Differentiated motorcycle oils

According to market analysts MotorCyclesData, global motorcycle sales have recovered from the pandemic slump, reaching more than 67 million units in 2025. Growth continues in 2026, with first half sales reported to be up almost 9% over the same period in 2025. In India, SIAM reported 21.7 unit sales in 2025, accounting for more than 30% of global two-wheeler sales, making it the world’s largest market.

While sales performance across the world’s leading markets varies widely, sales in India are continuing to grow.

The young population, rising disposable incomes, continued urbanisation and limited public transportation across many of the regions means there is a high demand for affordable personal mobility. Today, the market is dominated by entry level and commuter motorcycles. However, an interesting trend in India is premiumisation, with demand shifting from basic commuter transportation toward leisure, performance and lifestyle motorcycles – where consumers are willing to pay more for differentiated performance. The share of high-end models with engine displacements of 150 to 350cc grew from ~14% in 2019 to over 18% of sales by 2024. Infineum expects this trend to continue, with premium models forecast to account for over 26% of sales in India by 2029.

While powertrain electrification is happening quickly in the smaller machines used for commuting in India, it is not having an impact on the premium segment. This means there are a growing number of internal combustion engines that require advanced lubricants.

Currently the 350cc bike segment is dominated by Royal Enfield – with >90% market share, while the 150-200cc segment is dominated by four leading OEMs – Bajaj, TVS, Honda, and Yamaha. However, with such exciting growth trends, global motorcycle OEMs, in partnership with Indian companies, are also entering the premium motorcycle segment in India for example, Harley Davidson with Hero and Triumph with Bajaj.

Premium vs commuter segments

The two-wheeler market in India is dominated by smaller mopeds and scooters, which are used for commuting and need to be reliably in operation every day. In the emerging premium segment, riders enjoy their motorcycles for recreation and bikes generally cover fewer miles than those in the commuter segment. As shown below, these two markets have different needs and lubrication requirements.

The key difference is that premium bike owners are looking for power, acceleration and a smooth ride and are prepared to pay a premium for differentiated performance. This is where aftermarket lubricants, designed specifically for these applications, could provide new opportunities for lubricant marketers.

Demonstrating performance over longer drain intervals

The Infineum field trial was designed to demonstrate the durability performance of different formulations in premium bikes over extended oil drain intervals (ODIs). As well as exploring conventional parameters including wear, cleanliness and fuel economy, other performance differentiators including clutch performance, acceleration and heat dissipation were also assessed. And, to support this quantitative data, the feedback from professional riders was collected on parameters including clutch performance, noise, vibration, gear shift and feel of the bike.

The field trial was run using 14 motorcycles with 350cc engines that are representative of this sector, with two 50% extended oil changes taking place. Two test oils were formulated with different additive treats, one to SAE 15W-50 and the second to SAE 10W-40, a SAE 20W-50 commercially available reference oil was also included for comparison.

Regular used oil analysis looked for any trends that might indicate potential engine or oil issues. In addition, to obtain the best view of the effect of the oils on the engine parts, some of the bikes were disassembled for inspection and rated after the first ODI and at the end of the trial.

Field trial results

Looking first at kinematic viscosity, the trends show no detriment between the OEM recommended ODI and the 50% extended test interval. Levels of aluminium, iron and copper indicate good wear protection and excellent oxidation and nitration control was observed for all the test oils.

Engine cleanliness plays a key role in maintaining the power and efficiency of the motorcycle. Sludge formation can lead to blocked oil ways, which in turn could hinder lubrication and result in engine wear and ultimately, engine seizure. At the end of the field trial, four of the bikes were torn down so critical parts could be rated to determine the levels of carbon or varnish deposits and the condition of gear teeth.

Minimising deposits on the pistons is essential to prevent ring sticking and abrasive wear. The piston deposit merit ratings show that test oil 2 has superior overall cleanliness, with the other test oil being comparable to the reference.

A motorcycle engine oil also has an important role to play in the gear transmission system. At the end of the trial, the gear and clutch assembly merit ratings were all good and comparable to the reference oil.

Rider input

Since premium motorcycles are used predominantly for pleasure, the way the rider feels about parameters including heat, noise, vibration and shift feel are also important considerations.

At the end of the test all the riders were asked to rate their feelings, giving an additional qualitative layer to our results. Overall, the Infineum test oils achieved slightly higher ratings vs the reference oil, within an overall positive rider assessment.

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Developing oils for this growth market

Infineum divides lubricant products for the two-wheeler market into different categories that are designed to specifically target the needs of these end user groups.

In our view, oil marketers have the opportunity to develop a differentiated mainline+ product to meet the needs of the growing high-end motorcycle aftermarket segment in India. Products would not only provide the protection and performance attributes valued by all bikers but also meet the need of leisure riders for power, acceleration and smooth clutch feel.

End users in this segment value premium oils that can help protect their investment while also ensuring an exciting and fun ride. However, this opportunity also goes beyond India as these premium models from Indian OEMs can be expected to gain a larger share of sales in other markets of the world.

Infineum is a trusted partner, with extensive expertise in formulating motorcycle oils that have already demonstrated their performance in field trials in a variety of applications and conditions. These latest field trial results reinforce our ability to formulate motorcycle oils to deliver robust protection that this market requires over an extended oil drain interval.

Please contact your local Infineum representative if you would like to find out more about these field trial results.

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