Getting hard to find motor oil

[EVILBLACKSABRE]

Anybody else having trouble finding their preferred motor oil?

I use Shell Rotella T6 full-synthetic 5w-40. I used to be able to find it everywhere, Walmart, Home Depot, Auto Zone, Napa, O'reilly's. I went looking for it today here in San Diego, riding all over town, and I couldn't find a single quart. In fact, there was a lot of empty space on the shelves in the oil section of all those stores.

I don't know if it's supply chain, or refinery issues, or what, but it gave me cause for concern.

I ended up ordering a case (3 gallons) off ebay. And I consider myself lucky to find that.

And then there's inflation. Two years ago a gallon of the stuff cost me $24. The stuff I ordered today- $50 a gallon, and that was the cheapest.

Just a heads up, but if you haven't already, you might want to think about stocking up on whatever parts and fluids you use, because who knows how long this is going to last, or how bad it's going to get. I have to believe that it can always get worse.

I always kept extra parts and fluids on hand, but I'm going to get more serious about stocking up on tires, brake pads, fluids, etc. Everything I know I'm going to need over the next few years at least. I wouldn't want to wait until I actually need them only to find out they are no longer available.

[JBinNC]

Yep, welcome to 2022. You are dead on. The shortages are just beginning. It WILL get way worse, and if you don't understand/ believe that, you are in for a BIG surprise.

I'm sure the Pollyanna remarks will follow.

Just my 2c,
Jim

[docmel]

REMEMBER that when you vote

[JBinNC]

REMEMBER that when you vote

Vote harder. I'm sure that will help. /s

Jim

[golfish]

REMEMBER that when you vote

I really want to believe that there was voter fraud. Could there be that many stupid people in this country?

[docmel]

Who knows, but keep it simple:

Think basic: Could you find that oil in 2020 and before? And now you cant? Is it a result of the current admins policies and procedures? If you believe so, then again, remember that when you vote

It's all we as little people can do..... Whether one believes there was voter fraud or not, your beliefs and your vote is the one tool that we all have

Ask the Director of Commerce: Oh, that's right: He's too busy breast feeding his baby....................

[confab]

Its the supply chain bullshit.. Some time ago it was crackers. Then cat food. Automatic transmission filters. Home windows and doors. Garage doors. Now apparently, oil.

I run the synthetic stuff for air cooled motorcycles (Think it is Valvoline) and they have plenty of that.. At least right now.

The Chi-Commies are doing massive shutdowns to try and stop Covid. It won't work, and it will only make the supply chain issues worse.

THEN, there's inflation and the effect of THAT.. The labor shortage, which nobody seems to be able to explain. (Although everyone seems to think they have an answer for.)

And then there's the Ukraine bullshit and its effect on food and energy supplies.. Which is still playing out. Our head up the ass Middle East policy which makes people like the Saudis reluctant to help out. And, of course, who can forget our head up the ass domestic policies that exacerbate it all. Particularly on the energy front, but we seem determined to shoot ourselves in the foot in other areas as well..


And.. AFTER ALL THAT.. There's the massive uncertainty hanging out there..

We get something like the 7T (I think?) BBB plan passed? This can look like a day in the park! As everything will instantly get worse. Iran breaks out with a nuke? An arms race follows and everything gets worse. The Ukraine bullshit spills out beyond its borders and draws a neighbor in? Worse. GDP continues to tank? Worse. And all that creates uncertainty, which can sometimes be worse than dealing with the realities in front of us.

I see mention of voting up there.. It isn't all Joe Biden's fault. But, he's gonna get hammered for it anyway because he doesn't give a single fuck and isn't lifting a finger to do anything about any of it.

Instead, President JoeTard is fixated on grooming children to be become trannies, flooding the country with millions of illegal aliens, pushing green bullshit so his special interests can clean up at the public expense and combating the greatest threat the United States has ever faced.. WHICH IS WHITE NATIONALISM.

So, even though it isn't all his fault? Nobody is going to give a single fuck when he's run through the meat grinder for it.

[Revelator]

I really want to believe that there was voter fraud. Could there be that many stupid people in this country?

"You want to believe"?

Dude.... The vote rigging has been going on for many years, That's what happens when a
Country gets infiltrated with Fascist Rats that will stop at nothing to ram Their Fascism down
Our throats. People really need to wake up & realize
that the on going destruction of America & other Countries is all by design & NOT due to
so called "Leaders" making "Dumb Decisions". All of It is planned.
The Great John F Kennedy tried to warn the People in His
very last speech & even stating that He would soon
be exposing a monolithic agenda by certain
groups, & guess what....... He was promptly murdered just weeks following that very speech.
We are now witnessing the final attempt of taking down the United States, & If that happens,
The real possibility of a Global Fascist Dictatorship EXISTS.
Personally I think They will fail, But The storm is just beginning, Buckle down, & prepare for
manufactured mayhem, Food & supply shortages, & probably false flags.
You can call It Order Out Of Chaos.
A New World Order.

