I have been using Amsoil 10W40 exclusively after break-in, and no issues.
My question to travelers, are Amsoil products readily available in Central and South America? Or should I transition to another brand of 100% synthetic lubricant products.
Salty

I've never searched for Amsoil in Latin America so I can't answer directly.

My experience:

At a motorcycle shop you may find some kind of synthetic oil, but it will be very expensive (based on my experience in Veracruz, Mexico). As I recall it was a Yamaha oil.

At Walmart type stores you may find synthetic oils, but they will likely not have a Motorcycle rating (JASO MA1 or MA2).

I would think that the search for a particular brand would be very time consuming and frustrating. Personally, I would use whatever 10W40 I could find that met my bike's specifications and not worry about it.

I actually bought that very expensive oil from the shop- in exchange for a place to change my oil, a bucket to drain it into, and a place to dump the old oil. I considered that a pretty good deal.

Plus, I enjoyed chatting with the mechanics and the girl at the front counter.

.......................shu

Thanks Shu for the info. Question now, as synthetic oil and brands are expensive and harder to find, can / should I go back to a good guality mineral oil?
I have heard that you can not go from synthetic to mineral?
Salty

You can change motor oils, mix motor oils, and generally do whatever you please with motor oils. Just be sure to avoid the ones with friction modifiers, which will mess up your clutch.

I use synthetic oil at home, but in Central and South America I used whatever I could find. My single cylinder bike lasted almost 100k miles/160k kilometers on the road, and is still being driven around town by the guy I sold it to. It's ok--just change oil when it needs a change (i.e., according to how you've used the bike, not by an arbitrary schedule), change filters at least every other oil change, and take good care of your air filter.

That's my theory, and I'm sticking to it. There are a lot of accepted truths which haven't proven true in my experience--like the one which says you need to change out front and rear sprockets every time you install a new chain, and the one which says you need a custom seat and expensive aftermarket shocks to travel overland. Ya pays yer money and ya takes yer chances.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

Thanks Mark. Good to know. I will look into which oils work best for this trip. I can carry synthetic differential oil with me as a liter will go a long way. For the oil and air filters I will invest in washable reusable types.
Salty

What bike are you riding? Did you say "differential"? So maybe BMW?

If you're riding an old dry clutch air head, then no worries about using Synthetic oil with friction modifiers (which ruin wet clutches on bikes so equipped).

So, this means you can use any high quality, name brand synthetic oil if you have a dry clutch BMW. Otherwise, use caution. Mobil One make several good synthetic oils WITHOUT friction modifiers. I've been using them for over 10 years and 100,000 miles on several bikes. All good. It's car oil, works perfectly in any bike. And yes, as said above, you can switch back and forth from Syn to NON syn oil no problem, mix and match as you please.

In Mexico you will see lots of US oil brands (Havoline, Penzoil, Quaker State, Castrol and more) It's ALL Pemex. (made in Mexico !!) ... it's relabeled Pemex (Mexico's only oil). The US companies sold licensing for the use of their label and logo ... but the oil is simply Mexico's Pemex ... which honestly is real crap.

Ever wonder why even fairly new cars in Mexico smoke? Crap oil. So, the American companies sell the label but not the secret formula and additive packages in their oil.

Mexican Pemex has none of the modern additives common in good US
and Euro brand Oil. Ask knowledgable local bikers about this ... they ALL know and use only made in USA oil.

Look for speciality bike or car shops, you may find "the real thing", that is, oil made in USA, France, UK, Germany or Italy.

ALL contain modern additives and are "real" synthetic oil.

You'll never, ever find AMSoil down there but ... maybe
Mobil One. (car oil ... which is one of the best!)

I was able to find made in USA Mobil One at Mexican Wal-Mart stores but it's a bit rare ... and costs more than Hecho en Mexico Mobil One, which is also for sale and like all the others, is just Pemex in a Mobil One bottle. So, check the label for where it's "hecho'd"



Good luck from the guy who installs new sprockets with a new chain!

Why in God's name would one continue to run a worn out Sprocket with 20K miles on it? It's $30 and my new chain is $150.

In certain circumstances you may have no choice, but given the choice ...new sprockets when possible please.

A worn sprocket will EAT UP a new chain in short order. So instead of 20K service life, you get 10K!

In reading ride reports the last 10 or 12 years, failed drive lines (either chain or sprockets or both) are the number one show stopper for amateur travelers.
They simply IGNORE their drive line. Seen this several times ... IN PERSON ...
and when pointed out to traveler ... they had no clue the trouble they were in. Pretty common.

You're lucky, you have a shaft drive bike ... and they never fail ... right?
Where is Touring Ted and Ta Rider when we need them?

Around the Block Moto Adventures (a tour operator and more in Peru) recommends MOTUL 7100 Full Synthetic oil. He says it is available all over South America.

I don't know this first hand, just relaying info I have found.

Have a great trip!

__________________
'96 1200 Bandit
'16 Tu250X

If that is true about Motul, then that's great news!

But I would double check WHERE that Motul is actually made.

Years ago USA sourced Motul used to be made in France, I used it over 10 years ago. It became very popular here.

Then, Motul switched and began making their oil in Los Angeles at an old shut down US oil company that went bankrupt, located in Downtown LA. (Kendall)

The color and consistency changed, the smell ... everything. I no longer trusted it, have never used it since. (yes, I know we're not bathing in it! )

As always, YMMV. IMO, it's unlikely if that Motul is made in any S. American country, it may not contain the proprietary additive packages found in modern oils. If made in Peru' or where ever, what "Base oils" do they use? Ester? These sort of "make or break" synthetic oil.

Also, IIRC, here in USA that Motul 7100 is VERY expensive. Now add the 100% to 300% import duty, might get a bit out of hand!