Everything about Motorcycle Oil

This year you joined the Metric Motorcycle ranks and bought a non-domestic brand motorcycle.  It doesn’t matter what the brand is, whether it’s from Japan, Korea, the European Union, or possibly from the US, the key difference is that it uses the same oil to lubricate the engine, clutch, and transmission.  Why that matters is because the oil has to be able to keep an engine well lubricated but also use that same oil to keep your transmission gears lubricated without causing the clutch plates to overheat or slip.

Wet Clutch Design

With this motorcycle design, it’s called a ‘wet clutch’.  The oil in this case has multiple functions that all need to occur at the same time: provide lubrication yet provide friction.  It sounds like a case of picking one attribute more than the other, but with a wet clutch you need both attributes to function well and have long durability.  What makes AMSOIL’s synthetic oil different is that it focuses on providing exceptional lubrication and correct friction without the use of friction modifiers found in other oils.

Motorcycle Oil Options

Your motorcycle manufacturer has a suggestion of what oil viscosity you should run under normal conditions.  Most likely it will be a 10W30 or a 10W40 weight oil. If you’re not sure which you should run, and your manufacturer says both are a good option, here’s how you can look at each of the options:

The Metric Motorcycle oil weights from AMSOIL are 10W30, 10W40, and 15W50.

• The ‘10’ or ‘15’ at the beginning of each weight refers to the viscosity rating of the oil near freezing for water (32 degrees Fahrenheit).  Unless you need a thicker oil at a low temperature, it’s best to stick with the ‘10’ rating if it’s specified by your manufacturer.

• The ‘W’ signifies Winter and that the oil has different known viscosities based on temperature.  One thing to note is that the change is not linear, and it can be changed based on the additives contained in the oil.  If there isn’t a ‘W’ in the weight, the oil has only one rating at the warm temperature (approximately 210 degrees where most engines).

• The last digit shows the viscosity rating at approximate operating temperature (again ~210 degrees).  The higher the number, the less the oil will want to flow. At higher temperature, you want a thicker oil that will stay consistent and keep your engine protected.  AMSOIL synthetic oil offers three different viscosities, which will allow you to protect your motorcycle whether you just plan to cruise around on the weekends, or you run yours hard in a competitive setting.

AMSOIL Metric Motorcycle Options

One great opportunity that the AMSOIL Metric Motorcycle oil offers beyond your standard replacement oil is that it can double your oil change length.  If you ride a lot during the warmer months of the year, you know every few thousand miles you will have to take the time to change your oil and filter.  Your owner’s manual will dictate the recommended mileage or hours ridden before changing the oil. AMSOIL synthetic can run up to twice as long as conventional oil, which can reduce your oil change costs significantly year after year.

If you normally only change your oil once per year now, doing it with synthetic means you have plenty of miles left if you get the chance for an extra weekend getaway unexpectedly.  You will just want to change the filter at your normal recommended mileage or hours ridden if it’s not an AMSOIL Ea brand oil filter.

Beyond the synthetic Metric Motorcycle oil, BuyGreatOil.com can put together a package of oil, oil filter, and other lubricants to keep your motorcycle in top condition and well protected.  The AMSOIL synthetic oil is also covered under the Warranty Secure program which will keep your factory warranty intact when you use AMSOIL in place of another factory recommended brand.  That’s extra peace of mind to keep your investment secure mile after mile. Happy Riding!