Smoother Shifting

Just put Redline V-Twin Shockproof transmission oil in GRiSO for the first time. Less clunk and smoother shifts. Good stuff. It's scary looking pink goo and the appearance gave me pause, but I'm sold now.

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Good choice. The Redline gear oil does make a difference, I will be using it at the next oil change on my (new to me) GRiSO 1100.

Would be interesting to have Pete or other Guzzi mechanics to weigh in on this. I always figure it's best to use what the manufacturer recommends, but is there enough testing around this redline stuff to have confidence in it for the long-term?

A lot of people swear by it. I just use a 75/90 full synth and am happy with my gearboxes performance. My Stelvio though is the best 1200 six speed I've ever used though. Once moving the clutch is essentially redundant both up and down the box! No idea why it's so sweet but it is!

In really hot weather my GRiSO's box can get a bit notchy but it's still very low mileage, (About 20,000 km since I swapped out the motive unit I think.) I'm thinking of draining 150ml or so of the 75/90 and replacing it with 85/140 for the summer just to see if that helps a bit.

Pete

Cool, maybe I’ll try it on the next gearbox oil change. I find that transmissions sometimes seem to mellow with age and shift smoother with more miles. The more I ride my FJR1300, the more it likes to shift up and down with no clutch at all. The GRiSO feels a lot more clunky, but maybe I just need to ride it more

Clunky can be improved by timing of everything, especially without using the clutch. I often use no clutch from 2nd gear up and down. If I get the timing wrong, makes me look like a complete amateur (which I am, by the way, and with the clunks and jerks everywhere), but when it's right it's a pleasure.

GuZeee wrote:

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I always figure it's best to use what the manufacturer recommends,
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Me too, was told so by a guzzisti who works in the goverment lab that tests all fuels and lubcricants.

Looking at redline's page, for the "V-Twin", I see "blah-blah" ... "For all H-D" (I don't care) ... "Same fluid as our unique Heavy ShockProof". Same not much in the "V-Twins" datasheet.

Looking at the "Heavy ShockProof" - thats the same fluid as stated - I see both on the web page and in its datasheet that it has "Film thickness greater than an SAE 75W250, yet low fluid friction like 75W90". There are some more info in its "white paper" [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

So, my understanding is that it pours like a 75W90, still creates on the gears a film like a 75W250.

In the web page (not in the datasheet) they note "Exceed API GL-5 specifications"

So, looks to me that the heavy shockproof (same fluid with the "V-Twin") has no problem with specs. Having 75W viscosity will go everywere that is supposed to, even easier than the 85W, will create a thick film, and will be there, as the "white paper" states that it "Completely resists throw-off".

MG have spec'd for average (all) conditions and on basis of an expected lifespan (with std drains) so shouldn't be any worries as long as you use the right grades/spec/drain intervals over a typical bike lifetime . All said oils meeting the same min spec can be formulated with better extreme pressure (EP) wear protection, Friction Modifiers, & better VI (viscosity Index = doesn't thin as fast on heating) using different chemistry baseoils & additives so can give above 'average' performance & longer life.

In general there is always some trade-off in other performance parameters when you change chemistry or crank up highly surface active additives (usually stuff like rust, seal compatability, water tolerance & emulsion forming, foaming, aggression to specific metals etc). Whether any of these matter in the operating application is the key; and as long as all the specs limits are still met there shouldn't be any issues.

As Pete says also always worth thinking about going up (or down) a grade based on climate or operating mode to keep viscosity in the park.

Key to remember to use 100% fully formulated oil rather than buy an oil and then chuck in additives as these can destabilise the EP & other additives in the base lubricant.....and don't forget the old chestnut of throwing in a pair of nylon tights as ultimate viscosity improver to quiet down the gearbox or transmission ahead of selling it !

I use heavy shockproof in the gearbox (transmission) since the first oil change, it gives a smoother shifting and less clunking from the box

CARC is filled with normal GL5, just because I wanted a different colour oil

Interesting comments! Also I assume the gearbox oil isn’t as heavily stressed as the engine oil due to less heat, blow-by gases etc. so I’d be less concerned experimenting there with a different oil. Would be interesting to see if it can be made noticeably smoother just by using a different oil. I just changed it so won’t be doing it very soon, but I’ll probably give red line a try next time. Thanks everyone for the info!

For what it's worth with my 2004 V11, which has the gearbox version before the Grisos', it was abit notchy when I got the bike, with recommended gearbox oil. At the first service I replaced the gearbox oil with Redline Heavy shockproof & liked it. Just seemed to smooth the gearchanges out.
You can always flush it out later.