For the Honda CB Shine 125 cc bike, the recommended grade of engine oil to be used is 10W30.
Engine oil is supposed to protect an engine from rust, corrosion and other contaminants , while also lubricating the internal moving parts and thus reducing wear.
This is why engine oil is absolutely essential in all bikes and cars. However, the type and grade of engine oil that is used in different vehicles, differs according to the specifications of the bikes.
Design of the engine, power and torque of the bike, model and make, etc. all affect which engine oil is best for a particular engine. Engine oil is divided into various grades based on thickness. Manufacturers therefore recommend one grade of engine oil that bike owners should follow.
This grade is mentioned in the owner’s manual, along with other important information about the working of the engine.
What does 10W-30 mean?
Engine oils come in various grades, based on the viscosity of the oil. The grades are expressed in the form of two numbers with the letter ‘W’ in the middle, such as 10W-30 or 20W-40.
The reason for this lies in the connection between the oil and the temperature. It is a well known fact that the viscosity of oil changes according to the temperature.
Oil is thicker in cold climates and thinner in the heat. Since the viscosity of oil is not stable, oil grades have two numbers to denote a range of thickness levels that that particular oil can cover, based on the temperature. The ‘W’ in the grade is an indicator of the cold temperature or ‘Winter’.
Thus, the number that lies before the W is the thickness level of the oil in cold temperatures, while the number that lies after the W is the thickness level in hot temperatures.
Most engine oils cover a wide range of thickness levels, so that they can be used all-year round as well as in many geographical locations, without having to constantly be replaced by another grade.
Coming to 10W-30, according to the explanation provided, 10 is the thickness level of the oil in winters or cold temperatures, while 30 is the thickness level of the oil in hot temperatures.
What type of engine oil does a 125 cc bike take?
Bikes within the range of 125 cc to 1800 cc generally from the factory with semi-synthetic oil filled in them. Bike owners can then choose whether to continue with semi-synthetic oil or to upgrade to the fully synthetic one, for better performance. Hence, both semi and fully synthetic oil is suitable for most 125 cc bikes.
Apart from grades based on thickness, engine oil is also divided into types, based on quality and refinement of oil. There are three main types of engine oil i.e. mineral oil, semi-synthetic oil and fully synthetic oil.
Mineral oil is the oldest type of engine oil and it is the crudest of the three. Since it is not refined much, it breaks down more easily and needs to be changed more often than the rest.
Synthetic oil is manufactured fully in the laboratory. It is the most advanced engine oil available today and is engineered to last long and offer high degrees of protection. Semi-synthetic oil is a blend of mineral and synthetic oil. Most modern vehicles require semi or fully synthetic oils since those are best suited for modern advanced engines.
What is the best engine oil?
As mentioned before, engine oil comes in three main types – mineral, semi and fully synthetic.
Out of these, fully synthetic oil has been widely accepted as the best type. This is because synthetic oil is produced fully in the laboratory and is therefore customised to suit the needs of modern vehicles, down to the molecular level. It is longer lasting, offers more protection and has a wide range of additives that conventional oil does not.
While synthetic oil can be called the best engine oil, there is no particular grade of oil that can be declared as the best. This is because each engine has different requirements from the oil and therefore, different viscosity levels work for different types of engines. The best type and grade of engine oil for any vehicle is the one that is recommended by the manufacturers for that particular engine.
