Technical Guide For Motorcycle Oil.The gap between motorcycle oil and automotive oil is widening every year. Automotive oil from just 5 yrs. ago is very different from what is found on the shelves today. The same holds true for oil which is formulated for motorcycle racing. Motorcycle specific oil addresses the issues most important to bikes: wet clutches, integrated gearboxes, low oil volumes, thermal degradation due to extreme operating temperatures, higher load & shear forces, increased foaming tendency & evaporation, and increased formation of internal engine deposits. Even the best automotive oils are lacking in the specific qualities necessary to deal with motocross concerns. Fortunately many manufacturers have made great strides lately to improve the motorcycle oil formulations to hold-up to the high demands. Motorcycle Oil Manufacturers such as Amsoil, Maxima, and Redline to name a few all offer quality products which lead the field in the lubrication arena.
Due to their popularity this article will concentrate on today's four-stroke motorcycle oils, however many of the advancements in lubrication discussed equally applies to today's two-stroke engine lubrication technology. The following are some guidelines & recommendations for choosing the best motorcycle oil to suit motocross racing's severe service conditions: What does "Motorcycle Specific API SG" oil mean? If you read the manufacturer's manual nearly all motorcycles sold will state to use a Motorcycle Specific API SG engine oil. This terminology simply means an SG-rated oil can contain unlimited amounts of antiwear and extreme pressure additives to help the oil survive the extreme conditions and prevent metal to metal contact. These additives are included by the motorcycle oil manufacturers as a safe-guard to protect your engine. It is important to understand that by law newer Automotive Oils such as API ratings SJ, SL, and SM cannot contain these elevated amount of additives. The most important part of a four-stroke engine oil is proper formulation. A properly formulated oil starts with a high-quality base oil as this is the foundation. Next the oil is blended with polymers and treated with anti-wear additives. Finding the proper synergy between all these components is where the magic is. Performance and Protection go hand-in-hand.
Absolutely Not!!! There are many different variations, and nearly everyone has heard the terms synthetic oils and petroleum based oils. Synthetic oils are generally regarded as superior in the lubrication industry, however even amongst this category there can be drastic differences in performance. There are basically three different types of fluids which are currently marketed as synthetics: Group III, PAO, and Ester. Esters are recognized world-wide as the "BEST OF THE BEST"!! There are great performance differences between the lower end Group III and top of the line Ester Synthetics. Don't be fooled by semi-synthetic blends. There are no guidelines set in place for these semi-synthetics which mandate a minimum percentage of synthetic content. Do yourself a favor and look for the highest quality pure synthetic blend from a reputable manufacturer within the lubrication industry. Visit - Amsoil Whitepaper Oil Comparison. What Makes Synthetic Ester Oils So Much Better? Ester synthetics are the only type of base oils that are polar in nature. That's right this type of oil actually forms bonds (think of it as magnets) to the metal surfaces within your engine and drastically increase the load carrying capabilities of the oil, while simultaneously reducing friction, heat, and wear. 100% Ester-based synthetic oils are used by the majority of factory race teams. This type of oil has been shown to protect engine components under severe race conditions when temperatures have exceeded 300 Degrees F without engine failure. This type of oil was originally pioneered to lubricate jet turbine engines, and testing has shown high-speed magnetos melting down before cylinders have locked up using Ester-based synthetics. Ester-Based Synthetic Oils excel in all categories of oil performance such as Wet-Clutch Capability, Ability To Maintain Viscosity Over Temperature, High Temperature & High Load Performance, Wear Protection, Gear Performance, Evaporation Loss, Foaming Tendency, Oxidation Stability, Engine Cleanliness, and Rust Protection. Can Ester-Based Synthetic Oils Increase Performance? Absolutely. The reduced friction and lower engine temperatures offered by Ester-based Synthetic Oils are directly related to horsepower. Dyno tests on today's 450F bikes have shown over one horsepower improvement using Synthetic Ester-Based Oils compared to generic automotive oil formulations. Just as important the engine will rev more freely using the Ester Synthetic formulations and be better protected.
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