That car oil?

Says any petrol or diesel engine. Been using it in my xjr for years, why pay rip off prices for "specially formulated motorcycle oil" only ever used car based engine oil for my bikes and never had a problem yet.

Generally speaking car oil "should" be OK to use in a wet clutch motorcycle engine as long as it is not labelled "Energy Conserving". Energy conserving car oils contain friction enhancers such as molybdenum disulphide and are killers for wet clutches, ruining them in a few hundred miles. I can think of several members on this forum who have had to change their clutch plates after falling foul of energy conserving car oils.

However, there are other issues with car oils that should be considered, such as the inability to deal with the extreme pressures associated with lubricating a gearbox. Also car oils are only certified and tested in car applications, not in motorcycles. JASO spec oils are the only ones that have been specifically tested on motorcycles in combined engine/gearbox/clutch lubrication systems.

The bottom line is, run whatever you like in your motorcycle; it's entirely up to you. It is just worth bearing in mind the differences, and there are significant differences, between car and motorcycle oils before making your choice.

I've been a smoker for nearly thirty years and haven't had a problem yet! ;)

yeah I appreciate what your saying, if I had a high rpm bike im sure I would us (proper) motorcycle oil, but im happy enough using car based oils in my bikes as im not really convinced they wont perform as good in a bike, I change oil+filter every 4000mls and have never had any problems, in fact the one and only time I used proper motorcycle oil I done a 300 mile round trip and halfway my oil level light came on !! checked and it had dropped way below the sight glass. Walked a mile to get some out of a filling station !! I had changed oil+filter before leaving, so ive no idea where it went, but have never used it since. each to they,re own and all that, just my opinion. B&Q are closing another 4 shops here, so must be getting rid of stock, at �8 for 4ltrs I,ll be having some of that !!! cheers T

Wonder how the case harding on the gears in the box is going...
car engine don't have the high share loads of a gear box to contend with...

just use what ever you think works for yer... in the end theres prob not alot
in it for most riders..... i will stick with Motul 5100.............
(Nothing like a good oil thread for differing opinions)


.....

My experience.....
 

I found 10W50 here,for 7,50 euros for 2L ,for 100% synthetic moto oil...with the correct API certificate The same spec Motul in Dafy Moto is 70 euros for 4 litres....my 4 litres works out at 15 euros.....go figure.

I had been using 10W40 but since I've been using the other stuff for 20,000kms find that my gear change is far better and not as clunky; as aside on my mast oil change I used up some Motul 10W40 I had....back to more clunky changes....it was annoying me that much that I carried out another oil change after 800 or 900kms back to the 10W50.

A company I know that uses KTM 450's,in Morocco uses Shell Helix diesel 10W40 diesel oil in their fleet with no ill effect.

IMO I buy oil by the correct API/JASO spec and not by trade name...

:)

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