Engine oil is a very vital component. It is very essential to use the correct engine oil that matches your vehicle’s specifications to get optimal performance from your bike. With the help of this in-depth guide, you will be able to find the Best Engine Oil for Bike in just a few minutes.
Table of Contents
Read More: Best Engine Oil For Scooters – Guide to Choose the Best Engine Oil For Scooter(2024)
Guide to Choose the Best Engine Oil for Bike
Three things are to be checked before we can start the process of finding the Best Engine Oil. They are:
- Viscosity Grade
- Engine Oil Capacity of the Bike.
- Type of Engine Oil
Viscosity Grade
In simple words, viscosity grade refers to the thickness of engine oil which means how thick or thin the engine oil is.
Let us understand it with the help of an example. Consider you have two items water and honey. Honey is thicker and flows slowly. On the other hand, water is thin and flows easily and faster than honey.
Similarly, viscosity grades depict the thickness of the oil. The thinner the oil is faster will it reach all the parts of the engine upon ignition.
Vehicle manufacturers specify the viscosity grade that is more suitable for your vehicle and it is a good as well as important to stick with the prescribed engine oil viscosity grade.
We have specified the viscosity grade of the common bikes in India below if we missed your bike check your vehicle’s manual for details.
| Vehicle Manufacturer | Model | Viscosity Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Hero | Splendor, Passion, Super Splendor, Glamour, Xtreme, Achiever, Hf Dawn, Hf Deluxe, Hunk, Karizma, Xtreme 160, Xtreme 200, Xpulse | 10w-30 |
| Bajaj | Pulsar 150, Pulsar 180, Pulsar 220, Pulsar 200 NS, Pulsar 200 RS, Avenger, Pulsar 160 NS | 20w-50 |
| Discover, CT100, Platina, Pulsar 125, CT110, Platina 110 | 10w-30 | |
| Dominar, KTM, Husqvarna | 10w-50 | |
| TVS | Star City, Star Sport, Raider, Radeon, Apache, XL 100, Victor +, Star City +, Phoenix | 10w-30 |
| Yamaha | R15, FZ, SZR, MT15 | 10w-40 |
| Royal Enfield | Before UCE Engine | 20w-50 |
| UCE Engines, Himalayan, Scram 411 | 15w-50 | |
| Reborn, Meteor, Continental GT, Interceptor 650 | 10w-50 |
Engine Oil Capacity
Engine Oil capacity means the amount of engine oil required by the bike. The engine oil capacity of the bike usually depends on the Cubic Capacity (cc) of the Bike. In general, bikes with less than 200cc do not use more than 1 Liters of engine oil.
To know the engine oil capacity of your bike check the table below. Although, if we have missed your bike checkout the user manual instead.
| Vehicle Manufacturer | Model | Engine Oil Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Hero | Splendor, Passion, Hf Dawn, Hf Deluxe, Glamour (Non I3s and BS4), Super Splendor (Non I3S and BS4) | 900 ML |
| Xtreme 160, Xtreme 200, Xpulse, Super Splendor (I3S BS4), Glamour (I3S BS4) | 1.2L | |
| Xtreme, Achiever,Hunk, Karizma | 1L | |
| Bajaj | Pulsar 150, Pulsar 180, , Avenger 150, Avenger 160, Avenger 180,Discover, CT100, Platina, Pulsar 125, CT110, Platina 110 | 1L |
| Pulsar 220, Pulsar 200 NS, Pulsar 200 RS, Pulsar 160 NS | 1.2L | |
| Dominar, KTM, Husqvarna | 1.5L | |
| TVS | Star City (Before BS6), Star Sport (Before BS6), XL 100, Phoenix | 900 ML |
| Radeon, Raider, Apache 160, Apache 180, Victor +, Star City(BS6), Star Sport(BS6) | 1 L | |
| Apache 160 4v, Apache 200 4v | 1.2 L | |
| Yamaha | R15, FZ, SZR, MT15 | 1L |
| Royal Enfield | Reborn, Meteor | 1.7 L |
| Before UCE Engine, UCE Engines, Himalayan, Scram 411 | 2.5 L | |
| Continental GT, Interceptor 650 | 3.1 L |
Type Of Engine Oil
Engine oils are broadly classified into three categories:
Mineral-Based Engine Oil: Mineral engine oils are traditional engine oils that are derived directly from crude oils. They are not designed as per the needs of the rider and are the most cost-effective making them the first choice for people on a tight budget. This kind of oil is for the ones who have very low running. Every 2000 kilometres, this oil must be replaced immediately. Any delay could harm the engine.
