Choosing the right engine oil, also known as engine lubricant or motor oil is one very important aspect of smooth motorcycling experiences.
Engine oil functions to minimize the friction and wear and tear between components. By reducing friction, it prevents heating and abrasion on the friction surface such as engine bearings.
It prevents corrosion, of internal parts of your motorcycle.
Lubricant oils help in keeping the internal parts of your motorcycle clean. Detergents and dispersants are two additives that help in cleanliness maintenance and prevent the formation of sludge.
It plays an essential role in the cooling down of engine parts. It serves as a heat absorbent.
Getting the right engine oil enhances the saving of fuel, by reducing oil consumption.
After reading through the above-mentioned point I do not think there would be anyone thinking about it,
By the time it is evident to you,
What is the importance of Engine oil?
As much as using an engine oil is crucial equally knowing and selecting the right grade of engine oil for your motorcycle is important.
So, what is engine oil grade?
Engine oil grades are nothing but grades or positions given to the engine oil depending upon their viscosity. Viscosity refers to the fluid’s resistance to flow. Thus, an engine oil’s grade depends upon the ability of the engine oil to flow in your motorcycle’s engine.
The engine oils are graded such that, more viscous is the engine oil higher graded and more beneficial it is for your motorcycle.
More viscous engine oil serves a higher grade engine oil because the flow of the engine oil becomes slower and forms better protection to the engine parts.
A grade also determines information about the flow of liquid in variation with temperature. As engine oils as affected greatly due to variation in the surrounding temperature.
There are three types of engine oil grades
-Mineral oil,
-Semisynthetic, and
-Synthetic.
How to select engine oil grade for your motorcycle?
Selecting engine oil is an important and knowledge required task. As it matters a lot for providing a good performance of your motorcycle.
On the basis of temperature where you live,
You must go more an engine oil which is low viscous, if you live in a cold country, while in places with higher temperature more viscous engine oils are advised to be used.
Low viscous engine oils are recommended to be preferred in low-temperature areas because it helps in quick lubrication and easy engine start.
Whereas, in hotter countries, tucker ones are recommended because it would be more resistant in the crucial areas and prevents friction to a greater extend.
Related read: Why Won’t My Motorcycle Start In The Cold?
On the basis of the capacity of your motorcycle’s engine,
If you have a lower engine capacity say, 100cc you can use mineral oil. But if you use your motorcycle way much, riding for longer at a stretch, semisynthetic can be used.
But I would prefer to recommend you that you should frequently change your motorcycle’s engine oil if it is of lower grades like mineral oil or semisynthetic ones.
Motorcycles with higher cc engines are recommended with best-graded engine oils, known as synthetic engine oils.
Stating this for in case you go for semisynthetic engine oil for your higher cc like 300 or more, you must change it quite frequently.
Engine oils have vital roles to play in a motorcycle’s functionality so, it better not to go on taking chance on its sensitive parts and invest for the good.
Heat transferability is also a factor that lighter engine oil serves and affects the functioning ability of your motorcycle in adverse weather conditions.
Using the right and good engine oil also save us fuel consumption and save on fuel expenses.
Therefore it has vivid importance and better to choose it wisely depending on your motorcycle’s engine capacity and the weather of the place you live in.
What should be kept in mind when choosing a motorcycle engine oil?
As I have mentioned earlier an engine oil is an extremely important part of owning a motorcycle. And choosing the right one is not less than being equally important. So, there are a few parameters you must keep in mind essentially when choosing an engine oil for your motorcycle.
The model of your motorcycle. This should be taken under consideration before everything. Depending on the size of your motorcycle’s engine determine the right engine oil type and grade. Higher the displace of your motorcycle’s engine better to switch to premium graded engine oils.
The temperature of the area where you stay and ride to mostly. Temperature is an important parameter when choosing an engine oil. Match the viscosity grade as per the temperature conditions.
The purpose of your motorcycle. Based on your riding pattern like touring, racing, commute, etc your selection would vary. So not to forget to take it under a note of importance.
The road condition. The road where you ride your motorcycle is an important thing. On a road where the terrain is high and cooler temperature, it is ideal to select viscosity grade based lubricant oil.
Also read, How to keep a motorcycle battery charged?