As motorcycles become even more popular for daily transportation in Latin America, lubricant manufacturers need to work toward delivering dedicated oil formulations to protect motorcycle engines in ways that passenger car engine oils cannot.

In this article for Lubes‘n’Greases, we discuss the factors contributing to the rise in use of motorcycles in many Latin American countries and the unique market factors in South America. The ethanol content in fuel, for example, is generally much higher in Brazil and other South American countries compared to North America. Because fuels with high-ethanol content tend accumulate water, this poses issues for gasoline-powered engines, including those on motorcycles. Motorcycle engines operate in harsher conditions than passenger cars, have smaller sumps and must rely on a smaller volume of oil. Motorcycles also use a single lubricant to protect the engine, clutch and gearbox. Lubricants have a big job in these small modes of transportation.

Formulations that address the specific needs of motorcycles allow modern motorcycles to reach their full potential. The growing Latin American motorcycle market provides an opportunity for the lubricants industry to meet a need while developing new insights that will have an impact on markets all over the world.

Read the full article in Lubes‘n’Greases.

For more information on motorcycle-specific additives, contact your Lubrizol representative.