A question I see asked is “can I use synthetic motor oils in my motorcycle?” You can ask many people and get many different answers. What you will find in this article is a general answer for 4 stoke motorcycles.
Yes, you can use Synthetics Motor oils in your motorcycle. However, I would define this further and say you should use “Synthetic Motorcycle oils” in your bike. The reason is, your bike’s engine is a specialized piece of equipment and motorcycle Specific oils are formulated specifically for them to use in the conditions they operate in.
A common talking point is “it’s a motor and any cheap oil will do.” My question to you is “why would you spend so much money on your prized motorcycle only to throw in the cheapest oil?” Oils are used for many functions in modern engines like: cooling, lubrication and cleaning internals. Why would you not give it the best protection available? Who wants to spend more time doing maintenance and not riding?
To get started you first have to understand how synthetics are made. By getting this knowledge, it helps you to better understand the benefits of synthetics. It helps you understand why they perform better. It also helps you make the best choice for your situation.
Synthetic Oil base stocks are created in labs. Synthetic base stocks are designed with uniform molecule sizes and no impurities. Where as, a conventional oil’s molecules are separated by weights in the refining process and different shapes and sizes of molecules remain. Also conventional oil contain impurities like: sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen and metal components such as nickel or vanadium, that can not be filtered out no matter how much refining takes place.
Because of the uniform shape and size of the molecules in synthetics, they are more readily able to withstand the shear and compression forces that tear them apart. Synthetics are better at reducing the effects of heat and they also leave a better film on your engine parts to reduce wear. With no impurities, your engine is given the the cleanest start it can have, where the most wear happens.
Synthetics are proven to handle temperature changes better. Synthetics reduce the hot temperatures of your engines while riding in the summer. This helps reduce the development of sludge and varnish from viscosity changes associated with extreme heat. They also provide better cold start protection. Cold starts are not just winter time events, as a cold start is defined as any time an engine is started after sitting long enough to allow the oil to drain back into the pan. This resting period reduces the lubrication available on start up.
Synthetic oils use higher quality additives in there make up. Why is this important because, these additive packages are what gives oil its performance qualities. Wear protection, acid neutralization, rust protection, sludge prevention and cleaning power are all properties given to oil by the additives used. The higher quality additives gives you the higher protection packages your oil deserves. These protections work better and last longer.
Since motorcycles tend to share motor oil with transmissions the oils subject to even more harsh treatment causing shear. Friction plate material is also deposited into the oil causing contamination spread through your engine, so using a synthetic oil that helps reduce the amount of clutch wear and also moves any contaminants into the filter is critical.
Synthetics resist the formation of sludge and varnish buildup by preventing the loss of viscosity due to excessive heat. They also clean the internal components continuously removing buildup that has already developed inside the engine.
No. Most motorcycles are air-cooled engines and today’s cars are liquid cooled, so the oils are designed differently. Air cooled motorcycle engines run hotter today and these hotter temps will increase oil breakdown leading sludge and varnish. Car oils also contain additives the reduce friction in parts and these additives can have a detrimental effect on clutch wear and increase clutch slippage. So while you may think oil is just oil, in reality motorcycle oil is developed for the specific conditions the motorcycle engine works in.
Welcome to the industry minimum standard!! The quick down and dirty is that these certifications are the basic minimum standards that oil must meet to be acceptable. While that is not a bad thing, most synthetics reform better than these standards. There are a few companies that focus solely on synthetic oils and products from those companies outperform these standards significantly.
Here is the API for more info on their classification system
Yes, you need to use synthetic oils for their superior performance capabilities. Specifically, you should use synthetic motorcycle oils that meet one of those minimum standards specified in your manual. Automotive oils may not meet the standards for motorcycles. You need to check the labels.
A common negative myth that is spread is that synthetic oils cause oil leaks after switching to them. The truth is that the leaks caused after putting in synthetic oils is due to already worn or cracked seals and sludge buildup. These bad seals have a sludge buildup that prevents oil from leaking and due to the cleaning power of synthetics, the buildup is “removed”. The oil can now find the openings and the oil can leak. So it’s just the synthetics exposing an issue that has already occurred. It’s not the oil itself that caused the leaks and bad seals.
If you only look at the price and not the total picture then sometimes “yes” they are. If you factor in their advanced manufacturing, the additive package, the increased life longevity of your components, the increased fuel mileage and decreased maintenance costs then no, they are not expensive.
As you can see, Synthetic motorcycle oils are manufactured to perform better than conventional oils. Their additive’s properties provide the ultimate protection for motorcycles and are designed to operate in the modern environments of today. They also help protect the environment by reducing the amount of oil used overall.
If you’re someone like me who can’t afford to keep buying new bikes every couple of years and needs to make the bike they have last the longest it can, then you need to use the best products on the market and those are synthetics.
I also like to restore bikes and am currently rebuilding a 1988 Kawasaki ninja zx 600. Parts are hard to find, so using synthetics to make the ones I have last is important. I have no problem using synthetic motorcycle oil in this bike.
I once read in a Rev-zilla article, a quote that has stuck with me about choosing the correct oil for the application and it is “ I use my noodle and don’t let my wallet to guide my decisions”. This is how it should be when it comes to buying the correct oil products for your bike. Why do you want spend a lot of money on a bike and then risk damaging your bike’s engine with the cheapest oil on the shelf?
Purchase AMSOIL Synthetic Motorcycle Oils here.
For more information on synthetic oils or to see what AMSOIL Synthetic Oil products are available check us out at the Synthetic oil depot.