What oil do you really need for motorcycle engines?

Is there really a difference in motorcycle oil vs car oil? What is it?What oil do you really need for motorcycle engines?
A big difference is wet clutch compatibility, as well as shearing of oil in the transmission. check out Amsoil: http://www.amsoil.com/redirect.cgi?zo=14鈥?/a>What oil do you really need for motorcycle engines?
Motorcycle oil and automobile oil come from the same factories, they just have different labelling. Quality oil is quality oil and it's refined in exactly the same manner.





Get a motor oil without friction modifiers, moly, or anything that says 'energy conserving' as it can cause clutch slippage. Otherwise you can use any reputable brand of motor oil that matches the grade mentioned in your owners manual.





Ride Safe!
Some mc oils have more sulfur and other additives to carry off heat. I don't know that its a factor, what with liquid cooled engines and the modern metallurgical techniques used in the manufacture of air cooled bikes.








You can use automotive oil as long as it doesn't have friction modifiers. 10W40 and heavier usually don't. DO NOT use auto oil if the circle on the back label has ';Saves Energy'; or similar words.





Most important is regular oil changes.
I use 20w-50 in my Harley


yes motorcycle oil is way thicker.......


cars need thinner oil to properly circulate.


motorcycles don't run in winter so they use thicker oil and have smaller engines.....hope that helps
just make sure you check that the rating (SJ SL etc.) matches what your bike calls for and that it does not say energy conserving, as that type and wet clutches do not go well together and will cause the clutch to slip
The only difference is the marketing and the price. Good quality oil is good quality oil. Just use the weight that the manufacturer recomends


Now realize, I'm gonna get blasted for saying this but I'm used to it.
Patriot and chyenne have it right.


The oils are different. Why not spend a dollar more a quart and run what the manufactures spend millions testing in their motors. base stocks may come from a similar source but the additive packages are added buy the indvidual





cars use thinner oils today because the motors have tighter tolerences Google oil viscosities and you will learn more
m/c oil is formulated for higher temperatures specifically found in motorcycles. you can get by in an emergency but always use m/c oil in a mc
I use Castrol, the same stuff that goes into cars. 10w30 in the winter; mix of 10w40 and 20w50 in the summer.


My motorcycle is a 1985 Yamaha Virago 700 with about 80,000 miles on it.





Don't put in the stuff with ';slick'; additives.
Motorcycles don't run in winter? HAH! In Kansas they do...anyway, the oil question...it's not as much about heat, it's about shear factors...shearing takes place in the transmission, which on many bikes is lubricated by the same oil as the engine. (Harley owners, disregard this) As oil passes between the gear faces, which develop tremendous pressure during acceleration, the molecular chains in the oil molecules actully get cut, or ';sheared';. Motorcycle oils are formulated to have longer molecular chains and thus hold up better in this application. Brand isn't as important as formulation. I've run Jap bikes since 1978 and always used Hondalube GN-4 with excellent results...K ;o)
just checked the repair manual for my kawasaki. after the '01 model, it says the newer auto oils are ok as long as they aren't marked energy conserving, but 2000 and earlier required m/c oil only. best to check your specific manual to see. i'll be using automotive oil in mine from now on and pocketing the savings.


gary