[Montis6]

Hello there fellow riders!
Joined teambhp maybe a month ago. I ride the Apache 160 4V. Bought it in Sept 2021, and use it mostly for office related work. The bike lies unused most days, and the days I take it out, it could be anywhere between 10-70 kms in a day. (In the last 10 days of the month) Plans for weekend rides are just plans. which mostly never materialize. But when they do, maybe once every 4-5 months, it's a ride of around 200 kms to and fro. The roads (in Konkan) are mostly a mix of the good, the bad and the ugly.
In the two years of usage, I have sometimes neglected the timely servicing that needs to be done. Last servicing (maybe the 5th) was done in Nov 23. The odometer shows almost 19000 kms now. The tires are now worn out, and I'm looking to change both the rear and the front tire. I would really appreciate recommendations from the members here. It would help me if to understand whether choosing between Apollo, CEAT or MRF(or any other brand) will make any difference, considering my usage.
Also the last time I got my bike serviced, I noticed the mechanic at the service centre used the common engine oil, and not the one recommended by TVS. So I'm thinking of changing that as well. TVS recommends using fully synthetic oil (SAE 10W30 API-SL, JASO MA2). A friend recommended 20w40 (which he used for his Pulsar 150). Is it ok to use 10W40 or 20W40 instead of 10W30, and if so, what are the pros and cons? And even if I use 10w30, will using the SN variant give better results than SL?
Thanks in advance...

[advstreak]

Originally Posted by Montis6

It would help me if to understand whether choosing between Apollo, CEAT or MRF(or any other brand) will make any difference, considering my usage.

For tyre I would recommend getting Apollo Tramplr ST in stock size.

https://shop.apollotyres.com/tramplr-st-90-90-17-tl
https://shop.apollotyres.com/tramplr-st-130-70-17-tl

My friend is using the same tyre on his Apache 160 4v and his review is very positive.

Originally Posted by Montis6

Is it ok to use 10W40 or 20W40 instead of 10W30, and if so, what are the pros and cons?

Dont change the lower temperature rating of the oil and hence avoid 20WXX oils. The general suggestion is that use you can use a slightly higher high temperature rating oil which would be 10W40 in your case but better stick to manufacturer recommendation for best performance.

You can get an idea which oil will be more suitable for your bike from these videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf2RY64lwsc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFiCq_Ke3RA

[Montis6]

Thanks a lot advstreak!!
Also came across an old tyre thread here. Going through it, will make a decision and let you know very soon.
Cheers!

[shancz]

Welcome to TBHP

Originally Posted by Montis6

Is it ok to use 10W40 or 20W40 instead of 10W30, and if so, what are the pros and cons

Irregular usage and maintenance for a 2021 RTR 1604V which needs a tyre and engine oil upgrade. Hope I summarised it aptly.

I've used the CEAT Zoom on the front of my RTR180 and I didn't see any reason to complain. It was a big improvement over the worn out TVS ATT.
I've also used Michelin Street Sirac on the rear which gripped very well, gave a very plush ride but was a puncture magnet owing to the softer compound and will wear out much sooner.

Tyres :
If your usage involves a lot of broken roads, dirt then Apollo Tramplr ST can be looked at but being more dirt biased they might be a bit noisier on highways or wear out faster.
IMO your usage doesn't require very expensive rubber and Apollo and TVS Eurogrip have upped their game recently. Since your bike would've been shod with TVS, try something else this time.
Suggestions :
- Apollo Alpha S1
- CEAT Zoom
- MRF Zapper


Engine Oil :
Your usage is like our Access and I moved from 10W30 to 5W40 Castrol Power 1 Ultimate and the changes were unbelievable, documented here (The Suzuki Access 125 thread).
I had used Motul 300V (10W50 can't remember exactly) on my RTR180 and it was an exceptional upgrade but an overkill too.
I would suggest a fully synthetic 10W40 would be ideal.
The specifications like MA/MB are specific to chemicals used and their interactions with engine components and related wear, loosely speaking.
Going from MA to MB is ok but not MB to MA as the specifications are usually backward compatible.
More info on our dedicated threads like this (ARTICLE: Synthetic oil vs Mineral oil).

Suggestions:
- Castrol Power 1 Ultimate
- Motul 7100
- Liqui Moly
FYI most manufacturers now use Motul 7100 on their premium motorcyles in their ASC

PS : Else you can just go for a 10W30 fully synthetic oil from Motul 7100 or any other to be safe.

[Montis6]

Hello shancz!
Thanks a lot for the detailed reply.

I'm still a bit confused though. I made enquiries regarding some tyres, and the person at the tyre store (spoke with him on the phone) said MRF tyres might cause back pain in case of long tours. Is this true? Even though I haven't, and mostly, won't be doing any long tours in the foreseeable future, I'd like to keep that in mind before deciding, because in the post regarding tyres on this forum, sagarpadaki had nothing but good things to say athe MRF FY1, and I'm sold! Also the size of the FY1 90/80-17 doesn't seem to be a perfect match for the Apache (needs 90/90-17). So is that something I need to consider as well?

I was going to go with Apollo Trampler ST because of the bad patches I frequently traverse, but then your comment regarding it being noisy on highway stretches and it's durability scared me. Will it be that much of a thing to worry about? I'm new to this, so hope you understand.

As for the rear tyre, I'm considering the Apollo Alpha S1. As it is a radial tyre, will there be any issues on rough patches with this one? For eg punctures, or bike unable to move forward on some patches that are just stones and dirt?

Finally, looked up the engine oils you recommended. Will go with either Castrol Power 1 Ultimate 10W40 or Shell Fuel Save 10W30 for now, and hopefully, as I service my bike as per recommended schedules, upgrade to Liqui Moly later.

Cheers!