Pay attention to the "Covid" & "Climate Change" Agendas, These are the main Tools
that are being used to usher in this new age of CONTROL.
Pushed hard by the corrupt W.H.O, CDC, UN, & W.E.F, Rockefeller Foundation, & Other
groups, Funded by
the Central Banking empires that desire a digital currency to enslave
the World. Buy Gold & Silver now before They collapse
the US Dollar from all of the massive printing of soon to be worthless fiat currency.
& Buy Oil before It's all gone.

[JBinNC]

R,

If there were a "like" button, I would hit it for the above. I'm not sure of the depth of the collusion, but I am convinced that our Dear Leaders are NOT working with the citizens' best interests in mind. If not for the 2nd, it would have been over long ago. Gonna be a fun ride this next decade or so.

Jim

[38ulh]

I really want to believe that there was voter fraud. Could there be that many stupid people in this country?

Stupid people as well as short memories. I think they all suck. I vote for the party I vote for because I think they do the least damage. And ONCE IN A GREAT WHILE they have an effect on my life that is not negative. (oh yea is this another oil thread?) sorry!

[seaking]

Flush this thread to JP...idiots the lot of ya.

[EVILBLACKSABRE]

I was just looking for oil for my bikes. I wasn't looking to fight the fascist takeover of the planet.

I'll leave politics and fighting the "New World Order" to the rest of you guys.

I'm goin riding.

[ProfessorSquidbeard]

this thread is wild.

[CDeeZ]

WOW. Just WOW. This is fucking comedic.

I'm sure living in California poses it's own problems as far as sourcing things.

I understand having a preference for brand, weight and type of oil. I have some of my own preferences. But really it probably doesn't matter that much.

As far as my air-cooled bikes; I like to keep straight 60 or 70 weight in my HD's because even in the middle of winter here, you can have some fairly warmer days. And if you look in the oil tank after riding around, that 60w is as thin as water...... But if 20-w50 was all I could obtain, I wouldn't sweat it in the least.

As far as cars, trucks, lawnmowers etc. I run synthetic in some of my machines, and mineral oil in others. I don't really care. Usually, I buy whatever is on sale at the local parts store.... I have run 5w-30, 10w-30, straight non-detergent 30w, 15w40 and probably countless other variations I can't remember. It doesn't matter.

One of my buddies worked at an environmental clean up place locally. He ended up getting quite a bit of various weights, brands and types of oil from a semi that crashed. I forget the details but, he was able to get quite a bit of this oil recovered from this semi wreck and gave me some. For a while I had all kinds of brands, viscosities and types of oil. I used them all up finally.

Thicker oils will potentially decrease you fuel mileage. Thicker oil may also warrant a little bit of a warm up period on a cold day whereas thinner oil might not require it.

Bottom line IMO is, don't sweat it too much. If in doubt, have an UOA done and see. A lot of marketing bullshit surrounds oil and is created to sell products. Oil today, of any persuasion is lightyears better than it was years ago.

[EVILBLACKSABRE]

WOW. Just WOW. This is fucking comedic.

I'm sure living in California poses it's own problems as far as sourcing things.

I understand having a preference for brand, weight and type of oil. I have some of my own preferences. But really it probably doesn't matter that much.

As far as my air-cooled bikes; I like to keep straight 60 or 70 weight in my HD's because even in the middle of winter here, you can have some fairly warmer days. And if you look in the oil tank after riding around, that 60w is as thin as water...... But if 20-w50 was all I could obtain, I wouldn't sweat it in the least.

As far as cars, trucks, lawnmowers etc. I run synthetic in some of my machines, and mineral oil in others. I don't really care. Usually, I buy whatever is on sale at the local parts store.... I have run 5w-30, 10w-30, straight non-detergent 30w, 15w40 and probably countless other variations I can't remember. It doesn't matter.

One of my buddies worked at an environmental clean up place locally. He ended up getting quite a bit of various weights, brands and types of oil from a semi that crashed. I forget the details but, he was able to get quite a bit of this oil recovered from this semi wreck and gave me some. For a while I had all kinds of brands, viscosities and types of oil. I used them all up finally.

Thicker oils will potentially decrease you fuel mileage. Thicker oil may also warrant a little bit of a warm up period on a cold day whereas thinner oil might not require it.

Bottom line IMO is, don't sweat it too much. If in doubt, have an UOA done and see. A lot of marketing bullshit surrounds oil and is created to sell products. Oil today, of any persuasion is lightyears better than it was years ago.

I've been riding for the past 37 years. Daily. Never owned a 4-wheeled vehicle.

One of my bikes I've been riding for the past 19 years. My other bike I've been riding for the past 17 years.

I already know from years of trying different oils what my bikes like best, and which one gives me the smoothest shifting (wet clutches). I'm not inclined to start experimenting again, particularly since the choices are pretty limited here (like I said, a lot of empty space on the oil shelves), and especially since I was able to find the oil I wanted (Ebay).

In a pinch I'd use whatever oil I could find. But if I have a choice, and I do, I'm going with the one I know my bikes like. After more than 19 years I'm still running the original clutch, and it's still smooth, with never a slip. I attribute that in part to using the right oil.

The oil has been delivered. I'm set for my next three oil changes. So I'm good.