Complete Guideline: How to Choose the Best Engine Oil For Your Bike?
For a hassle-free and smooth ride on your bike, you need to maintain the bike engine's properties & lubrication process at all costs. It is the key factor in a motorbike's operation.
Engine oil contributes in many ways to your bike. From minimizing friction to cooling engine parts to preventing corrosion, engine oil plays multiple roles.
However, choosing a suitable engine oil requires understanding some crucial factors. So, start your engine of learning and take a ride into the world of motorcycle engine oil.
For a hassle-free and smooth ride on our bike, we need to maintain the bike engine's properties at all costs. It is the key factor in a motorbike's operation.
Engine oil is used to operate the bike engine parts without any friction, prevent corrosion, and make sure smooth running. It comprises base oils and other enhancement add-ons like anti-wear additives, detergents, dispersants, and, for some engines, friction-resisting addends.
The following are some functions of engine oils:
A function of engine oil is to reduce friction and metal-to-metal contact. It forms a dividing layer or protective cover on the operating engine parts, ensuring the metal parts do not rub against each other, creating friction. It helps the engines run smoothly.
The engine oil acts as a coolant. The engine oil keeps the upper engine cool, helping prevent possible energy loss and deterioration of the bike’s engine.
With the help of antiwear additives or corrosion inhibitors included with the engine oil, your bike gets protection against regular wear & tear. This ensures protection against rust, helps in reducing oxidation of oil and makes your bike perform at optimum levels for a long time, boosted by the longevity of the engine.
The oil helps in engine sealing and blocking unwanted impurities or dust to get in. The flow is targeted to cover the whole engine body and touch all parts. This helps in the smooth operation of all the interlinked parts.
The unsmooth space between the piston and cylinder needs a gap filler. Engine oil acts as a gap filler that boosts efficiency and performance. It also helps the bike engine to stay stable for longer periods.
Engine oils usually consist of additives like detergents that remove accumulated impurities inside the engines. It helps the running parts remain clean and remedied from damage. In the long run, also, the engines remain safe for riding and more resistant to soil and dust accumulation.
The type of engine oil is an important factor to consider when pouring the oil into your bike.
Mineral oil, derived from crude petroleum, does not have unwanted contaminants. The contaminants are cleaned during the refining process. In addition, this type of oil is very affordable for any biker.
Mineral oil protects the engine components by protecting against corrosion. This helps extend engine life and gives year-round engine protection.
They are ideal for general use in all types of four-stroke motorcycles and engines. You can check out some good-performing minerals from Mobil Bangladesh.
Mobil Super 4T 10W-30, 15W-40, 20W-40, and 20W-50 work together and give you refined, quality mineral oils and an upgraded additive system engine cleanliness, wear and tear protection, and corrosion protection.
Semi-synthetic oils consist of a combination of mineral and synthetic oils. They perform well in lower temperatures, and they can block oxidization.
The pricing of this oil is very reasonable, and it strengthens protection and boosts the endurance of your bike.
Strong synthetic additives are mixed with mineral oil to create semi-synthetic bike engine oil. These enhance the bike’s performance, besides adding updated features to the engine oil.
Formulated differently than mineral oil, this type of engine oil faces much more sophistication in its development process than others. But the results are more advanced and satisfactory. These oils are best suited to newer motorcycles with higher than 200cc engine capacity.
Synthetic oil gives you a tremendous return on investment in the long run. If you are a fast-paced, adventurous biker, we suggest you choose synthetic oil. This guarantees you elongated periods for long rides and assurance of smooth rides on challenging roads.
You should note that the lubricant engine oil needed to spur your bike, varies from brand to brand. Vintage motorcycles prefer different engine oils than modern vehicles with the same makeup. It becomes even trickier to alter the bike engine oil regularly without knowing about its normal level of oil viscosity. The viscosity itself depends on your Bike model; the amount of power generated by your engine and the height of your frame.
Below, we try to mitigate the complexities of deciding which oil to go for.
One of the first things you need to do is read the manufacturer's manual. It indicates the oil type, and perhaps the brand recommended for your motorcycle. Follow the manual as your basis for all riding and engine instructions. This will help you find the quickest solutions.
Your bike model determines what oil best suits it. Depending on your bike model, you will have to decide on the oil type and amount of lubrication before proceeding. As mentioned above, older models work best with mineral oils whereas newer ones need synthetic oil to function best.
Keeping a healthy engine requires regular oil changes. The most preferred oil for most bikes is the one that absorbs well into the lubricating system but does not lead to excessive deposits. For that, choose high-quality oil to avoid complications over time.
To clarify, oil grading is the oil’s rating. The number represents the viscosity of the oil. Indicated by a “W” and manufacturer-specified number, a single-graded oil will have a number followed by a W like ‘10W’. A multi-graded oil, on the other hand, will be presented like ‘10W40’. Please follow your manufacturer’s recommended oil grade to stay safe in the long run.
Another factor that determines your bike engine oil is the bike’s purpose of operating. A bike can be used for daily transportation from home to the office, for adventurous or racing sports, or for driving up a hill for even deeper adventure or travel. For example, If you ride a bike to go to higher terrains, you should select an engine oil based on the viscosity level.
How fast or regularly you ride a bike plays a key role in purchasing engine oil for your bike. More vigorous and rigorous rides require synthetic oil with better cooling and stronger corrosion protection. And if you are someone who enjoys stunt works with racer bikes, opt for the ones that resist friction well and consist of robust engine sealing.
The specification refers to a standard by which you judge an engine oil. Interestingly, the same type of oil may be different in various weather or under different environmental conditions. The American Petroleum Institute (API), European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), and the Japanese Engine Oil Standards Implementation Panel (JASO) are the recognized body of oil classification systems in the world.
To Sum Up
Like the blood that flows through our veins, engine oil flows through the bike's system. And as we need fresh and healthy blood to survive, motorbikes need healthy lubricants to sustain.
So, when you buy engine oil for your bike, make sure you know its type, suitability with your bike, and the benefits it will give to your bike. You can purchase the best-priced bike engine oils from MJL Bangladesh as per your needs. But, remember to follow your bike manufacturer’s manual for the best results