Semi-Synthetic Engine Oil: Semi-Synthetic Engine Oils are engine oils which have a blend of both mineral and synthetic engine oil. They offer the benefits of both mineral oils and synthetic oils. The balanced blend aims at maintaining cost-effectiveness and overall enhanced performance. It is best for daily riders with limited running. These oils need to be replaced every 3000-3500kms
Fully-Synthetic Engine Oil: Fully-Synthetic Engine Oils are specially formulated engine oils that are designed to get the best performance from the bikes. these oils offer extended drain intervals and provide optimum performance even at extreme riding conditions. This oil is for those who have a very high running or the ones who want the most excellent experience from their bikes. These oils need to be replaced once every 5000-6000kms
Best Engine Oil for Your Bike
- Best Engine Oil for Shine and SP125 – Grade, Capacity and Best Choice.
- Best Engine Oil for Meteor 350cc- Grade, Capacity and Best Choice.
- Best Engine Oil For Yamaha R15 – Grade, Capacity and Best Choice.
- Best Engine Oil for Hero Splendor, Passion and Hf Deluxe – Grade, Capacity and Best Choice.
- Best Engine oil for Royal Enfield 350cc – Grade, Capacity and Best Choice.
- Best Engine Oil For Tvs Apache RTR – Grade, Capacity and Best Choice.
- Best Engine Oil for Bajaj Pulsar 150 & 180 – Grade, Capacity and Best Choice
Read More: Top 5 Upcoming Bikes and Scooters In India 2024 Under 2 Lakhs.
Best Engine Oil for Bike (According to Viscosity Grade)
Here we have shortlisted some of the best engine oils for your bike according to their viscosity grades. Also, we have graded them and have selected the best mineral oil, semi-synthetic engine oil and fully synthetic engine oil in each category.
With the help of this, you can select the best engine oil by checking the following 3 criteria:
- Overall Running: The engine oil you need to choose can be highly influenced by your vehicle’s running. If you barely use your bike and it does not cross the mark of 2000 Kilometers a year, you should undoubtedly stick to mineral engine oils. If you have higher running you can choose between semi-synthetic or fully synthetic engine oils.
- Budget: Budget is also an important factor. If you have good running but cannot choose to use fully-synthetic engine oils go at least with the semi-synthetic ones.
- Bike: Also the decision to choose the engine oil is highly affected by the bike you are using. For instance, using a fully synthetic engine oil in a bike of 100-125cc segment is useless.
Best 10w-30 Engine Oil
| Category | Best Choice | Review |
|---|---|---|
| Mineral-Based Engine Oil | Mobil Super Moto 10w30 | Read Review |
| Semi-Synthetic Engine Oil | Castrol Power 10w 30 | Read Review |
Best 10w-40 Engine Oil.
| Category | Best Choice | Review |
|---|---|---|
| Mineral-Based Engine Oil | Mobil Super Moto 10w40 | Read Review |
| Semi-Synthetic Engine Oil | Castrol Power 10w 40 | Read Review |
| Fully-Synthetic Engine Oil | Motul 7100 10w40 | Read Review |
| Overall Best Engine Oil | Castrol Power Ultimate 10w40 | Read Review |
Best 10w-50 Engine Oil
| Category | Best Choice | Review |
|---|---|---|
| Fully-Synthetic Engine Oil | Motul 7100 10w50 | Read Review |
| Must Try Engine Oil | Castrol Power Ultimate 10w50 | Read Review |
Best 15w-50 Engine Oil
| Category | Best Choice | Review |
|---|---|---|
| Mineral-Based Engine Oil | Motul 3000 15w 50 | Read Review |
| Semi-Synthetic Engine Oil | Castrol Power 15w 50 | Read Review |
| Fully-Synthetic Engine Oil | Castrol Power Ultimate 15w50 | Read Review |
Best 20w-50 Engine Oil
| Category | Best Choice | Review |
|---|---|---|
| Mineral-Based Engine Oil | Castrol Activ Cruise 20w50 | Read Review |
| Semi-Synthetic Engine Oil | Motul 3100 20w50 | Read Review |
| Fully-Synthetic Engine Oil | Castrol Power Ultimate 20w50 | Read Review |
Review of the Best Engine Oils
1. Motul 7100
- Pack Sizes Available: 1L
- Viscosity Grades Available : 10w40, 10w50, 20w50
- Oil Type: Fully Synthetic
- Drain Interval: 5000 km
- Specification: API SN and JASO MA2
Motul 7100 is a flagship-level engine oil. It is a fully synthetic ester-based engine oil that provides top-notch on-road and off-road performances. It is designed to serve even in extreme driving conditions.
