Valvoline VR1 - The Oil We Run

Valvoline VR1 - The Oil We Run

When it comes down to oil everyone has there own brand that they are accustomed too.

Oil is a touchy subject but today I wanted to inform my readers and enthusiasts the type of oil that we run in our bikes as we receive a lot of questions revolving around oil type.

To keep this post short and to the point we have used many brands and types of oil but we have found one major brand of oil that gets the job done right.

 

Valvoline VR1

The oil that we use today in our own vintage British bikes is called Valvoine VR1 racing oil which is a perfect compliment for racing and stock engines that feature flat tappet camshafts, push rods without catalytic converters.

Zinc and phosphor are anti wear additives formulated in Valvoine VR1 to prevent premature wear within the engine which is exactly what these old vintage British motorcycles need.

Specifications

 

Brand Type Additives Price
Valvoline VR1 Racing Oil (conventional) Zinc (1300 PPM) $6.99 - $32.00

 

Valvoline VR1 oil can be typically found at local auto parts store such as O'Reilly, AutoZone and Pep Boys with a multi-grade rating of 20/50W.

-Some auto parts store do not carry Valvoline VR1 oil. I went to a local Pepboys and they stated to me that they where going to stop carrying that line of oil.

 

For a more detailed and in-depth information about Valvoline VR1 oil please check out this link here.

Give it a try

The next time your vintage British bike needs to be serviced, check out Valvoline VR1 racing oil and give it a try- it's affordable and with its high zinc additive your engine will always be protected.

I hope you all enjoyed this quick post of the type of oil we use in our vintage Triumph, BSA and Norton motorcycles here at our shop.

For more information please feel free to shoot us an email or drop us a line.

Thanks reading - ride safe!


10 comments

  • John

    This comes from Vavoline’s Tech Sheet:
    Valvoline VR1 Racing Motor Oil is not recommended for use in wet clutches (use Valvoline 4-Stroke Motorcycle Oil).
    I have a 67 BSA Lightning 650…wet clutch.

  • John Wrenn

    I have a ’79 Triumph Bonneville T140E and my mechanic told me ( like you) to use Vavoline Vr1 in it whenever I change to oil. I put this out on the Ratnet Forum and everyone says that it will destroy my clutch because of the friction modifiers in it. What is your opinion? Thanks.

  • John Botts

    I use Amsoil ZROD 20w50 for break in. Lots of zinc and phosphoros for svere wear parts. After that I use Amsoil 20w50. Thes oils are designed for wet clutches. Both are available online our through their dealers. Testing shows this to be the best performing motorcycle oil available at any cost. Full synthetic. Does not cause leaks.. Start and run your bike at least once per week and you’l never have any leaks. Sitting causes the check valve to leak and oil will fill the crankcase over time. This is the cause of the leaks, not the oil.

  • Marcus Maximus

    I recently bored and ringed my ’78 750 Bonneville. I just happened to see a good deal on this very same oil at AUTOZONE! wherein I bought all they had. I am using it as break-in oil because it has lots of zinc and other good stuff which, I read somewhere, is a right nice thing to use as break in oil. My engine has not blown up yet. Thank you. I want to eventually use pure synthetic oil but there may be some issues with the clutch. I shall endeavor to investigate these issues.

  • David Patterson

    I used VR in my BSA for some time, but I don’t think it’s recommended for wet clutches. My BSA breathes like a late Triumph so engine oil is in the primary.
    I still use the synthetic VR in my K100 Beemer.

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