One of the biggest reasons has to do with motorcycles that have a wet clutch. Modern automotive oils have been designed to increase fuel economy as much as possible. One of the easiest ways to do this is additives called friction modifiers that help reduce friction in your motor, thereby reducing the working load of the motor, and reducing the amount of fuel used. The problem with automotive oil in a wet clutch bike is that the clutch plates are lubricated by the engine oil, and friction modifiers would cause your clutch to become significantly less effective as it uses friction to operate. Auto oils in a wet clutch causes clutch slippage, hard shifting that could lead to transmission damage.

Automotive engines, and motorcycle engines are designed to operate in different conditions. While it may sound crazy to operate your car at anything over 2-3k RPM, for many motorcycles this is common practice. While cars have evolved to have liquid cooling systems to keep motors cool and some bikes have as well, there is still a large contingency of air, and oil cooled motorcycles. There are many additives in motorcycle specific oils that help to keep engines cool, or help them operate at higher RPMs, that are not as prevalent in automotive oils.

We understand shopping on a budget, but we plead with you to use oils that are designed for your bike. Yes motorcycle oil is more expensive, additional additives and a smaller market cause that, but at the end of a year it can be the difference of $10-$20 more for a motorcycle oil. That to us is a pretty cheap form of insurance that will help your bike run smoother, help reduce wear and tear, and keep it running right.