Detailed List of Motorcycle Oils (around 15W-40 or thicker characteristics)

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Feb 20, 2019
Messages
60
Location
'Murica
I'm so OCD....

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16uHVIi8s561ordoEB3WTqDTbDsesqSI4J3FqfgydK3k/edit?usp=sharing


I was looking for a thicker 15W-40 for more "shearing-resistance". Was considering the Amsoil MCF because of the chart that shows it didn't shear, but I believe that UOAs around here prove that it does shear. And of relevant note, I found two different specs for the Amsoil MCF oil, so I put the worse ones in this chart... and it makes it seem more like a 5W-40 if you look close enough! Not even sure why there is a 5W-40 grade viscosity, tho.

Think I might try out the Redline 10W40, Maxima Extra 10W-40, & Castrol Power1 4T 10W-50, as they all seem like solid synthetic options and they're all actually MA2 rated!! Their Viscosity Indexes are certainly higher than the HDEO options, so they should be shearing in our shared sumps more than the HDEOS. The HDEO options are pretty solid themselves, tho. Makes me wonder if chasing a synthetic oil is really worth it? Unless it's actually a 15W-40 like the new T6!!
whistle.gif


Only thing I didn't really try to notate was pour points, since it's not really important to me. Sorry if you were interested in those specs!
 
Last edited:
Just remembered there actually is a synthetic 15W-40 already besides the new Rotella T6 ---- Royal Purple Duralec. It's not MA rated, but most don't seem to care that much about it around here.
 
Last edited:
Lot of motorcycle shared sump enthusiasts use the Red Line or Motul. I used Red Line on my Nightrod as the factory fill would shear to water in a few hundred miles. The Red Line went to the 2k OCI I set for myself.
 
no matter what your looking for you can't go wrong with Redline's real synthetic lubricants, that is if the price is ok with you. you give few details of what your looking to run in what + the ambient temps that affect selections so don't expect specific recommendations
 
Your spreadsheet is a good summary... another one to add would be Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40. Many bikers use and like Rotella T-5 (semi synthetic) 15W-40, and Rotella T-6 (full synthetic) 15W-40 is available now. I will probably change to Rotella T-6 due to lower cost.
 
Mobil 1 10w40 Racing 4T had a stellar performance for 4,603 miles last summer in high temp/higher rpm use in my ZRX 1200. Modded to around 145-150 hp and 85 ft/lbs. I like the torque and roll into it often, mashing the oil between the gears.
smile.gif
. Saw a number of 100 deg F days and fan came on in slow traffic as the temp gauge soared at high elevation. This oil flat out shifted as well as the day I put it in for the full OCI and had a TBN of 6.5 remaining. 11.98 cSt used vs 13.5 cSt new. One of the thinner 40 wt oils to start, but held up in about as tough a situation as it could.

Rotella T5 15w40 syn blend did really well also, stayed in grade at a cSt of 12.77 after 3,700 miles.

Mobil 1 15w50 was another good one. cSt of 13.32 after 4,090 miles.

Mystic JT8 15w50 cSt of 12.55 after 3200 miles, had lower flashpoint due to some fuel so suspect the cSt was just bit low from that.
 
There are some that I considered, but just took off because they didn't meet certain specs I was shooting for....

I felt the Mobil 1 10w-40 4T started out too thin for me. And I think there was some spec that just showed the "old" T6 (in 5w-40) is too thin for ANY motorcycle. Might've been HTHS, but I can't remember now.

I didn't really want to consider the Rotella T5 because Shell has already done us the favor of advertising that the T4 and T6 meet JASO MA specs but do NOT say so on the T5. Therefore, I only have to assume that it does have some sort of friction modifiers which wouldn't be good for our wet clutches. Just an educated guess?? Otherwise, it really does look like a pretty decent choice.

As for the Mobil 1 15W-50, I feel like there's something unknown about this oil that spooks many, including myself. There are rumors that it has friction modifiers, which I was unable to confirm or deny... but it's enough to steer me away.

Don't think I ever considered the Mystic, tho. Might add that one to the list....

Some I might have left off just because one spec was incredibly inferior, like a flash point of 190 deg C, or its HTHS was below 4. The list was obviously geared toward my own desires, but figured others might enjoy it.
smile.gif
In retrospect, I probly shouldn't have deleted the rows of oils I didn't prefer, just because someone else might have found the data useful. Oh well...
smirk.gif


EDIT: Added the Mystik JT-8 in 3 different viscosities. That's some good stuff there, Pawpaw!!
 
Last edited:
#1 Motul 300 V 15W50, This is hands down the most common used oil at the race track, many use it for weekend warrior canyon bikes also. For a shared sump motor there is no better oil.
 
Originally Posted by AtomicNumber53
Therefore, I only have to assume that it does have some sort of friction modifiers which wouldn't be good for our wet clutches. Just an educated guess??


Not very "educated".....

Friction Modifiers are ADDED to oils to help them play nicely with wet clutches - - - not the other way around.
 
Originally Posted by KneeGrinder
#1 Motul 300 V 15W50, This is hands down the most common used oil at the race track, many use it for weekend warrior canyon bikes also. For a shared sump motor there is no better oil.
Thanks!! Added it to the list, and it might be my #1 now, too!! It looks more like a 10W-50.

I had added the Motul 300V 4T 10W-40, but it looked as weak as the Mobil 1 4T... so I took both of them off.

Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by AtomicNumber53
Therefore, I only have to assume that it does have some sort of friction modifiers which wouldn't be good for our wet clutches. Just an educated guess??


Not very "educated".....

