P76
HOW-TO
OIL SELECTION
T
he correct oil is critical to
the performance and lon-
gevity of your motorcycle
engine. Whether you are new to
riding or a seasoned veteran, you
likely have questions: Is it neces-
sary to buy "motorcycle specific"
oil or is cheaper automotive oil
just fine? I own a cruiser, sport-
bike and a motocross bike, do I
need different oil for each? How
often do I need to change my oil?
Is it okay to mix different oil to top
off my bike? To get answers for
these questions, we reached out
to representatives from two of the
most popular oil brands: Maxima
Racing Oil's Mike Marcella and
Motorex USA's Pat Riley. This dis-
cussion is specific to four-stroke
motorcycle engines as two-
strokes have completely different
oil needs.
Do I need to use
"motorcycle-specific" oil?
The bottom line is, yes. You
should use motorcycle-specific
oil. Motorcycle engines have a
completely different architec-
ture than an automotive engine.
Marcella spelled this out in detail:
"The unique aspect of motorcycle
architecture is that there is usu-
ally a common lubricant sump for
the engine, wet clutch and trans-
mission. In a normal automotive
setup, there are specific fluids for
each piece of hardware, housed
in separate sumps where they
MOTORCYCLE
OIL SELECTION
& GUIDELINES
A FEW BASIC STEPS CAN HELP YOU
AVOID EXPENSIVE ENGINE FAILURES
(Above) A typical motorcycle
dealership includes several different
engine oil options to choose from.
And once you select a brand, how
do you select the best formula for
your bike. We will help you answer
these questions.
