Is It Okay To Use Shell Rotella T4 or T6 In Your Motorcycle? – FAQ

Well, guess what? I have thousands of miles on all my motorcycles(TaoTao TBR7 Dual-Sport, Boom Vader [BD125-10 Grom-Clone Bike], and my latest addition, 1978 Suzuki GS750), and I use Shell Rotella Engine oil.

Specifically, I settle for Shell’s Rotella T4 when on sale or if I plan to do more aggressive oil changes, like when I had to flush out metal shavings I found in my TBR7 bike. Still, I like to use the Shell Rotella T6, a full-synthetic version, for daily rides.  

Is All Shell Rotella Engine Oil Good For Motorcycles?

Suppose you read the label and see that the weight of Shell Rotella Engine Oil is approved for JASO MA/ MA2. In that case, the engine oil is approved for wet clutch engines like your motorcycle engine.

It’s rare to find motorcycles with a ‘dry clutch,’ much like a regular car power train, so you must follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the separate fluid requirements.

Will Shell Rotella Motorcycle Oil Protect Against Engine Damage?

Now, this is anatomical evidence, which might be subjective, but I run Rotella T4 15w40 (occasionally and at break-in) and Rotella T6 15w40 almost all the time on my Boom Vader motorcycle.

I ride my little Boom Vader with a 125cc engine, full-throttle all the time, usually at 9,000+ RPMS on the engine. It runs hot( Mistake Lead To Motorcycle Vapor Lock ), and from the material damage I found on the engine mounts and stock shifter, NOT oil-related, I beat the crap out of the little engine.

See some abuse I did to the little bike:

So, back to the point, Rotella T4/T6 has done a fantastic job protecting the engine from my abuse, UN-intentionally (my weight 200 pounds with gear) and intentionally (riding her hard).  

So, to answer the question, YES, Shell Rotella Motorcycle Oil has protected my bikes’ engines against damage.

What Is My Favorite Shell Rotella Motorcycle Oil Weight?

Well, again, this is subjective. Please understand why Rotella T4 and T6 engine oils are good enough for my bike. Here is the weight I use. Following my bike’s manufacturer’s suggestions, I use Rotella T6 15w40 engine oil.

10w40 is a backup weight of motorcycle oil I might use, but I can usually find the 15w40 version at my local big auto stores. I only buy in-gallon jugs to save money on motorcycle oil.

Is It A Secret That Shell Rotella Oil Is Good For Motorcycles?

Not anymore!

Typically, you had to get advice from old-timers about the cost savings Rotella oil use gave with motorcycle ownership. Still, now Shell is advertising Rotella for motorcycles on the front label.

No more digging through the literature on the back to find JASO MA or JASO MA2 information on the bottle.

Our secret is out: Shell is now advertising on the front of the bottle that its Rotella oil is suitable for motorcycle engines.

Additional Motorcycle Oil Reading:

For more information about my use of Rotella engine oil on my bikes, you can see how I feel about it as motorcycle break-in oil and using it for regular motorcycle oil changes.