2-Stroke Oil Difference Articles

 

From the research I have done on the subject I would conclude that ANY modern 2T oil will work fine in the short term. The differences are in the longer term with how "clean" they burn..... carbon/ash deposits.
Here is my summary from FAQ section:

What is the best two-stroke oil to use?

There is no good single answer as everyone has their own opinion... kind of like "what's your favorite color?".
Most any modern two stroke oil is better than anything that was offered in 1970.

There are a few things to note:
Synthetics or semi-synthetics smoke less than dino type oils and, generally, have lower ash content.
Castor based oils are known to gum up rings.
Oils are rated for "air cooled" and "water cooled". "Air cooled" oil is designed for higher operating temperatures than "Water cooled".
Any oil rated TC-W3 or JASO FC (or better) is good oil.
Make sure oil is designed for injector use unless you premix.

In addition, only dino oil should be used for break in. Care should be used if oil types are mixed to avoid "gelling". And, while full syn oil may have the best lube properties, when used with stock pump settings, it may lead to excessive carbon deposits and absorb moisture when allowed to sit in crankcase for extended periods.

Of course, different manufacturers have different blends in 2T oils that may vary results so everything must be generalized. The only way to tell for sure is to comparatively test all types/brands in a structured environment with a teardown analysis similar the the ultralight article..... that won't happen!

I prefer to use semi-syn to get the best of both worlds but that doesn't mean that any other type is unacceptable.

The articles below are not specific to Triples (or even motorcycles) but will give an insight to the differences in 2-Stroke oils. There are basically dino, synthetic, semi-synthetic, watercooled, and sled oils. They are all formulated differently for a specific purpose and these articles will help to show the distinction between each.

 

- Overview 

- Overview II

- Ultralight   

 - Sleds         

- Watercraft