What type of oil to use in your motorcycle?? For the truth, read this article.

[93fj1200]

http://vfrworld.com/tex_vfr/tech/oil.htm

http://www.nightrider.com/biketech/oiltest1.htm

I was looking for engine oil the other day and talked to a Mobil Oil salesman down here in Panama.  He told me that regular oil is about $12 a liter and synthetic was $22.  Ridiculous!!  So I got looking for information online and found a number of articles that basically say the same as these articles. The first is easier to read and the second a little more scientific in explanation.

Draw your own conclusions but I prefer to keep my money away from Bush and his cronies in the oil business and just buy regular oil.

[fintip]

Well that was quality. Thank you so much, I read the entirety of both. I will be using automotive oils from now on. Much appreciated. Glad to know so I can share with people for years to come.

[VMS]

I'm still going to run Amsoil MCF 20W-50 in my Legend cars and my 86 FJ.
People can write what they like, and numbers can be skewed to show whatever results you want them to, but real life for me is what makes the difference.
In my FJ1200 Legends car, "regular" oil was black and burnt after 28 laps on a 1/4 mile track. That's one night of racing. I switched to Amsoil, and run 8 race nights and drain it and it's still good, just don't want to chance it by running any longer.
Obviously this is extreme misuse, but the synthetic is far superior

[93fj1200]

I'm still going to run Amsoil MCF 20W-50 in my Legend cars and my 86 FJ.
People can write what they like, and numbers can be skewed to show whatever results you want them to, but real life for me is what makes the difference.
In my FJ1200 Legends car, "regular" oil was black and burnt after 28 laps on a 1/4 mile track. That's one night of racing. I switched to Amsoil, and run 8 race nights and drain it and it's still good, just don't want to chance it by running any longer.
Obviously this is extreme misuse, but the synthetic is far superior

The point of the article is not to say that synthetic oil is not good.  It is just to say that there is no substantial difference between automotive type oil or motorcycle type oil, regular or synthetic that justifies the higher prices that they are asking.  If synthetic works better for your particular application, great!

[fintip]

I put this on my other motorcycle forum, and got a reply pointing out that motorcycle oil grades have changed since the article came out, and apparently relevantly so. I did some research, and it seems he might be right. Check this out:

API CLASS RATINGS APPLICABLE TO MOTORCYCLES:
SA through SE   OBSOLETE -- Use SF/SG or SH unless you find motorcycle oil which still meets the original rating that your bike calls for in the owner's manual. I am not familiar with any SA/SB/SC/SD/SE rated oils still on the market, but there may be some available for special vintage class bikes (bikes built between 1910 and 1970).

SF & SG   TECHNICALLY OBSOLETE FOR CARS, BUT STILL IN COMMON USE FOR MOTORCYCLE OILS -- You can find motorcycle oil which still meets the SF/SG rating (such as offerings from Castrol, Mobil, Royal Purple, Amsoil, Bellray, Motorex, Motul, Repsoil, etc). If your bike calls for that in the owner's manual, there are still a large number of motorcycle-specific motor oils on the market that are SF/SG rated, including every motorcycle oil which meets the full JASO-MA specification. Most current motorcycle engines still call for SF/SG rated motor oils. If you can not find an SF/SG rated oil and that is the rating called for, use an SH or SH+SJ rated oil -- but do not use API SJ, SL or SM!

SH   Technically obsolete.  This oil specification is used by some motorcycle manufacturers, and you can still find many SH rated motorcycle oils on the market. Do not use if your motorcycle calls for API SJ/SL/SM rated oils (only a few do).

SJ   Technically obsolete.  For 2001 and older automobile engines. An "Energy Conserving" motor oil (something good for late model cars, not most motorcycles). Note that this standard reduces the phosphorus contents of the motor oil, which is not necessarily a desirable reduction for most motorcycle engines. Check your motorcycle owner's manual specifically for recommendation of an SJ-rated motor oil before using it in your motorcycle, or stick to using SF/SG-rated, SH-rated or dual-rated (SH+SJ) motorcycle oils instead. Do not use unless an API SJ rating is specifically called for by your motorcycle manufacturer.

SL   Technically obsolete.  For 6/2001 - 11/2004 automobile engines. An "Energy Conserving" motor oil (something good for late model cars, not most motorcycles). Note that this standard reduces the ZDDP (zinc and phosphorus) additive contents of the motor oil even further than SJ rated motor oils, which is not a desirable reduction for most motorcycle engines. Check your motorcycle owner's manual specifically for recommendation of an SJ or SL rated motor oil before using an API SL rated oil in your motorcycle! Do not use unless an API SJ or API SL rating is specifically called for by your motorcycle manufacturer.

SM   NEW/Current.  For all 12/2004 and later automobile engines.

   An "Energy Conserving" motor oil (something good for late model cars, not most motorcycles). The API increased the standards for anti-foaming, increased detergent levels, and improved low-temp performance, while lowering the ZDDP package contents again. API SM now replaces API SJ and API SL -- but SM-rated oil is still not suitable for most motorcycle engines (just as SJ and SL rated ones weren't), especially virtually every air-cooled, oil-cooled and air-oil cooled motorcycle engines and ANY motorcycle engine designed prior to 2001 (such as Suzuki Katana 600/750/1100, Suzuki Bandit 600/1100/1200). Check your motorcycle owner's manual specifically for recommendation of an SJ/SL/SM rated motor oil before using API SM rated oils in your motorcycle! Do not use unless an API SJ, SL or SM rating is specifically called for by your motorcycle manufacturer.

--http://www.motorcycleanchor.com/motorcycle/how_to/mc_oil.html