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).
Ryan Gilmore is the Deputy Autos and Tools Editor for Parkers and CAR, specialising in car cleaning and hand tools. With an MA in Automotive Journalism, when he’s not testing buckets he can be found looking at old Porsches.
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