2 stroke oil

[totty79]

You could almost certainly put redex/ 3 in 1 or any other oil in and it wouldn't fail next ride, but I doubt they would give better long term engine wear than synthetic 2 stroke oil.

 

There's a lot of BS in branding and marketing, the best oils are always overpriced, and bike manufacturers are always over cautious in their recommendations but synthetic and mineral are fundamentally different.

Edited October 15, 2017 by totty79

[kristian]

3 hours ago, cabby said:

Here's a wee secret for ya, see the top bottle, I've been using is at every trial since February, guess what happened when I used it again at a trial today on my bike ??? .....yep....nothing, same as every other time since then. 

Right used the top Castrol today and I have for the last few weeks been using rock oil trials! Bike seemed much smoother and quieter with the castrol in! ???

[cascao]

Any oil: Engines have more compression life and power around 4% mix....

Trials engine doesnt get as hot (inside chamber) as high rev engines. So oil for trials can have lower flash point (this is related to unburned exhaust oil. And choosing oil ratio based on pipe spoonge without considering flash point can be a mistake )

It is important to have a safety margin on your oil ratio. There always a road or a big hill in our ride.

[Andyb1987]

What ratio oil to fuel should used when there's roads and big banks then surely 80:1 is too little

[jonnyc21]

7 hours ago, Andyb1987 said:

What ratio oil to fuel should used when there's roads and big banks then surely 80:1 is too little

Maybe, however... If it's a modern trials bike the main barrings are lubricated by the crank case oil and the only thing your concerned about getting the oil too are the rings and rod barring.  

Combine this with modern synthetic oil and 80:1 isn't as bad as it sounds.  

Consider the Vertigo, I seem to recall they say like 110-120:1 or something close.  

Remember however that if you don't want problems, that it must also be jetted well.  

in the end it's a personal call if you want to go for anything other than what the manufacturer recommends any way you look at it.  

My 2 cents.

[2stroke4stroke]

Recommended ratio by Beta was 70:1for semi-synthetic when I had a Rev3.  It lasted 12 years on that before I sold it with no signs of wear.  This year's "must use" oil will change next year when a bike manufacturer gets a new oil sponsor so don't get too hung up on make of oil (but I'd avoid supermarket own brand☺).

[misscrabstick]

14 hours ago, 2stroke4stroke said:

Recommended ratio by Beta was 70:1for semi-synthetic when I had a Rev3.  It lasted 12 years on that before I sold it with no signs of wear.  This year's "must use" oil will change next year when a bike manufacturer gets a new oil sponsor so don't get too hung up on make of oil (but I'd avoid supermarket own brand☺).

Yes, the reccomended oil also varies from country to country for the same machine, here in the UK I think Beta uk are all into Putoline, yet the handbook from the factory is into Liquid Moly products in a big way, I have seen the same in the car world when working for dealerships, one year it's Castrol and then someone else the next year.