All guides & tips

All guides & tips


Frequently asked questions
Here are the most frequently asked questions to help you choose your motorcycle equipment, helmet or accessory.
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Mineral or synthetic oil?
There are 3 types of oil on the market today: mineral, synthetic and semi-synthetic. The rest are additives (between 5% and 30%, depending on the quality of the oil).
Mineral oil is refined from crude oil. Crude oil is a natural material. It may contain impurities or variations in quality. It is used less and less on modern motorcycles, which are increasingly demanding. It's an inexpensive oil, but less efficient. You'll have to change it more often. It's also found on older machines that can't stand running on synthetic oil.
Synthetic oil is, as its name suggests, an oil produced in a laboratory without impurities, to which additives are added to enhance its performance: resistance to mechanical stresses such as shearing or rolling... This type of oil is used on large-displacement or sports bikes. The longevity of synthetic oils is excellent.
Semi-synthetic oil is a blend of the 2. A mineral base which is modified to be more stable and robust. It is suitable for the majority of motorcycles on the market.
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What is the viscosity of your motorcycle oil?
Viscosity measures an oil's fluidity when cold or hot. In the oil industry, this is referred to as grade. Let's take a common viscosity as an example:
10W40
The first is cold viscosity (10). It is preceded by the letter W for winter. The smaller the number, the more fluid the oil. This means the oil will operate faster to protect the engine when cold. Another technical term is cold dynamic.
The second number stands for hot viscosity (40), also known as hot kinematics. The higher the number, the thicker the oil will be when hot. The higher the number, the thicker the oil will be when hot. On older engines, which tend to leak, we tend to increase the number.
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How to choose motorcycle oil
Here's a subject that's sure to get everyone excited :) Choosing the right motorcycle oil isn't as easy as it sounds. What viscosity should you use depending on how your motorcycle will be used? 2-stroke or 4-stroke? Warm country or severe winter conditions? We've tried to answer all your questions in Ixtemshow N°13.