Liqui Moly

[blaks]

I picked up some Liqui Moly oil:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D91Q402/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It is less expensive than the Motul 300v, but is not a budget oil alternative.  Full synthetic, 4T, motorcycle oil.  Good reviews, promoted by revzilla, its definitely a premium product.

I was at about 7K miles, the previous oil change of Motul 300V had about 5500 miles on it, so despite Ducati's recommendations on oil life, I figured to change it.  I will change it again at 9K when it requires service. So this oil will only live 3K miles.

My oil consumption issue seems lessened, but I do not have quantifiable data to back that up.  Most likely the previous oil was burning off quickly due to age.  It had gotten ridiculous at about 1l  on the last 500 miles.  New oil, no change in oil level after 400 miles.

My initial observation is that the gearbox seems far worse than usual.  I couldn't find neutral on my first ride around the block, and have had more than the usual amount of neutrals between 1st and second.  Tranny is definitely "clunkier" than it has been and shifting takes more effort.  I'm not sure what to make of this.  Clutch grabs nicely though.  I may continue to use it if the Tranny smooths out.

Anyone else use this stuff yet?  Maybe someone that knows more about oil can explain why this is or is not a good choice.

[ChrisS]

My first thought with a name like that its it probably contains molybdenum disulphide, the key ingredient of molyslip which was one of the don't use additives for wet clutches. I didn't find a spec sheet but looked up the multistrada 950 on liqui moly web site.  It says they have no oil for the 950.

[blaks]

Originally Posted by ChrisS

My first thought with a name like that its it probably contains molybdenum disulphide, the key ingredient of molyslip which was one of the don't use additives for wet clutches. I didn't find a spec sheet but looked up the multistrada 950 on liqui moly web site.  It says they have no oil for the 950.

I cant find anywhere in the datasheet that it contains molybdenum... but agreed, the name is concerning.

https://pim.liqui-moly.de/pidoc/P000266/2555-Motorbike4TSAE15W-50Street-36.0-us.pdf

from their datasheet:
High-performance motor oil based on fully synthetictechnology.
Ensures maximum performance and pro-tection of the engine under all operating conditions.
Optimum lubrication, outstanding engine cleanliness,excellent friction and minimum wear are just as much taken for granted as gentle clutch engagement and disengagement and gear shifting.
Tested on engines with catalytic converters.

Properties
optimum stability to aging-guarantees
low oil consumption-especially
suitable for wet clutches
-tested for catalytic converters
-outstanding engine cleanliness-optimum lubrication under all operating conditions
-high wear resistance
-high shear stability

Transmission does seem to be getting smoother, and still no appreciable consumption.  One could argue shifts are more "positive" than with the Motul.  I basically have to be very deliberate  when going from 2nd to 1st.  other than that its pretty much the same.

I may reach out to them to see what they have to say before I spill the oil and replace it.

[blaks]

So I contacted the manufacurer, he informed me that the API spec of the oil in question was not correct as per ducati requirements.  I was advised to change the oil so I did.

He recommended I use  LM20066 Motorbike 4T Synth instead, but since it was not available in 15w-50, I opted to get some more motul 300v since it was available.

here is the email:
The oil you purchased is the correct viscosity but does not fulfill the API SM specification which is required by Ducati for your bike. I recommend you use LM20066 Motorbike 4T Synth instead. The slightly lower cold start properties will help the gearbox shift better at low temps and this oil also has the appropriate API SN which is backwards compatible with SM.

Molybdenum Disulphate will not affect the shifting in a negative way but would instead improve it. As a matter of fact we offer an additive, LM20296 that is designed to reduce friction in the gearbox while at the same time will not affect the clutch in any negative way. You may want to consider this additive at your next oil change.

 

We also offer our Engine Flush Shooter to help clean the internals of the engine and gearbox. This will get rid of any sludge, carbon and clutch debris still in the system and will make a difference in how the engine runs and how the gearbox shifts if there is debris left in there. It will also prolong the life of the new oil since that oil will not have to be taxed with cleaning the internals when first added.

 


When I inquired about an additive to bring the oil up to SM spec, this was the response:

Flushing it is always a good idea even when using the appropriate oil.

No, an additive will not bring it up to API SM specifications so unfortunately you’ll need to do an oil change.