Norton Commando Best Oil
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Best Oils For the Norton Commando

A big THANKS to Jim Comstock for evaluating oils that will work best in our Norton Commandos! Jim has spent a lot of time testing these oils. Click here to visit the Access Norton "Oil Tests" thread.
Donate to Jim for his hard work testing these oils:
  • The oil testing is done with a set load at 220 degrees for the first 30 minutes. This stresses the oil under high shear conditions and gives a good indication of the heat produced by friction.
  • Then the oil temp is raised to 320 degrees and the load is increased until a scar is produced on the follower. The test stops at this point and data is collected.
  • The red trace is follower pressure.
  • The black trace is follower temperature. The difference between the follower temp and the target oil temp is a good indication of heat from friction.
  • The green trace is friction.
  • The violet trace is cooling fan cycles. When it is high, the fan is on and it shows oil temp. When it is low then the oil is at the target temperature.
  • For use in a moderately tuned street performance Norton I would suggest a minimum load capacity of 150 lbs. Low friction is a plus, particularly in warm climates.
  • Heat from friction is on a 0 to 10 scale. The lower the number -the better the result.
  • A detailed description of what Total Heat from Friction is, how it is derived and that lower values are desired:
  • The term total heat from friction refers to a unitless value that describes the overall heat generated during an oil test and is derived using the following inputs:
    1) follower temperature.
    2) oil temperature.
    3) cooling fan run time.

    Separate calculations are performed to characterize:
    1) heat generated during the steady-state phase of the test, i.e., from 10-25 minute run time with fixed load, and referred to as heat from viscous friction
    2) heat generated during the latter phase of the test, i.e., as load increases continually from 30 minutes to test conclusion, and is referred to as heat from high pressure shear.
    These 2 separate values are then weighted appropriately and combined to obtain the total heat from friction value.
  • Lower total heat from friction values are desirable and will make for a cooler operating engine.
  • The high heat from friction oils would be best used in moderate or cool climates.
There are a few ways to browse the Norton Commando Oil data. The same data is available in each section, but laid out differently and more detailed in some areas. (Please note this page is not designed for mobile devices).

Extreme Oil Protection For Norton Commandos

Oil Name
Load Capacity (lb)
Total Heat from Friction (f)
Klotz Amer V-twin 25W60 syn, 5% Activ8
500
1.60
Bel-Ray 10W50 V-twin syn
500
3.58
Klotz American V-twin 25W-60 syn
500
5.7
Bel-Ray EXP 20W50 4T, 5% FR3
500
3.02
Klotz American V-twin 25W-60 syn, 5% FR3
500
4.21
Mobil 1 20W50 V-Twin, 8.5% BGMOA
465
1.10
Royal Purple HPS 10W40
458
1.78
Royal Purple HPS 20W50
457
0.44
Bell Ray V-Twin 10W50 syn, 8.5% BGMOA
450
3.68
Red Line 60WT Racing (20W-60), 8.5% BGMOA
444
0.13
Red Line 60WT Racing (20W-60)
421
1.27
Motul 7100 20W50 4T MA2
416
6.29
Bel-Ray EXP 20W50 4T
400
4.37
MPT 20W60 Motorcycle, 8.5% BGMOA
383
1.56
Klotz Amer V-twin 25W60 syn + 7.5% Activ8
371
3.20
4/1 Bel-Ray EXP / Royal Purple XPR
368
1.60
4/1 Bel-Ray EXP / Red Line 60WT Race
333
2.42
GB Castrol Classic XL 20-50
331
1.94
Valvoline VR1 20W50 conv, 8.5% BGMOA 110
322
5.09
Amsoil Dominator Racing Oil 15W50
309
1.46

Oil Protection For Stage 2 Performance Norton Commandos

Oil Name
Load Capacity (lb)
Total Heat from Friction (f)
Royal Purple HPS 20W50, 8.5% BGMOA
284
0.45
Castrol GTX 20W50 Conventional
257
7.70
Spectro Heavy Duty Motorcycle 20W50 conv
243
4.32
Castrol R-40 bean
242
1.90
Royal Purple Max Cycle 20W50, 8.5% BGMOA
230
0.62
Total Elf Moto 4 Race 10W60
228
4.17
F Carrefour 5W50 syn
224
1.93
Driven HD50 15W50 syn
224
5.99
Morris Oils 20w50 V-Twin conv
222
6.13
MPT 20W60 Motocycle syn
216
0.74
Castrol Power 1 4T 20W50 Pwr Rel Mtc Oil
213
3.24
Valvoline VR1 20W50 conv
205
4.84
Valvoline Motorcycle 20W50
201
4.09

