rotrax
Well-Known Member
As Vyv says, horses for courses.
One day at a Mallory Park test day for motorcycles George Beale, a man who made, from the drawings, several four cylinder Benelli Grand Prix bikes, was in trouble with a new one, oiling plugs and oil consumption. I asked him what oil he was using. He said Mobil 1 full synthetic race oil. I suggested he changed it for some 20/50 and gave it 50 running in laps. He asked why. I told him to put one drop on his finger and try to wipe it off. He did and he could not. I said the oil was too good for an old tech aircooled 75 HP job until it was run in.
He did as I suggested and the bike came right. Once run in, Mobil 1 kept it in good nick, but was too slippery to let it run in.
A good 20/50 or 15/40 non synthetic Classic oil will work and is available from many sources. The modern spec numbers mean the oils are are better than some of the older ones, but not by much.
The much vaunted and advertised 'Castrol' brand, excellent as it is, is made by a blender, not a refiner. Castrol buy 'Bright Stock' mineral oil and blend it to sell.
Other companies are refiners who produce their own 'Bright Stock' and do the same.
I raced motorbikes at up to international level using cheap Comma oil. Never had a failure atributable to a lubrication issue.
One day at a Mallory Park test day for motorcycles George Beale, a man who made, from the drawings, several four cylinder Benelli Grand Prix bikes, was in trouble with a new one, oiling plugs and oil consumption. I asked him what oil he was using. He said Mobil 1 full synthetic race oil. I suggested he changed it for some 20/50 and gave it 50 running in laps. He asked why. I told him to put one drop on his finger and try to wipe it off. He did and he could not. I said the oil was too good for an old tech aircooled 75 HP job until it was run in.
He did as I suggested and the bike came right. Once run in, Mobil 1 kept it in good nick, but was too slippery to let it run in.
A good 20/50 or 15/40 non synthetic Classic oil will work and is available from many sources. The modern spec numbers mean the oils are are better than some of the older ones, but not by much.
The much vaunted and advertised 'Castrol' brand, excellent as it is, is made by a blender, not a refiner. Castrol buy 'Bright Stock' mineral oil and blend it to sell.
Other companies are refiners who produce their own 'Bright Stock' and do the same.
I raced motorbikes at up to international level using cheap Comma oil. Never had a failure atributable to a lubrication issue.
