#310 - 11/05/02 04:03 PM
Rotella Oil for Motorcycles
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Roadman
New Member
Registered: 12/18/01
Posts: 17
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I have read the following:
Use only high detergent, premium quality motor oil certified to meet API Service Classification SF or SG (shown on container). The use of additives is unnecessary and will only increase operating expenses. Do not use oils with graphite or molybdenum additives as they may adversely affect clutch operation." That's pretty clear. But what do you do since automotive oils now say on the container "meets SL Service?" That's easy! By consensus of the API and the manufacturers, the current SL classification meet all requirements of SF, SG, SH, and SJ plus all earlier API gasoline categories. The current SL actually offers some additional benefits over the older classifications. So, if the motorcycle requirement says "SG", be confident that "SL" indeed meets that requirement.
The author of this choose Shell Rotella-T 15w40 as his personal favorite. Why then doesn't Shell package a Rotella Motorcycle Oil brand?
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#311 - 11/05/02 05:21 PM
Re: Rotella Oil for Motorcycles
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Anonymous
Anonymous
Unregistered
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I'm not concerned about packaging. What does Shell say about performance of Rotella to other motorcycle oils?
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#312 - 11/05/02 10:21 PM
Re: Rotella Oil for Motorcycles
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TechExpert
Resident Expert
Registered: 01/22/02
Posts: 357
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ROTELLA T and ROTELLA T Synthetic are universal oils, providing lubrication and protection for four-stroke diesel and many four-stroke gasoline engines (but not aviation piston engines). We do not performance test these products in motorcycle engines, so any comment must be based on oil performance specifications and oil chemistry.
Most motorcycle engine manufacturers recommend oil by API Service Category. Some, like Harley (when their brand of oil is not available), recommend API CG-or CH-4 oils, which are diesel performance categories. Others recommend API SL, SJ, or earlier Service Category oil for gasoline engines. Where the engine oil sump also serves the wet clutch and transmission, oils without friction modifiers are usually recommended.
Both ROTELLA T products exceed all the API Service Category performance requirements mentioned above. They are formulated principally as heavy-duty diesel oils. Compared to most passenger car gasoline engine oils, they have superior oxidation resistance, superior extreme pressure wear protection, superior high temperature-high shear viscosity, and superior detergency and dispersancy - and they contain NO friction modifier additives. If I were to choose oil for a motorcycle engine, these are qualities I would want. Clearly, ROTELLA T Multigrade and ROTELLA T Synthetic would be better choices for motorcycle engines than passenger car only oils. Without knowing the composition of, and performance specifications met by, "motorcycle oils", it is not possible to compare the ROTELLA T products performance to them.
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#313 - 07/29/03 12:41 AM
Re: Rotella Oil for Motorcycles
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draonfly
New Member
Registered: 07/29/03
Posts: 1
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Since reading in here I been thinking about using Rotella 15/40 in my Honda Sabre (motorcycle). Is it ok to use the 15/40 Multigrade in my Honda?
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#314 - 07/29/03 01:25 PM
Re: Rotella Oil for Motorcycles
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TechExpert
Resident Expert
Registered: 01/22/02
Posts: 357
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ROTELLA T SAE 15W-40 is a universal oil, meeting needs of many 4-stroke gasoline as well as most diesel engines. It has performance credentials (API Service Categories SL and CI-4) for lubricating both kinds of engines.
It's best to consult your owner's manual for recommended oil quality. If your engine manufacturer recommends oil meeting any of these API Service Categories; CF-4, CG-4, CH-4, CI-4, and/or SH, SJ, and SL, or any earlier but obsolete category, then ROTELLA T may be a good choice.
ROTELLA T Multigrade does not contain friction modifiers, and it does not comply with all requirements of ILSAC GF-1, GF-2 and GF-3 (the ILSAC oil specifications are often recommended by many gasoline passenger car engine manufacturers). That can be good for motorcycle use. Friction modifiers can upset wet clutch operation. And the ILSAC requirements limit phosphorus content. Diesel engines and other engines with highly loaded valve trains, as well as transmissions, need extra (compared to passenger car engines) extreme pressure wear protection, which is provided by an additive that contains phosphorus.
One negative might be where the engine manufacturer recommends oil meeting JASO requirements, which limits ash content to 1.2%. Ash content of ROTELLA T Multigrade exceeds this limit.
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#315 - 07/29/03 08:05 PM
Re: Rotella Oil for Motorcycles
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billc
Bronze Member
Registered: 07/29/03
Posts: 21
Loc: Ohio
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In reply to:
ROTELLA T and ROTELLA T Synthetic are universal oils, providing lubrication and protection for four-stroke diesel and many four-stroke gasoline engines (but not aviation piston engines). We do not performance test these products in motorcycle engines, so any comment must be based on oil performance specifications and oil chemistry.
In otherwords, since they haven't tested their oils specifically for use with Motor Cycles, their Lawyers won't let them call it "Motorcycle Oil".
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