Oil Protection For Stage 1 Performance Norton Commandos

Oil Name
Load Capacity (lb)
Total Heat from Friction (f)
D BMW Motorad Advantec Pro 15W50
199
4.62
AeroShell Sport plus 4 syn, 8.5% BGMOA
198
0.07
MPT 20W60 Motorcycle with STP
196
0.61
AeroShell Sport Plus 4 syn
196
3.36
F Carrefour 15W40 API SL-CF ACEA A3-B3
196
4.10
Rock Oil Synthesis 10W50
196
7.05
Motul 5100 15W50 4T
195
5.44
Schaeffer Micro Moly Racing Oil 20W-50
193
3.47
Comma Classic 20W50
190
5.14
Rotella T6 5w40 syn
184
5.96
Amsoil Motorcycle 10W40
183
2.66
CH Miocar MX+ 15W40 API SL-CF ACEA A3-B3
183
7.0
Torco TR-1 SAE60 blend
180
1.29
Fuchs Silkolene 20W50 Comp 4
180
6.49
Mobil 1 V-Twin 20W50 syn
178
1.80
Rotella T4 15W-40 conv
178
5.72

Oil Protection For Stock, Low Compression Norton Commandos

Oil Name
Load Capacity (lb)
Total Heat from Friction (f)
Bel Ray 10W50 V-Twin, 2.5% Everglide EGS
175
5.17
Royal Purple Max Cycle 20W50 syn
170
1.10
Schaeffers Supreme 7000 20W50
167
5.59
Motor Factory 20W50 Motorcycle Oil
166
5.60
Torco TR-1 20W50 Blend
164
1.12
Morris Oils 20W50 V-Twin Conv, 8.5% BGMOA
164
6.05
Driven BR 15W50 conv break-in oil
163
6.46
MPT Thirty K 20W50 API SM syn
158
1.27
Yamalube 20W-50 conv
154
5.56
4/1 Klotz 25W-60/Redline 60WT Race
152
1.76
Penngrade 1 20W50 Partial synthetic
152
6.64
Lucas Motorcycle 20W50 synthetic
151
6.52

Oil Might Cause Excessive Wear In a Norton Commando Engine

Oil Name
Load Capacity (lb)
Total Heat from Friction (f)
Kendall GT1 Competition 20W50 conv
149
7.2
Castrol Power 1 V-Twin 20W50 4T syn
148
1.24
Valvoline VR1 20W50 syn
145
0
Amsoil Motorcycle SAE60 syn
143
1.71
Bel Ray Thumper 10W60 4T syn
143
7.08
Kendall GT1 Hi Perf 20W50 API-SN
140
4.73
Penrite HPR30 20W-50 conv
140
5.25
Motul 10W-40 Break-in Oil
140
7.30
Bel Ray 10W50 V-Twin, 5% Activ8
139
0.14
CH IDoil 20W50 Anti Consommation
139
5.10
Royal Purple XPR 20W50 syn
137
0
Ravenol RHV 20W-60
137
0.05
TriboDyn 20W50 Motorcycle Oil
137
5.58
Schaeffer's 700 Synshield 15W40 Parasynthetic
135
4.07
Mobil 1 15W50 API-SN syn
134
0.01
Quaker State 20W50 Adv Durability, 8.5% BGMOA
132
0
Amsoil Motorcycle 20W50 syn
132
1.40
Miller Oils Classic Sprt Hi Perf 20W50
128
0
Motul 300v 20W60 Le Mans syn
126
0.01
Fuchs Titan Race Pro S 20W60 Ester
125
2.78
Redline 20W60 syn
119
0.02
Amsoil Signature Series 5W50 API SN-SM
117
4.85
Duckhams Q Classic 20W50
117
5.10
Aeroshell W100 Plus (50 wt)
96
0
Quaker State 20W50 Advanced Durability
96
0

Oil Tests Plotted to Graphs

Norton Commando Oil- Extreme Protection

Norton Commando Oil- Stage1 Engine

Norton Commando Oil- Stock Engine Bel Ray 10W50 V-Twin Synthetic with Everglide EGS 2.5%

Norton Commando Oil- Excessive wear

Oil Test Raw Data and Jim's Comments

Oil Image Oil Name Oil Content Oil Failure Weight Total Heat From Friction
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