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Motorcycle specific oils



     The following was posted on the VTR list and I thought you guys might 
     be interested.
     
     Martin
     
     From: Jeff Strickling <jeff@xxxxxxxxxxx> To: 
     <superhawk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
     Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 1999 7:47 PM Subject: Motorcycle Specific Oils 
     (Longish)
     
     Over the past few weeks some of the listers have participated in a 
     discussion on the use of Motorcycle Specific oil's VS Automotive Motor 
     Oil's and Synthetics VS Petroleum based oil's.
     
     Many of you have shared your opinion on this subject along with your 
     experiences, and I have shared my professional and personal opinions 
     on this subject.
     
     Now comes the hard part my opinion has been swayed by the testing data 
     my engineers and market research staff has compiled.
     
     As many of you know my company manufactures lubricants and we have 
     been developing a line of motorcycle lubricants. Today we had a 
     meeting to discuss the data we have compiled and what direction we 
     will be taking on this product line.
     
     Our Petrochemical engineers have done a series of tests on Automotive 
     and Motorcycle  oils that are available to the consumer along with 
     testing our Automotive oils. Both Petroleum and Synthetic base oils 
     were tested. Our testing supported the findings of Dr.John C. Woolum.
     
     The oils tested were all SAE 10W30, 10W40, 15W40 and 20W50 API SJ, 
     SF/SG and SG/SH (We can not divulge the brands until the respective 
     companies are provided
     a copy of the test results)
     
     The first set of tests were done in our lab. These tests were Infrared 
     Analysis and Atomic Absorption. These tests where conducted to 
     alkalize API formulations and additive packages.
     
     The second set of test were application tests. We used 5 different 
     motorcycles and measured Viscosity, Wear Metals and Load Performance.
     
     The Bikes.
     
     1992 GSX1100G
     1995 GL1500
     1994 F3
     1997 VTR1000F
     1995 Virago 750
     
     Automotive VS Motorcycle specific (Petroleum and Synthetic)
     
     What few Automotive oils that we found of the API Services of SF, 
     SF/SG and SG/SH they preformed as well and there was no surmountable 
     difference to justify the expense of reformulating our current 
     products.(Or the personal expense)
     
     The Automotive oils of SAE 10W30, 10W40, 15W40 and 20W50 API SJ 
     (Energy Conserving) did not fare as well. 4 of the 5 motorcycles 
     displayed the following problems.
     
     Clutch Slippage 10W30, 10W40 and 15W40.
     Starter Engagement 10W30, 10W40, 15W40 and 20W50
     
     Conclusion: Any API service of SF, SF/SG, SG/SH and non-energy 
     conserving SJ will lubricate your motorcycle without any negative 
     consequence.
     
     Synthetics VS Petroleum.
     
     I will not get into this one in great detail. We did find that 
     Synthetics are vastly superior to their Petroleum counterparts. The 
     Automotive Synthetics that we found of the API service of SG worked as 
     well as the Motorcycle Specific Oils.
     
     One note on the synthetics, my engineers stated that the Mobil 1 MX4T, 
     V-Twin and Bel-Ray EXS had the best additives package and they 
     performed the best.
     
     Marketing.
     
     We polled more than 400 Auto parts Stores in 4 major U.S. markets and 
     found that less than 4% carried Motorcycle specific oil's and less 
     than 2% carried Automotive oils other than SJ energy conserving.
     
     This is not surprising first there are only around 3 million 
     registered Motorcycles in the United States VS 25 million plus 
     Automobiles and Light Duty Trucks.
     
     The Major Oil Companies really only want to market to the largest 
     market segment, this also makes sense in regards to manufacturing. So 
     you have a smaller market that is demanding what in essence is a 
     specialty product. Therefore they can demand a premium price knowing 
     your only alternative is the SJ oils on the shelf at the local auto 
     parts store.
     
     When you consider the Motorcycling consumer is actually paying more 
     for a lower tech product than they do for their car, you can 
     understand why they feel they are being ripped off. Now the 
     manufactures will try to justify it
     as supply and demand  but the reality is these product in their base 
     form 
     are less expensive to manufacture.
     
     At a later date I will make available off list or through my web site 
     our
     test data.
     
     I will also keep you all informed on the release date for our 
     Motorcycle Specific/Automotive Oils. I will tell you they will not be 
     reformulated and we are only going change our packaging.
     
     Jeff Strickling
     Vice President Sales and Marketing.
     The IQA Lube Corporation.
     Houston Texas.

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