If you own a modern motorcycle, generator or petrol-powered gardening equipment, chances are it’ll use a four-stroke motor and require special four-stroke engine oil. Despite the oil being different, it still serves the same purpose as other engine oils: lubricating, cooling, cleaning and sealing. Four-stroke engines appeal due to their efficiency, fuel economy, and lower emissions.
Motorcycles and garden equipment may run on four-stroke engines, but the engine size and the performance required from them are very different, so accordingly, the four-stroke oil required to cool and lubricate will be very different, too. There are oils which are ideal as a multi-purpose solution for most four-stroke engines, but if you only have a small lawnmower, there’s no use in using a high-performance oil; indeed, that could do more harm than good. Equally, for goodness sake, don’t use lawnmower oil in your Harley Davidson Low Rider ST.
There are plenty of different four-stroke oils for sale, all designed for different engine types, so read our guide to the best four-stroke engine oils.
Best four-stroke engine oil at a glance:
Editor’s choice: Motul 5000 4T – Buy now from Amazon UK
Best high-performance choice: Castrol Power 1 Racing – Buy now from Amazon UK
Best Budget all-rounder: Comma X-Flow – Buy now from Amazon UK
Best four-stroke engine oil
Editor's choice
Pros
- Excellent choice for most motorcycles
- Good value option
Cons
- Not the best choice for high-performance bikes
Best high-performance choice
Pros
- Perfect for performance engines
- Brilliant engine protection
Cons
- Overkill for non-performance engines
Best budget all-rounder
Pros
- Good value option
- Helps reduce carbon build-up
Cons
- Large amount if just for a single garden tool
Best summer oil
Pros
- Can be used for multiple four-stroke engines
- Good value
Cons
- Designed for warmer climates
Best for Honda equipment
Pros
- Designed for Honda gardening equipment
- Can be used in other Honda four-stroke engines
Cons
- Is not compatible with non-Honda motorcycles
How to choose a four-stroke engine oil:
What four-stroke oil do I need?
Just like with car engine oil, four-stroke oils are designed for different purposes and have different characteristics. Four-stroke engines include mopeds and motorcycles.
More refined (and likely synthetic) four-stroke oils will be designed for high-performance engines used in sports bikes. These will be designed to work at higher temperatures and protect harder-working engines.
Mineral-based oils offer nowhere near the level of protection a synthetic option would offer but are much cheaper. These are perfect for motorbikes with smaller engines, gardening equipment, and generators that do not operate at high temperatures.
Semi-synthetic options offer the added refinement of synthetic whilst still being cheaper to produce. These are perfect for all but the fastest of motorcycles.
What does SAE30 mean?
SAE30-rated engine oil is reading for oil viscosity. In short, this is how long it takes the oil to travel through a hole at a certain temperature. In this case, SAE30 means the oil has a single rating, which means it is better suited to higher temperatures (a lower rating means it’ll be better in cooler climates).
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Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us.
