Product FAQs

It's a little hard to generalize about the difference between Mobil 1 passenger‐car motor oils and Mobil 1™ motorcycle oils. That's because not all viscosities of Mobil 1 passenger‐car oils have the same levels of zinc and phosphorus, and there are even greater differences between the two Mobil 1 motorcycle oils.

• In general, Mobil 1 motorcycle oils have additive packages formulated for use in both motorcycle engine and transmission operation.
• For passenger vehicles, fuel economy and emission system protection are higher priorities. These require low phosphorus systems and the use of friction modifiers.
• Motorcycle oils do not require friction modifiers for fuel economy and for better clutch friction less/no friction modifier is optimum.
• Motorcycle oils allow the use of higher levels of anti‐wear additives such as ZDDP (phosphorous).

Plus there are the overall benefits of Mobil 1 synthetic oil compared to those of conventional motor oils, whether they be for passenger cars or motorcycles:

• Superior long‐term engine protection
• Superior high‐temperature stability
• Excellent low‐temperature starting
• Outstanding engine performance
• Low volatility/low oil consumption

In addition to the overall benefits of high‐temperature stability and low volatility/low oil consumption, Mobil 1 synthetic motorcycle oils also offer superior anti‐corrosion performance compared to conventional motor oil, which is important in many parts of the country where bikes may sit in garages for several months of the year. Compared to conventional oils, Mobil 1 motorcycle oils provide superior wear and high‐temperature protection, and promote engine cleanliness and lower oil consumption. Once you get beyond these general advantages, you have to consider individual motorcycle oils to understand the benefits of each.

Mobil 1 Racing™ 4T 10W‐40 is designed for sport bikes. Most of these bikes have multi-cylinder/multivalve engines and use a common sump, which means the engine oil lubricates the engine, transmission and wet clutch. So unlike Mobil 1 for cars, Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W‐40 motor oil has no friction modifiers, which could lead to clutch slippage. The motorcycle oil also has more phosphorus/zinc for enhanced wear protection at high engine speeds and high loads. In addition, Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W‐40 has a high performance dispersant/detergent technology for better high‐temperature performance and engine cleanliness. Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W‐40 is also offered in a different viscosity grade than Mobil 1 for passenger cars.

Mobil 1™ V‐Twin 20W‐50 fully synthetic motorcycle oil is designed for air‐cooled, large‐displacement bikes. Because of their design, these engines can generate very high localized oil temperatures and high overall bulk‐oil temperatures. A typical air‐cooled V‐twin's rear cylinder gets a lot hotter than the front cylinder – it's a matter of airflow. When it's hot out and you're stuck in traffic, the oil temperature in a bike climbs rapidly. Above about 250 degrees Fahrenheit, conventional motor oil is going to break down. Mobil 1 V‐Twin 20W‐50 fully synthetic motorcycle oil is good to above 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Like Mobil 1 Racing™ 4T 10W‐40, Mobil 1 V‐Twin motorcycle oil has high levels of phosphorus/zinc and the same high‐temperature detergent technology for superior wear protection and engine cleanliness, even at elevated oil temperatures. With Mobil 1 V‐Twin motorcycle oil, you can go the full length of the manufacturer's recommended oil change intervals with ease.