Friction Modifiers are ADDED to oils to help them play nicely with wet clutches - - - not the other way around.

The friction modifiers added in "Energy Conserving" xW-20 and xW-30 weight oils are NOT wet clutch friendly. Hence, the JASO MA certification.

The educated guess comes down to Shell having enough insight to claim that they meet or exceed the JASO MA requirements on the T4 and T6 oils, then why wouldn't they put it on the T5 bottle as well??
 
Got me thinking.... Why don't I add the Allison C-4 spec to the HDEO oils?? That's just about as good as a JASO MA rating, no??

There's only a few on this list that don't specifically claim to "meet or exceed" either one of these certs for wet clutches.... the 2 passenger oils I had listed (Mobil 1 FS X2 and Castrol Edge) and 2 other oils I have listed under HDEOs, which really aren't such (Castrol GTX and Quaker State 4x4).

Wanted to be as inclusive as possible if it met my range of specs.... but if it doesn't claim to meet any of the wet clutch certs, maybe it really doesn't belong in a motorcycle at all?!? Hmm....

Maybe there really is something to these wet clutch certs, because the Mystik documents explicitly state that the 15W-40 meets the Allison C-4 specs... but the other two viscosities (10W-40 and 15W-50) do *not* meet that spec. Interesting?? I think so...
 
I will throw another popular hard to shear oil in. Valvoline VR1 20w50. In this forum i have seen the words "cant shear it with a samurai sword"

While you are making a list may as well throw in these oils Valvoline 4-Stroke Full Synthetic Motorcycle Oil, Shell Advance Ultra 4T



And just for fun Lucas 10w40 Synthetic motorcycle oil with Moly
 
Originally Posted by krismoriah72
I will throw another popular hard to shear oil in. Valvoline VR1 20w50. In this forum i have seen the words "cant shear it with a samurai sword"

While you are making a list may as well throw in these oils Valvoline 4-Stroke Full Synthetic Motorcycle Oil, Shell Advance Ultra 4T



And just for fun Lucas 10w40 Synthetic motorcycle oil with Moly

I didn't realize how many motorcycle oils Lucas offers!! Only saw the 10W-50 Lucas in stores and took it off the list because it was more like a 20W-50 at startup, which is a bit too thick for my application... just like the Valvoline VR1. But it's strange that Lucas' own 20W-50 is thinner than their 10W-50. So weird.

I've added a couple of the Lucas oils, tho.... EXCEPT for the Lucas 10W-40 w/ Moly, because it's only rated JASO MB. They specifically market this oil for scooters! Another prime example of how most friction modifiers don't typically belong in shared sumps w/ wet clutches.

And now that I'm looking into it, I don't think the VR1 is JASO MA rated either. Their very own spec sheet says they use friction modifiers to improve performance (since it *is* a racing oil), so: "Valvoline VR1 Racing Motor Oil is not recommended for use in wet clutches (use Valvoline 4-Stroke Motorcycle Oil)."

I'd already added the synthetic option of the Valvoline 4-Stroke 10W-40... but thought that a KV100 of 14.1 was a little too low for a shared sump. Guess it's right there with the Amsoil MCF, tho....

Conventional options I haven't added yet (which would certainly be fine for shared sumps, if not better than the synthetics):
- Valvoline 4-Stroke 10W-40
- Lucas 10W-40
 
Originally Posted by troop
Another one .. Shell Advance 4T Ultra 15w-50. Great price at Walmart but sells out fast. I got a couple quarts yesterday.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/SHELL-ADVANCE-4T-ULTRA-15W-50-SYNTHETIC-MOTORCYCLE-OIL-1-Liter/900080455
https://www.shell.com/motorist/oils...-motorcycle-oil/shell-advance-ultra.html

Can't believe I missed that one. Looks great to me.

I feel like I might actually try the Shell Advance 4T 10W-40 on my next change, and then go with the Castrol Power1 4T 10W-50 to see if it might drag my bike down anymore. Very doubtful.

Sucks that everyone doesn't post their HTHS.
 
Originally Posted by troop
Another one .. Shell Advance 4T Ultra 15w-50. Great price at Walmart but sells out fast. I got a couple quarts yesterday.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/SHELL-ADVANCE-4T-ULTRA-15W-50-SYNTHETIC-MOTORCYCLE-OIL-1-Liter/900080455
https://www.shell.com/motorist/oils...-motorcycle-oil/shell-advance-ultra.html



Its really rare to find it at walmart..but advance carries it.. not sure if coupon codes would help.
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p...7980/11438356-P?searchTerm=shell+advance
 
I buy it at Walmart.com and have it shipped to my local store (only .7 miles away) for free.
 
I've decided to remove a few oils from the list just because they really don't belong (due to not being JASO MA or Allison C-4 rated):

- Castrol GTX 15W-40
- Quaker State 4x4 15W-40
- Mystik JT-8 10W-40
- Mystik JT-8 15W-50
- Mobil 1 FS X2 5W-50
- Castrol Edge 5W-50

I can't wait to see a spec sheet on the Rotella T6 15W-40, tho. It'll be one of only two synthetic 15W-40s, alongside the Royal Purple Duralec, which I doubt many people here use. Can't believe the T6 15W-40 took so long to get here!!
 
How in the world does Silkolene Pro 4 Plus 5W-40 have an HTHS of 5.1 but a flash point of 190 deg C??

There's no way that HTHS can be correct...

EDIT: Corrected the spreadsheet. The Euro PDFs show a remarkably similar oil with an actually HTHS of 4.1 and not 5.1.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top