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Use Amsoil in everything for the last 20 years.
Ratman: Believe I am using their 10W40. Have not had the issues you describe with my 800.....what viscosity is the Kawi synthetic you are using with good results?.. perhaps a heavier or straight weight oil?
Yeah, I thought when I ordered the filter it looked like the very same one that I've been putting on my Valkyrie (naked Goldwing). That is kind of funny.
I have been using Amsoil in both the GW and Drifter for the past 10 years. I like it. I also use K&N filters on both... same filter for the Drifter and the GW... go figure.
OK, thanks for all the replies. Pretty much what I expected to hear (same thing most Goldwing riders say), but I just thought there might be some little "Kawasaki thing" I didn't know about why not to go with synthetic.
Not sure what the PO had in the bike when I bought it but it had been sitting for a bit, so first thing was an oil change. I did it with Kawasaki oil regular stuff, and ran it with that over the winter I was seduced by the Amsoil info. So switched over to that and man was the engine loud the shifting loud and rough, so after only 3 months (nearly the whole summer here) I switched over to Kaw synthetic oil, and have been using it ever since.
I switched from dino to synth, when I first got my bike. The engine instantly ran much quieter.
I switched to synthetic decades ago. All my vehicles use synthetic from the first oil change (nowadays many come with synthetic). I have never had an oil related failure. Synthetic handles moisture (and weather) and heat better, so it is great for bikes. I think the bike runs and shifts better with synthetic, but have no proof of that. AND, it lasts longer. I honestly have found no reason not to use synthetic. It is more expensive but not by enough for me to notice or give up the benefit.
Do a search here for "oil" and you will come up with a lot of info.I think it's a matter of taste really. I run synthetic, because I like the longer life of it and I think it keeps the engine a bit quieter. I know lots here who swear by dino oil. To each his or her own.
Another new guy question. So while I'm waiting for my baffles to come – bike's too loud to even run it the way it is – I might as well do all the regular maintenance on it. I ordered a filter and I went ahead and bought the same oil that I run in my Valkyrie – full synthetic four stroke motor oil, which is OK for a wet clutch (has no friction modifiers, moly or anything). And then I got to thinking, maybe I should ask the guys on the forum what they're running for oil. So I'm all ears, well cyber ears 
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