Motor oil is the most essential fluid for a motorcycle. It circulates through the motorcycle’s engine, cleaning out any slugs and ensuring a smooth and healthy ride. It is not enough to know that motor oil is essential for your bike. You should also be able to identify the type and grade of oil that is most suitable for your bike’s engine.
Let’s begin with the more general classification. Motor oils can be classified into three types: Natural or mineral, Semi-Synthetic, Synthetic Blend, and Synthetic Oil. We have already covered 5 Things to Know about Synthetic Oil. Now let’s discuss which oil is best for your motorcycle.
Semi-Synthetic oil is a mixture of Synthetic and Mineral oils. The mixture is usually between 25:75 to 35:65 for Synthetic oil and Mineral oil, respectively. Mineral oils are oils that have been modified for engine use. These oils can cause sludge in the engines if they are not changed. They also tend to be problematic when heated up. Synthetic oils on the other side have additives that enhance their use in extreme temperatures like the raging heat of racing engines or sub-zero temperatures. They also remove any sludge from the engine. These oils are more expensive than the mineral oils, and they are also not subject to extreme conditions. Semi-Synthetic oils are therefore a great choice for everyday use. To keep costs low, they are fitted with synthetic additives that enhance the performance of the engine.
5 Things to Know About Semi-Synthetic Engine Oils
1. CONTENT
Semi-synthetic oils are a mix of synthetic and mineral oils. The ratio can vary from 25:75 to 3:65 depending on which grade and manufacturer. These oils are made up of synthetic and natural oils, which can be mixed in an optimal ratio.
2. USE
Semi-synthetic oils can’t operate in extreme temperatures but they are more able to withstand hot-cold variations than natural oils. This makes them ideal for everyday use in moderate climates. They have specially engineered molecules that reduce friction and sludge formation.
3. ECONOMY
Semi-Synthetic oils can be more affordable than full Synthetic oils, which helps in bike maintenance. These oils have only 25 percent of synthetic oils, which reduces the cost and allows for a longer oil change interval. They are great for economy power blends.
4. CHANGE
It is the same process as for any other oil in your engine to change Semi Synthetic oils. You can use this oil after draining Natural/Synthetic oil, without any additives. It is possible to top-up existing Natural/Synthetic oils with a Semisynthetic version without draining the original.
5. GRADES
Semi-Synthetic oils, like the Synthetic and Natural, have different grades and may not be suitable for all bikes.
Grade 10W40 is:
A) “10” stands for the engine’s viscosity when it is cold
b) “W” simply denotes winter and is used to indicate the engine’s minimum temperature
c) “40” is the viscosity of the oil at the engine operating temperature
The oil’s performance under cold conditions will be better if the W number is lower.
