Despite the title, this page has something to offer everyone.

The illustrations are easy to grasp (maybe over-simplified), yet they convey the striking differences in how lubricants work. Bottom line:  AMSOIL motorcycle lubricants will work well, whether or not you understand how they work. AMSOIL maintains its own state-of-the-art laboratory because that's what they do - develop premium lubricants. Obviously, their own products are subjected to rigorous testing. However, when it comes to competitor's products, they use outside labs for printed comparisons to avoid any claim of inherent bias. Though they can, and do, perform industry standardized tests themselves, their credibility stems from the repeated confirming results of third-party labs. I trust that the following will be helpful.

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Once you grasp the following illustration, it will become crystal clear why AMSOIL synthetic lubricants provide a superior level of engine protection. Once the "total cost of use" is understood, it will also be more difficult for you to spend extra money each year on inferior lubricants.

The shapes under the load (between the bearing and the journal - illustrated for simplicity by the two horizontal lines) represent oil molecules. In the mineral oil example, they are irregular, come in different sizes (and shapes) and have a "thin skin". The synthetic lubricant on the other hand, has a uniform molecular structure and the structure of each molecule has a "thick skin".

The thickness of the "skin" of each molecule simply represents the molecule's polarity - that is, it's inherent resistance to "breaking down". Chemists would say that the synthetic non-polar molecules have "thermal and oxidative stability". That just means that they do not break down readily under higher temperatures and exposure to oxygen.

The mineral molecules on the other hand, are refined in a "cracking tower" which results in a mixture of polar molecules. Some of them contain sulphur and nitrogen atoms which contribute to oil contamination and breakdown.

Looking at the relative size of the "mixed soup" mineral oil reveals why it does not provide the same lubrication qualities of the synthetic. The load intially forces contact onto the largest molecules only. Because the load is not evenly distributed, these molecules will effectively "break", at which time the load will shift to smaller molecules which now make contact - and so on. I recognize that this is a gross simplification, but you get the point.

In the October 2000 issue of Motorcycle Consumer News, a consumer report on motorcycle oil highlighted some important points that Amsoil has made for years. They have to do with the measurable benefits of synthetic oils. Following is an excerpt from that article:

"The most glaring difference in synthetic-versus-petroleum oils can be seen in Chart F, Evaporative Losses. Because synthetic oil uses a manufactured base stock, its molecules tend to be more consistent in configuration. As a result, it is less inclined to lose mass when exposed to extreme heat. Of the top eight oils in this test, the ones that lost the least to heating, were all full synthetic. The nine oils that lost the most were either petroleum based, or a blend. There could not be a more clear distinction in performance.

Our version of the NOACK test shows that there is a significant difference in how these oils handle heat. The best oils in this test retained over 95% of their mass through the course of testing. The poorer oils evaporated off more than 20% of their mass. If you bike has an unexplainable habit of making oil disappear, it might be worth one oil change to a brand on the left side of this chart to see if evaporation might be a part of your problem.

Oil comes in contact with the underside of the piston, and it lubricates the exhaust valve guides. Both these surfaces and others can run at temps well above 250° C. When the oil contacts these surfaces, it may get heated to these temperatures and beyond. The light ends of the oil will evaporate in this situation and be routed via the PCV valve into the cylinders for for burning. As we said in Oil 101, oil is needed to carry heat away from these critical areas, and it does that best when it does not evaporate away."