Not The Typical Engine Oil Question

bluej58 wrote: We were also adding octane booster or racing fuel with over 100 octane thinking it would help too but that is not the case with a stock 70's Kz engine.
It was the wild west back then, now we are smarter :dry: :woohoo: :whistle:

martin_csr wrote: By M_a_t_t: I would think the new oils somehow satisfy the JASO-MA2 requirement while not having the same amount of ZDDP levels. Not sure. Or they are betting on bikes being less mileage, and therefore less of a concern of burning oil? Interesting to say the least.

If an oil doesn't have the JASO-MA rating, then it may not be suitable for a motorcycle. To get the rating they have to meet certain standards and pass various friction tests or meet various friction indexes outlined in the JASO classifications. Many car oils have "friction modifiers" which make them more slippery to increase engine efficiency but too slippery for a motorcycle wet clutch, plus the motorcycle engine oil is shared w the transmission so it's a harsher environment. Shell Rotella has the motorcycle rating & other similar engine oils marketed for diesel engine use are probably suitable as well. I use either shell rotella regular in the white bottle or Chevron Delo, as both of them usually go on sale at various places. Valvoline Premium Blue is another one, but it's usually more expensive than the others.