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JK591 · 07-25-2005

OK, here goes another can of worms (oil?). Motorcycle oil IS different than automobile oil in one major way. Most modern motorcycles use the same engine oil for their transmissions. (Older Triumph and BSA's had split cases or "pre-unit" engines.) Transmission gears are WAY harder on the oil than the combustion mechanics - i.e., piston, rings, etc. The meshing of the gears tend to "shear" the oil molecules and for that reason motorcycle oil has additives to inhibit that shearing process. Auto oil does not. Therefore, auto
oil breakdown happens really fast. True, you could save a few bucks a quart
by using it and changing your oil every five hundred miles, but that upsets those of us who may be ecologically minded. (Incidently, in Europe the average motorist goes around 8-10,000 miles between oil changes for reasons of economics and ecology and tend to view us as wasteful with our manufacturer's suggestion of 3-5000 here in the colonies.) For the longest time cycle oil also had to be formulated for air-cooled engines and still has ingredients for that, even though many/most bikes are liquid cooled. Also, beware of oil additives. Slick 150, STP, Marvel Oil etc. changes the chemical make-up of your oil - for the worse. If any of these additional additives were necessary, the various oil company chemists would already be doing it. (For just a few pennies.) Don't play junior chemist and undo their many years of
research in their million dollar laboratories. Incidentally, I really don't work for an OEM, and dislike paying the extra bucks for "special" oil and filters, but it makes a lot of sense to buy the best for my engine, and scrimp on my chrome
do-dads.

07-25-2005	#1 (permalink)
JK591 Newbie Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: New Phila., Ohio Posts: 17	Beware of auto oil and additives OK, here goes another can of worms (oil?). Motorcycle oil IS different than automobile oil in one major way. Most modern motorcycles use the same engine oil for their transmissions. (Older Triumph and BSA's had split cases or "pre-unit" engines.) Transmission gears are WAY harder on the oil than the combustion mechanics - i.e., piston, rings, etc. The meshing of the gears tend to "shear" the oil molecules and for that reason motorcycle oil has additives to inhibit that shearing process. Auto oil does not. Therefore, auto oil breakdown happens really fast. True, you could save a few bucks a quart by using it and changing your oil every five hundred miles, but that upsets those of us who may be ecologically minded. (Incidently, in Europe the average motorist goes around 8-10,000 miles between oil changes for reasons of economics and ecology and tend to view us as wasteful with our manufacturer's suggestion of 3-5000 here in the colonies.) For the longest time cycle oil also had to be formulated for air-cooled engines and still has ingredients for that, even though many/most bikes are liquid cooled. Also, beware of oil additives. Slick 150, STP, Marvel Oil etc. changes the chemical make-up of your oil - for the worse. If any of these additional additives were necessary, the various oil company chemists would already be doing it. (For just a few pennies.) Don't play junior chemist and undo their many years of research in their million dollar laboratories. Incidentally, I really don't work for an OEM, and dislike paying the extra bucks for "special" oil and filters, but it makes a lot of sense to buy the best for my engine, and scrimp on my chrome do-dads.