's a
well-known bodge used on TLRs because the "backwards" slipper clutch
is very sensitive to wear. Of course it makes the lever action
heavier.

 

Not as heavy as uprated springs, which are usually too strong. I've used
the washer trick to good effect also.

 

Thanks for that
One thing I noticed, there was no play at all in the cable and everything
was screwed in, so I took the adjuster nut (clutch end) off the cable and
did get a litle bit of play
I am beginning to suspect the clutch cable was not the right one for the
bike and was perhaps a bit short.
The pikey in me likes the idea of the washers! the oil was available at the
time and was the right price! It was the semi part of it had me thinking,
instead of a straight mineral oil.

Des