Motorcycle Engine Oils & Additives

Oil is the key to the optimal performance and long service life of your motorcycle's engine. There's a lot more to it than just lubrication. Motorcycle engine oil also acts as a coolant and its formulation incorporates plenty of additives that inhibit corrosion and oxidation processes and minimize dirt and carbon buildup keeping the engine clean. Many of the modern bikes have a wet clutch which means the same oil is used for the engine, transmission, and clutch. Given its importance to your motorcycle's engine and gearbox health, oil must be checked and changed at regular intervals.

There are different oil choices for different applications, and picking the wrong one can kill your motorcycle in the worst case scenario. Your owner's manual provides oil recommendations, and following them is the best thing you can do to your bike's engine. You may need to change engine oil sooner than the manual recommends if you ride at high RPMs for longer periods of time, frequently ride in dusty or humid areas, or have to deal with stop-and-go traffic all too often. Poor quality fuel can shorten the interval as well, causing premature oil contamination. Whatever kind of oil your motorcycle needs, here you're sure to find what's best for your machine and your wallet.

Oil viscosity grade is one of the most important factors to take into consideration. It describes the oil's thickness at high and low temperatures. Temperature greatly affects the viscosity grade: when heated, the oil gets 'thinner' (less viscous) and moves faster, and when the mercury drops, the oil thickens and moves slower. Choosing the proper viscosity grade is of paramount importance. In the past, different monograde oils were used depending on the season, with lighter ones being suitable for summertime and heavier oils used in the winter. Today's multigrade oils take the stress out of oil changes, protecting the engine all year round.

Multigrade oils also help reduce engine wear during cold starts while providing sufficient thickness when the engine reaches its normal operating temperature. Multigrade oil viscosity rating includes two numbers separated by the letter W, which stands for “Winter.” The number that precedes and follows W describes the oil's viscosity at low (0° F) and high (212° F) temperatures, respectively. The higher the number, the more the oil is resistant to flowing, i.e. the more viscous it is and the thicker film it forms. For instance, 10W-30 oil is less viscous at elevated temperatures than 20W-50. The right viscosity for your engine is detailed in the owner's manual.

The three basic types of oil are mineral (conventional), synthetic, and semi-synthetic. Mineral oil is cheaper as it is less refined and takes less resources to become the product that is ready for use. It is considered to be suitable for older motorcycles and those equipped with less capable engines that do not experience excessively high loads. High-performance, high-revving engines that are put to extreme use need synthetic oil that is much more chemically stable and resistant to breakdown at high temperatures. Semi-synthetic oils are blends with the content of synthetic oil of 30% or less. These oils offer a higher level of protection than mineral oils and are suitable for certain wet clutch systems where synthetic oils could cause clutch slipping.