Can I use 20 w 50 car oil in my motorcycle?

Answer 1

your can o tuna calls for 10/40 not 20/50
run some castrol act evo 10/40 you can get it for 3.99 a quart
change that and your filter every 5000 miles
don't use car oil in your bike
motorcycle share the trans. oil with the motor and tend to whip and shear car oil not good for your bike.
I have talked this over with ama mechs. at the races and there is a reason Quaker State does'nt sponser a bike.

heres some good filter info
Bikes tolerences are real close so a thinner oil is always recommended unless your riding in constant 130 deg temps. find a cyclegear.com for your oil

dont mix viscosities thats got to be the dumbest schit i have read today
people that mix viscosities have no understanding of oil
REad the links
Sent Question to amsoil this was the reply

The 2 oil viscosities can be safely mixed, but there is no advantage in doing so on purpose.



Thank you for this opportunity to respond to your question(s). As always, please feel free to contact us again if we can be of further assistance.





Sincerely,



Byron Selbrede

Technical Service

Answer 2

This question tends to open a can of worms with much wrong opinions. What on earth can the oil manufacturers add to oil to make them specific for Motorcycles? Try find the article by dr Woolum and read that. I have used Castrol 20w50 in every single one of my vehicles, including motorcycles. The XS1100 was sold at 100 000 Lm with no problems, but this is for a warm climate.

Answer 3

It depends on your bike. Some you can, some you can't. If you have a wet clutch the answer is no. If you have separate reservoirs for the transmission & the engine then you can. My K1200LT is very happy with regular motor oil, as the engine is much like a car engine.
If you don't know the configuration or have access to an owner's manual let us know what the bike is so we can help more.

Oh, and mixing viscosities is fine, you'll get an average of what you mix together, I do it freqently.

Down below... !Ron is mistaken, the 'W' stands for wintergrade, not weather. This means in colder ambient temperatures the oil 'acts' like 20 weight rather than 50 weight.

Answer 4

Look at your manual to determine the right "weight" oil that goes into your motorcycle. If 20w50 is okay, then okay. My motorcycle is supposed to take 10w30. I usually put in two quarts of 10w30, then mix in some 20w50 'til there's enough oil in there. My motorcycle has a lot of miles on it.

As far as "car" goes, don't put in oil that has "slick" additives, and you'll be fine. "Slick" additives can cause clutch slippage. I usually use Castrol myself.

Answer 5

I do. Of course it's 110 where I live, wouldn't recommend it for cold climates.

I should clarify I use 20w-50 Valvoline motorcycle oil. You shouldn't use automobile oil. The additives in it can damage the clutch on the bike.

Answer 6

Nooooo. Car oil isn't rated for the high temperatures of a motorcycle. A synthetic motorcycle oil isn't that good for them either unless you're running separate oil in your Clutch/Trans and your Motor. Synthetic in the clutch will make the clutch slip. ESP in dirtbikes or quads.

Answer 7

rule of thumb, look on the 'circle' label and see if it says 'energy conservative' if it does which i doubt because the weight of the oil is so high than NO you cannot use it as it will cause your clutch to slip (in many if not SOME cases). using 20w the W stands for weather NOT weight means that its used for VERY high operating temps. unless you are living in a desert or the southern parts of the US i would NOT recommending using that for you bike. (average temp of your living area is about 100+ everyday). also i would like to add the only time ive used car oil in my bike was during the breaking in period after 3000 miles i switched to full synthetics depending on what was on sale. (motul, silkolene, castrol r4, maxima and mobil1)

Answer 8

Well,you can ,BUT
Your clutch will slip and drag and you will have to top it up very reguarly.Car oil just cant stick the same abuse as bike oils as a bike revs much higher than a car does.It will be ok as a last resort,but,thats all,a total last resort.Car oil has cleaning agents in it that will start to make the clutch play up

Answer 9

No, don't let any pin head tell you you can. There is a difference. Use only oils ( or batter yet synthetics) made specifically for use in a motorcycle. It voids your warrany otherwise and causes damage. I prefer amsoil or Mobil synthetics for my Harley's.

Answer 10

you should look in your owners manual. if you lost or never had a manual contact the closest dealer to you and they will tell you if that is the right oil or not