By using quality but low viscosity oil, this loss can be minimised and engine power increased. However, some of that loss, about 6%, is due to oil drag. There will always be loss of engine output due to things like thermodynamics, which can’t be changed that much. Does a high-performance oil produce more power? Only for frequent long-distance riders would the cost of a full-synthetic oil be worth it, as it can help save on oil changes and fuel costs. You are still better off choosing shear-stable mineral-based oil than a low-quality semi-synthetic one that isn’t shear-stable. The fact that the oil is shear-stable is more important than the fact that it is semi-synthetic. Your ideal choice of oil would be an ester semi-synthetic 10W-40 or a 10W-30 that is also shear-stable. What’s the best type of oil to use for road riding? For the everyday rider, a semi-synthetic shear-stable 10W-40 oil with some ester content would be a great choice. Full-synthetic oils are expensive and, unless you are racing, not necessarily recommended for motorcycles. PAOs don’t gel at low temperatures, making them necessary for any true 0W oil.Įsters are similar to PAOs but also help protect metal surfaces and offer good lubrication. Full-synthetics contain poly-alpha-olefins (PAO) and esters. Full-synthetics are man-made oils that have been tailored to give them certain advantages like the fact that they perform better in extreme temperatures, are less likely to evaporate or thin excessively in heat, etc. Semi-synthetic oils don’t cost much more than mineral oils do, but offer advantages over the latter.įull-synthetic oils, however, are far more expensive than mineral or semi-synthetic oils. Hydrocracked oils are mineral oils that have been subjected to intense pressure and temperature to change the structure of the molecules, making the resultant oil more stable and resistant to evaporation at higher temperatures.

Semi-synthetics can contain “hydrocracked” bases. They have definite improvements over pure mineral oils. Semi-synthetic oils are a blend of mineral and synthetic oils. Mineral oils are refined from petroleum, but even mineral oils contain some synthetic compounds or additives to improve them. What’s the difference between different engine oils? If you better understand the differences between different engine oils, you’ll always pick the best one for your needs and budget. Choose an oil that is SG or higher, ie SH, SM etc, but not SD for example. JASO MA = Oil for motorcycles with wet clutches. API = American Petrol Institute, which signifies a standard. We’ve also included a few acronyms to help you.

We’ve listed all the Aprilia motorcycles we can find, the manufacturer’s recommended engine oil and the oil capacity (minimum and maximum where possible).

Motul fork oil viscosity chart