[Waltrip_Racing]

This article is old, but it's a definite 'must read'. Just thought I'd post it for those of you with an extra 10 minutes to spare. If anyone has some newer studies let me know.

Auto Vs. Motorcycle Oil Link

 

[fallclassic02]

Don't do it.

 

[rennsport]

This article is old, but it's a definite 'must read'. Just thought I'd post it for those of you with an extra 10 minutes to spare. If anyone has some newer studies let me know.

Auto Vs. Motorcycle Oil Link

This is further proof that P.T. Barnum was right when he said, "It is your moral obligation to take a sucker's money." nfloor

 

[Waltrip_Racing]

Don't do it.

Don't do what? There are plenty of members on here that use auto oil in there bikes. It's all hype! This is the second study that proves motorcycle oil is no different than auto oil. After all, if I can milk 190k miles out of a 454 big block using Pennzoil why couldn't I use it in my 600cc bike? :rolleyes

 

[aplmv]

Don't do it.

I hope you have some facts/ideas/arguments supporting your opinion.

Personally, based on this and some other articles that I read I am using Mobil-1 15-50 syntetic auto oil changing it once per 2,500 miles. Have a little more than 8,000 on my ODO now.

 

[04Fizzer]

It's not so much the bike vs auto oil, it's the energy conserving vs non-energy conserving oils.

Energy conserving oils have friction modifiers added that can damage your clutch (causing to slip excessively, causing premature failure of the friction plates). You acn run auto oil as long as it's NOT energy conserving.

Personally, I run Mobil 1 full synthetic gold cap (non-energy conserving). No problems at all on my end.

 

[aplmv]

I run Mobil 1 full synthetic gold cap (non-energy conserving). No problems at all on my end.

Same here, forgot to mention - non-energy conserving oil type.

 

[AutoXer]

Here's my take on why you shouldn't run it in your 600cc bike. The issue is the amount of additives in M/C oil that are specifically there to protect the gears of the transmission (I believe zinc is the main one). Remember, almost all bikes except maybe Harley's(?) share the oil supply between the engine and the tranny, and tranny gears take quite a load, so these additives are needed. That makes the oil requirements for a bike very different than a car.

There was indeed a time when car oils had the same stuff in them because many older cars, but even a few fairly recent ones including my '88 Acura Integra, specified MOTOR OIL in the gearbox vice any specific gearbox oil, So the additives were needed in car oils too. Those days are gone - these additives have been taken out of the car oils for various reasons ranging from "they are bad for catalytic converters" to "lower friction without the stuff". So while at the time some of the older studies were done there was no truly good reason to run a (more expensive) motorcyce oil, that is no longer the case.

The only oil that MIGHT be an exception is specifically Mobil 1 15W50 - that oil seemed for a long time to have been identical in both the car and the bike oils. The reason is likely because the only cars that would have still specified that heavyweight oil would have been older ones, so there was likely little reason to change the car oil chemistry to take the stuff out since no modern car would specify that weight of oil. I know all this car oil vice bike oil was discussed in a Motorcycle Consumer News article a couple years ago, check their web site - I'm drawing on mymemory of those articles for what I'm saying here.

Bottom line is all evidence seems to say that car oils no longer have the additives necessary to adequately protect the tranny gears and you should run a motorcycle-specific oil. Opposite views are welcome.

jZ

(not associated with the motorcycle oil industry in any way)

 

[rennsport]

Here's my take on why you shouldn't run it in your 600cc bike. The issue is the amount of additives in M/C oil that are specifically there to protect the gears of the transmission (I believe zinc is the main one). Remember, almost all bikes except maybe Harley's(?) share the oil supply between the engine and the tranny, and tranny gears take quite a load, so these additives are needed. That makes the oil requirements for a bike very different than a car.



Bottom line is all evidence seems to say that car oils no longer have the additives necessary to adequately protect the tranny gears and you should run a motorcycle-specific oil. Opposite views are welcome.

jZ

(not associated with the motorcycle oil industry in any way)

There have been plenty of riders who run auto oil in this type of bike. They have had their oil tested and found the good quality auto ioils to hold real well in this of engine. IOW, the proof is in the pudding!

 

[fallclassic02]

I say this for the energy conserving issue. If you know what to look for it can work. Many might try to save $15 and do some damage because they didn't know all the ins and outs. Also the MC oil has some additives like anti foaming agents that are not in car oils. I have grappled with this question myself and I have heard and know of many who have done this and do this with no issues but when I talk about it with friends who are bike mechanics they almost always say to not do it. If you are feeling budget hungry go get some maxima MC oil, it is good and relatively cheap.

