http://www.thumperfaq.com/oil.htm

From Motocross Action, Jan. 2004. This is a VERY good article, that cuts through a lot of the myths about mororcycle oils!

 

Great article, and very interesting. It reinforces my choice of Valvoline ATV 4-Stroke 10w40 oil for both of our Honda ATV's. API SF/ SG/SJ, JASO MA ratings. I think that covered it. Thanks for the link.

 

This is an old, and worn out topic with as many myths as there are facts associated with it. I found an article written by a chemist who was a motorcyle enthusiast that wasn't associated with a oil company or a motorcyle company. He did his own experimentation on his Honda Goldwing. He ran about 10 different oils through his bike for 3,000 miles each under roughly the same circumstances and sent the used oil to be tested. He found that todays automotive oils are generally better at retaining their lubricity and break down at a slower rate than Honda's and Yamaha's motorcyle oils. The best standard oil was Castrol 10w-40 which handily beat the motorcycle oils. The top performer was either Amsoil or Mobil 1, I don't recall.

Anyway, that was good enough for me, and now I only run Castrol in my machines.


The other way to look at it is that I have a 20+ year old Honda 200 3 wheeler that is still running on original parts and this machine doesn't have an oil filter and the previous owner didn't change the oil for 10 yrs. So, this all may be a moot point anyway.

 

You have a point. My father-in-law has a little Suzuki 125 ATV (I think it is about a 1980, it is orange) with a little over 3000 miles on it. It doesn't use or burn any oil and has never had an engine or trans problem. It has never had its oil changed, he just keeps it full. He uses the cheapest generic oil he can buy.

 

I use Amsoil 15w30 fully synthetic its more expensive then the honda oil. I just thought since its synthetic it should last longer.

 

i dont know about all the other oils out there but i do know castrol gtx and how good it preforms my brother has a 1986 foreman. he bought it from a guy in 1987. he has used nothing in it but castrol gtx. he runs 20 w 50 in summer and 10 w 40 in winter. this quad has been through it all. and it has never had any engine problems. when the oil starts to darken he changes and adjusts the valves when needed. almost 20 years old. and it still runs as good as ever. and no smoke. well so much for the reports i guess.

 

The manual for my wife's 350 Wolverine calls for 10W30, but most ATV oil is 10W40? Whats the differance in oil and should I more to the 10W40. Will the change affect the wet clutch??? Also can I move upto a synthetic oil?

 

Almost all automobile oils contain friction modifiers that can cause your clutch to slip. 40 weight is a thicker thicker oil than 30 weight. Most oil sold by your dealer is a synthetic blend. That means it's a mix of synthetic and conventional oil. You can use 100% synthetic (like Amsoil), just make sure it contains no friction modifiers.

 

is Yamalube 10W30 a synthetic blend?

 

most all motor oil today is synthetic based thats why most car makes say change your oil every 5000 miles. instead of 3000 as they used to say.