Halfords Motorcycle Oil - Worth it?

[Cosy]

I have always used Castrol Power One, 10/40, 4 litres, but thats £38, where as the Halfords Semi Synthetic 10/40, 5 litres is £28 or so.

I have heard various people say both good and bad things about Halfords oil, believe to be made by Comma? My friend uses it in his Exup, R1 and XR400 over the years without a hitch and swears by it. Perhaps im just a Castrol fan due to the brand and never swayed away from it as it's never done me wrong, but when you have four bikes it provides a good saving and comes in a handy 5 litre size and not 4.

Anyone hear have any thoughts about the Halfords motorcycle oil?

Cosy

[cChance]

All of Halfords oils are Comma, yes, can't comment much on the oil for bikes but I've always used the car oil and never had issues. Trouble is, peoples opinions will be mixed as if theyve used it and their engines blown its immediately the oils fault. I was speaking with an eastern European chap the other day and there are apparently lettered graded marks on oils for the EU and Castrols rating and Halfords are the same letter rated

[spencer_foxwell]

I can't comment on their bike oil either as I use Mobile 1 iirc. But I have no issue with using their car oil. Also, you'd have to look into it but I hear you can just use car oil as long as it doesn't contain any slip agents because that may bend your clutch over and give it a pounding.

You also might have to change it a bit more often as I understand it. Probably best to stick with bike specific oil, it's just a bugger that it costs loads.

[Jonny Wilkinson]

IMO, it depends what you are putting it in.

The main differences with bike vs car is the revs, the wet clutch and, on air cooled and oil cooled bikes, the temperature. You deffo don't want fully synthetic car oil in a wet clutch setup.

I wouldn't put Halfords Bike Oil in the R1 or a v4 sportsbike, but the dullsville ? maybe. In a single cylinder thumper, probably.

I used to put Castrol 4T (it was called Power or Power1 or something) in my commuter bikes (Suzuki 750 and 2 Fireplaces - changed every 4K miles when I was doing 25K miles a year) and they never missed a beat. I just figured it didn't cost anything like as much as petrol nor tyres and about the same as chain and sprockets. When you look at it like that, it seem silly to be worrying about 5-10 quid savings when you probably wouldn't skimp on the other stuff.

I really rate Castrol Chain Wax too, BTW. It doesn't flick off the chain anything like as much as other chain lubes and if you don't do enough miles to justify a Scottoiler, its the best thing out there IMO. I use it to lube door hinges around the house too

[DLowe]

Your old fireblade has been quite happy running on it since the day after I got it

My friend works as a sales.consultant for Watsons oils and has confirmed that it's all much.of a muchness with oils, as long as they have the relevant B.S. no. They have the same protection properties and should be no better than any other.

I was surprised when I did some work at century oils in stoke (owned by fuchs lubricants) how many different brands come out the same pot, and.it was the full spectrum of price with no physical difference, just the name on the bottle.

[Cosy]

I would never agree to place car oil in a motorbike, that is just a given, but the halfords equivalent motorcycle oil seems a fair deal, with so many good reviews and a good friend of mine using it on all his bikes from an R1 to a single tumper without issues and used frequently seems a fair casing point.

With that said, if I did convert its a matter of a small money to save, say half a tank of fuel over the course of a year always wondering 'did I make the right decision for me'?

Think that maybe the deciding factor, 'happy in mind, happy ride'.

Glad the blade is going strong.

[arry]

I would never agree to place car oil in a motorbike

It's what's in wifey's YBR and it's ticketey boo

[Cosy]

It's what's in wifey's YBR and it's ticketey boo

Oh no, you just wait for the clutch to say otherwise as time goes by.

[arry]

It won't - it's fine. It'll continue to be fine.

It's just running on cheap semi 10/40.