It provides improved deposit protection at high temperatures for better sludge control and ensures optimum clutch performance during start-up, acceleration, and even at full speed.
2. Castrol Power Ultimate
- Pack Sizes Available: 800ml, 1L, 1.2L
- Viscosity Grades Available : 5w40, 10w40, 10w50,15w50, 20w50
- Oil Type: Fully Synthetic
- Drain Interval: 5000 km
- Specification: API SN and JASO MA2
Castrol is the most demanded engine oil manufacturer in India and the Castrol Power Ultimate is the most amazing product they have created. It comes with a 5-in-1 formula that unlocks outstanding protection, acceleration, smoother riding, a Cooler engine, and enduring performance.
This is the most affordable fully synthetic oil on the market and is a must-try oil. I assure you that it if you try this once, you will become a regular user of this oil.
3. Castrol Power
- Pack Sizes Available: 900ml, 1L, 1.2L, 2.5L
- Viscosity Grades Available : 10w30, 10w40, 15w40,15w50, 20w50
- Oil Type: Semi Synthetic
- Drain Interval: 3500 km
- Specification: API SN and JASO MA2
Castrol Power is another good product from Castrol. It is an API-SN grade semi-synthetic oil that comes with an excellent 3-in-1 technology. This oil provides excellent acceleration, smooth riding, and protection.
Castrol Power comes in golden colour packaging while the Power Ultimate comes in black packaging.
4. Motul 3100
- Pack Sizes Available: 900ml, 1L, 1.2L, 2.5L
- Viscosity Grades Available: 10w30, 15w50, 20w50
- Oil Type: Semi-Synthetic
- Drain Interval: 3000 km
- Specification: API SM and JASO MA2
Motul 3100 is an entry-segment Semi-Synthetic Oil from the Motul. It is a very value-efficient engine oil. For Pulsar users it is the most budget-friendly and best engine oil and you should surely give it a try.
It meets the API SM and the JASO MA2 specifications. This can be used for around 3000 km
5. Mobil Super Moto
- Pack Sizes Available: 800ml, 900ml, 1L, 1.2L, 2.5L
- Viscosity Grades Available: 10w30,10w40,20w40, 15w50, 20w50
- Oil Type: Mineral-Based Synthetic Technology
- Drain Interval: 3000 km
- Specification: API SN and JASO MA2
Here in India, people usually are confused between the words “Engine Oil” and “Mobil” they often use them as the same.
Mobil is an American brand which is well known as the founder of Engine Oil. This first vehicle, the first aircraft and the first rocket, all were fueled with Mobil Engine Oil.
Mobil Super Moto is a Synthetic Technology entry-level oil from Mobil. It is an excellent budget-friendly oil and is a good choice for casual riders with mid-vehicle usage. It would provide a decent, smooth and sleek riding experience. Using this oil would be better than using the other mineral oils in the market.
6. Castrol Activ
- Pack Sizes Available: 600ml, 800ml, 900ml, 1L, 1.2L, 2.5L
- Viscosity Grades Available: 10w30,15w50, 20w40, 20w50
- Oil Type: Mineral-Based Synthetic Technology
- Drain Interval: 2000 km
- Specification: API SL and JASO MA2
Castrol Activ is an entry-level oil that provides better performance than regular mineral oils. It meets the API SL and JASO MA2 Specifications and would satisfy the needs of casual riders.
As per the certification by API (American Petroleum Institute), this oil has lower grades than Mobil Super Moto and for that reason, it has a lower drain interval.
7. Motul 3000
- Pack Sizes Available: 800ml, 900ml, 1L, 1.2L, 2.5L
- Viscosity Grades Available: 10w30,10w40, 20w40, 15w50
- Oil Type: Mineral-Based Oil
- Drain Interval: 2000 km
- Specification: API SN and JASO MA2
Motul 3000 is a mineral-based engine oil with API SN and JASO MA2 specifications. Being a mineral oil it has less drain interval and needs to be replaced regularly.
I would always suggest investing a little bit extra and using Mobil Super Moto. It has higher drain intervals and provides better performance.