It can be done and it is done but do you really want to skimp on perhaps the most vital component of a working engine? It's your call.

Oh and who the hell uses Pennzoil!! (and admits it)

 

[fallclassic02]

Honestly I also just figured if i said something devisive without anything to support it the thread would attract the SAY WHAT crowd. Bravo.

 

[fiveninerzero]

I've been using heavy duty oil meant for diesels for years in my bike, they are rated SG just like the manual calls for, plus the heavy duty oils don't have friction modifiers so the API donut doesn't say "energy conserving" on the bottom.

Shell Rotella T will do a bike tough.

 

[fiveninerzero]

http://rotella.com/qa/answerresult.php?rowid=169

 

[madscientist]

You know guys I figure that if I dropped 6K on a bike the least I can do,just to play it safe, is us the manufacturer's recommended oil. Not saying that other oils don't do the same thing but to save maybe $100 over the life of a bike (@100Kmiles of use assuming 5K oil changes and saving $5 per change by using regular oil) I would much rather do what the engineers say and use an SG rated oil. Flame away but just my $.02.

Later,
Murphy

 

[crx81]

You know guys I figure that if I dropped 6K on a bike the least I can do,just to play it safe, is us the manufacturer's recommended oil. Not saying that other oils don't do the same thing but to save maybe $100 over the life of a bike (@100Kmiles of use assuming 5K oil changes and saving $5 per change by using regular oil) I would much rather do what the engineers say and use an SG rated oil. Flame away but just my $.02.

Later,
Murphy

Nice logic and I see your point, but by your standards, why the heck would you run the oil FIVE THOUSAND MILES????

 

[crx81]

Don't do it.

You guys worry like a bunch of old ladies. I've been running Wesson Canola oil in my bike for over 15,000 miles now, and have had no issues whatsoever! :lol

 

[rennsport]

You know guys I figure that if I dropped 6K on a bike the least I can do,just to play it safe, is us the manufacturer's recommended oil. Not saying that other oils don't do the same thing but to save maybe $100 over the life of a bike (@100Kmiles of use assuming 5K oil changes and saving $5 per change by using regular oil) I would much rather do what the engineers say and use an SG rated oil. Flame away but just my $.02.

Later,
Murphy

So you run YamaSPOOGE in your bike eh? That is what Yamaha recommends. In oil tests done on various brands, Yamalube has not done too well...


I do not use Shell Rotella T to save money. I use it because I wnat a BETTER oil than Yamaha calls for.

 

[bumblebee]

It's not so much the bike vs auto oil, it's the energy conserving vs non-energy conserving oils.

Energy conserving oils have friction modifiers added that can damage your clutch (causing to slip excessively, causing premature failure of the friction plates). You acn run auto oil as long as it's NOT energy conserving.

Personally, I run Mobil 1 full synthetic gold cap (non-energy conserving). No problems at all on my end.

I agree...I use 10W40 Pennz in my bike for 14400 miles of the 15K on the odo...Just look for the circle and Just Say No to energy conserving

 

[xgabriel]

I saw somewhere that is was recommended to use Castrol GTX anti-sludge formula in bikes if you wanted to use Auto oil. I used it in my last oil change and so far haven't seen anything bad. In fact, it seems the bike runs smoother than it ever has!

 

[Kneedragger]

It's a great article. RTFA:

The results of these tests seem to support some of the long-standing theories about oils while casting serious doubt on others. Going by these tests it would seem logical to assume that:

1. The viscosity of synthetic-based oils generally drops more slowly than that of petroleum-based oils in the same application.
2. Comparing these figures to viscosity retention for the same oils when used in an automobile (see later text by Prof. Woolum) would indicate that motorcycles are indeed harder on oils than cars.
3. The fastest and most significant drop in the viscosity of petroleum-based oils used in motorcycles occurs during the first 800 miles (or less) of use.
All of these results (1-3) agree with everything the oil companies have been telling us all along. However, the same test data also indicates that:
4. The viscosities of petroleum-based oils, whether designed for auto or motorcycle application, drop at approximately the same rate when used in a motorcycle.
5. There is no evidence that motorcycle-specific oils out-perform their automotive counterparts in viscosity retention when used in a motorcycle.

These last two results (4-5) definitely do not agree with what the motorcycle oil producers have been telling us. In fact the test results not only indicate the two motorcycle oils being outperformed in viscosity retention by the two automotive synthetic products. but even by the relatively inexpensive Castrol GTX, which is a petroleum product. This directly contradicts the advertising claims made by the motorcycle oil producers.​

And I thought I was being a cheap bastard using GTX... :banana