Gulf Oil Powertrac 4T Synthetic engine oil review for Hero Xpulse 200: Introduction

Gallery Introduction The Oil Types The Context The Powertrac What’s next?Product Details

Introduction

If you love your motorcycle, and are done spending on fancy air filters, loud exhausts, taller visors, and a brighter pair of auxiliary lights, it might be a good idea to get your bike some good oil. For us, it’s just the opposite; the good oil comes first.

And it doesn’t get any better than synthetic oils. So we have decided to run our long term Hero Xpulse 200 with Gulf Oil’s fully synthetic engine oil called Powertrac before we make other modifications to the motorcycle. This is step one in bike care in our book.

The Oil Types

Now, engine oil can be broadly split into three types.

There’s the affordable, popular, and simplistic mineral oil. But, it isn’t the best under extreme temperature or workload. It’s not something you want to pick for your performance-centric two wheels.

Then there’s the semi-synthetic. In the broad sense, it is mineral oil with a high-tech suit and some fine gadgets. So, come higher revs, higher temperatures, and a higher workload, these last longer than ‘mineral’ before breaking down. A good compromise to settle for, no doubt.

Finally, you have the synthetic; the superheroes in the engine oil universe. Synthetic oils hold themselves together better than the other two, no matter the pressure, temperature or load. Plus, things like oxidation, and acid and sludge formation take longer when it comes to these chemically enhanced oils. What’s more, these don’t get all thick and slow come cold, or as runny as a five year old’s nose when the going gets blisteringly hot.

Like we mentioned before, the Gulf Oil Powertrac is from this superhero universe.

The Context

But, before we tell you more about the Powertrac’s characteristics and claims, we thought we’d set the context first…

A motorcycle engine is a complex maze of moving parts. It takes slow motion footage to actually make out how these parts move and what they do. And this is just at idling speed. Now imagine that engine sitting at 10,000rpm, in the desert heat, doing its best to keep the motorcycle moving as the latter’s rear wheel fights the soft sand so that it doesn’t dig in. Tough.

And the only thing that’s keeping the engine and its parts running at their best is the oil running through them. But, one doesn’t have to subject themselves to the pain and agony of riding at 50 degrees in an arid and inhospitable place just to appreciate good oil. A long commute, a quick ride to the switchback, or doing jumps or pulling wheelies for instagram on a trail too gives the engine a good workout. And the difference good, well-engineered oil can make, is obvious in these situations as well.

The Powertrac

Now, to the subject at hand.

Powertrac is a synthetic engine oil for both air- and liquid-cooled engines. That much we know by now. But, what benefits does it bring given it costs more than your regular mineral or even a semi-synthetic oil?

According to Gulf Oil, you get more life or kilometres between oil changes because Powertrac’s additives and construction helps in reducing oxidation and sludge formation. The company also claims that the oil has anti-wear properties, which help in protecting vital engine and gearbox components leading to less maintenance.

Gulf also claims it reduces clutch slippage. And that means we should experience smoother, lighter gearshifts on our Xpulse 200. Possibly even better half clutch operability while tackling inclines off-road. Easy cold start is also one of the benefits of using Powertrac, we are told. And, we will out that to the test too.

Finally, Gulf Oil claims Powertrac will help inhibit rusting of critical components, which along with its anti-wear properties should lead to a healthier engine in the long run. The last bit will be near impossible for us to test on our long term Xpulse 200. But, we have no reason to doubt Gulf’s claims as of now.

What’s next?

Next time round, like we mentioned we will put some of the Gulf Oil’s claims for the Powertrac to the test. Over the course of next two months and over 1000km of trail riding, city commutes, and some full bore acceleration runs; we will also gauge the change in refinement, vibration, rideability, and fuel efficiency of the Xpulse, if any.

We will also see how the colour and thickness of the oil changes over these 1000km of hard riding. Not that the oil will need a change in a 1000km, but we would like to see how it ages, before it goes all thick and dark on us many kilometres later.