[Jonny Wilkinson]

it's what's in wifey's ybr and it's ticketey boo.....m

ftfy

[arry]

Y U NO LISTEN

It be 'reet

[Cosy]

da da da dahhhhhhhhhhh

[DLowe]

Used car oil in the monster, that had a dry clutch

[Jonny Wilkinson]

Used car oil in the monster, that had a dry clutch

and didn't rev much higher than a car.

[arry]

Swapped it out for some Rock Oil semi-synthetic today anyway, as it was only a fiver.

[Cosy]

Well done for the oil swap. Bet you feel a whole heap of yay better but a fiver down.

[arry]

Well done for the oil swap. Bet you feel a whole heap of yay better but a fiver down.

Not really - other than old oil was black very quickly, this oil is a nice clear brown colour. No difference really


Tried to swap the Sprint over onto Castrol fully synthetic but failed big time at getting the oil filter off. Sucks balls

[skyshack]

For older engines that run on semi synth the oil classifications are API S and C, S for Spark ignition, C for Compression. The letter after the S or C goes up in sequence as the spec is improved. When S13 was introduced SG was highest spec and SG was spec in owners manual, SH came out in '89, they are now up to SN (2010).
http://www.pqiamerica.com/devilsindisguise.htm
http://www.motorexbih.com/API-SAE%20...%20Service.pdf

There are some different oils, mainly long life fully synth, these have ACEA classifications. Or Halfords would not have 6 different 5W30 oils on the shelf, BMW/MB, VW, Ford, GM, PSA, Renault spec. Clearly if they could have made one oil pass more than one makers oil test they would be marketing a PSA/Ford oil or the like and not all those individual grades. The base oil stock may well be the same for all, the additives and proportions will differ.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...26initMax%3D75

Vauxhall, Opel & Saab vehicles from 2003 onwards. It meets the requirements of Vauxhall/Opel GM-LL-A-025, GM-LL-B-025 and BMW LL-01. ACEA A3 B4 API SL CF
BMW & Mercedes vehicles from 2004 onwards. It meets the requirements of BMW LL-04, Mercedes 229.31/229.51, VW 505.01 and GM dexos-2. ACEA A3 B4 C3 API SM CF
VW, Audi, Seat & Skoda vehicles from 2005 onwards and meets the requirements of VW and Audi 504 00/507 00 Long Life Service
The oil is suitable for Ford vehicles from 2006 onwards and some Volvo vehicles. meets the requirements of Ford WSS-M2C-913-C. ACEA A5/B5, API SL CF
For Peugeot & Citroen from 2004 & some Honda & Mitsubishi vehicles. Meets the requirements of Peugeot & Citroen PSA B71 2290 ACEA-C2, API-SM CF
Renaults from 2007 onwards. Meets the requirements of Renault RN0720. ACEA C4

Castrol have 3 types. Magnatec A1 and C1 and Edge.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...egoryId_165581

A1
API SL CF
ILSAC GF-3
ACEA A1 B1
Meets the requirement of Ford WSS-M2C913-B

C3
API SL CF
ACEA A3 B3/B4
Vauxhall GM-LL-A-025 GM-LL-B-025
BMW LL-98 LL-01
VW 501.01 502.00 505.00
Renault RN0700

Edge
ACEA B3, C3
BMW Longlife-04, MB-Approved 229.51, VW 504 00 / 507 00

http://www.lubrizol.com/EngineOilAdd...A-A1B1-10.html
and links to other grades on RHS.

But it's all bollocks both Mini Copper S and Pug 207 RC have the same 1.6 turbo engine. But makers have speced different oils.
The mini cooper s requires a acea a3/b3 bmw long life rated
Peugeot 207 RC requiring ACEA C2/C3.

[Jonny Wilkinson]

That's interesting but how does it relate to bikes ?

I wonder if its worth seeing if Mark can do an analysis of Castrol 4T vs the Halfords Bike Oil ?

[Cosy]

After all these years, sometimes I wonder if oil is oil is oil. Its all dead dino's and the like, is a T Rex Castrol whilst a Stegosaurus is the halfords brand?

A castrol power one v halfords own brand analysis would be good.