Note (September 2026): Earlier versions of this article wrongly said HPCL belongs to the Hinduja Group, dated Bharat Petroleum to 1991 and called Helix Ultra a Shell client; those errors are corrected below, and brand ownership has been updated.
The main engine oil brands for motorcycles and scooters in India are Castrol (Activ), IndianOil Servo (Servo 4T), Gulf (Pride 4T), Bharat Petroleum MAK (MAK 4T), HP Lubricants, Shell (Advance), Mobil (Super Moto), Valvoline and Honda’s own Pro Honda oil. The best choice is the grade your owner’s manual specifies: JASO MA or MA2 for geared motorcycles, JASO MB for gearless scooters.
Key Takeaways
- The right engine oil is the viscosity grade and JASO class in your vehicle’s owner’s manual; brand comes second.
- JASO MA/MA2 oils suit motorcycles with a wet clutch; JASO MB oils are for scooters with automatic transmissions and can cause clutch slip in motorcycles.
- IndianOil (Servo), Bharat Petroleum (MAK) and HPCL (HP Lubricants) are government-owned; Castrol, Shell, Mobil, Gulf and Valvoline are international brands.
- Ownership has changed: Aramco bought Valvoline’s products business in 2023, and BP agreed in December 2025 to sell 65% of Castrol to Stonepeak.
- Engine oil prices change often and vary by grade and pack size, so compare current prices before buying.
One of the prerequisites to keep your vehicle in good condition for a long time is choosing top quality engine oil for the same. High quality engine oil cools down the cylinder, reduces friction between the piston and cylinder and ensures smooth functioning of the automobile.
Top Bike Engine Oil Brands In India
Besides, the amount of engine oil in the vehicle must also be correct. The level needs to be maintained at all times. The list here should help you choose top quality engine oil for your vehicle.
Here are the top brands of engine oil in India.
Castrol India Limited
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Castrol entered the Indian market in 1910, when lubricants from C C Wakefield & Company were first imported; the Indian company was incorporated in 1979 and renamed Castrol India Ltd on 1 November 1990. It is one of the most preferred brands when it comes to automotive lubricants such as multi-grade diesel engines, 4 stroke oils and passenger car engine oils. Castrol India itself is a lubricants company; its two-wheeler range is sold as Castrol Activ and its car range includes Castrol GTX. In December 2025, BP agreed to sell a 65% stake in Castrol to Stonepeak, with BP keeping 35%; the deal was expected to complete by the end of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals.
Gulf
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The Gulf brand dates back to Gulf Oil, an American company founded in 1901 and historically headquartered in Pittsburgh. That company merged into Chevron in 1985; outside the United States (except Spain and Portugal), the Gulf brand now belongs to Gulf Oil International, which is owned by the Hinduja Group. In India, Gulf’s current motorcycle range is Gulf Pride 4T Ultra Plus. They offer top quality engine oil that keeps the engine in excellent condition that enables your vehicle to run smoothly even on rough terrains. It is especially meant to offer protection to new age multi-valve engines.
Valvoline
Valvoline makes engine oils, gear oils, coolants, brake fluids and other lubricants for road vehicles, not just tractors. Aramco completed its US$2.65 billion purchase of the Valvoline global products business on March 2, 2023, and in India the brand is handled by Valvoline Cummins, a 50:50 joint venture with Cummins India. The company also provides fluids and lubricants that are used in marine and power generation, industrial machinery and metal fabrication.
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Its lubricants offer good performance and facilitate low fuel consumption. Valvoline’s current two-wheeler oils in India include Valvoline 4T Premium and Champ 4T Fuel Efficient; prices vary by grade and pack size.
Indian Oil Corporation (Servo)
Indian Oil Corporation (Servo) offers high quality engine oil at reasonable price. Servo Futura D by Indian Oil is one of its best products. It has especially been formulated for the new age cars. It provides brilliant oxidation steadiness and controls soot-induced viscosity. The engine oil also decreases the chances of wear and tear of engine.
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IndianOil (IOCL) is a government-owned company, and Servo is described as the largest-selling lubricant brand in India’s automotive and industrial segments. Its motorcycle oil, Servo 4T, is rated API SG / JASO MA2 on IndianOil’s product data sheet. No wonder it is one of the biggest companies in India when it comes to sales.
Shell
The company was formed back in 1907. It was created by merging Royal Dutch Petroleum Company of the Netherlands with the Shell Transport and Trading Company of the United Kingdom, and Shell plc is now headquartered in London. Shell has its service stations across the globe. Shell has around 44,000 service stations worldwide.
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The company deals in refining, producing and distributing high quality grease, engine oil and other lubricants. Helix Ultra is Shell’s own flagship car engine oil, not a client. Shell’s partnership with Ferrari dates back to 1929, and Shell supplies Scuderia Ferrari with V-Power race fuel and Helix Ultra oil. For bikes and scooters, Shell India sells the Shell Advance range.
Bharat Petroleum
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) was not formed in 1991: it grew out of Burmah Shell, which the Government of India took over on 24 January 1976, and it was renamed Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited on 1 August 1977. BPCL is a refiner and fuel retailer whose lubricants are sold under the MAK brand, with two-wheeler oils such as MAK 4T NXT, MAK 4T Plus and MAK 4T Star alongside car and commercial-vehicle oils. Its engine oil has intelligent molecules that create a self healing layer to guard your vehicle’s engine and avoid wear and tear particularly during stop and start.
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Using Bharat Petroleum’s engine oil is a sure way to keep your vehicle in good condition. It helps your vehicle run smoothly even on rough roads.
Tata Genuine Engine Oil
Tata Motors launched Tata Motors Genuine Oil in January 2018 for its commercial vehicle range, sold through its authorized commercial-vehicle workshops. Since the demerger that took effect on 1 October 2025, the commercial-vehicle company trades as Tata Motors and the car company as Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles. The range launched in four variants: 15W-40 diesel engine oils to API CI4+ and CH4, an 80W90 gear oil and an 80W140 rear axle oil. It is a truck and bus product, not a motorcycle or scooter oil.
Its engine oils are among the best. They enhance the engine’s functionality, offer better mileage, enhanced engine protection and longer aggregate life. It is essential to use the right engine oil variant to ensure good performance. The company also offers wide range of gear oils and rear axle oil for commercial vehicles.
Hindustan Petrol
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), commonly known as HP, is a government-owned oil company headquartered in Mumbai and, since 2018, a subsidiary of ONGC. It is not part of the Hinduja Group, which owns the Gulf brand instead. HPCL became a Maharatna public sector company on 24 October 2019 and produces over 300 grades of lubes, specialties and greases, with brands including Laal Ghoda, HP Milcy, Thanda Raja, Koolgard and Racer4. It offers wide variety of engine oils and other lubricants for different types of automobiles. Its high quality multi-grade engine oils are exclusively formulated to ensure all round protection and smooth functioning of car engines.
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They offer outstanding engine cleanliness, enhanced fuel economy, extended engine life and amazing oxidation stability. The company also offers other products including natural gas, petro chemical products, petroleum products and LNG.
Exxon Mobil Lubricants
The company was formed by the merger of Exxon and Mobil in November, 1999. Exxon was earlier the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey, and Mobil grew out of the Standard Oil Company of New York (Socony), which merged with Vacuum Oil in 1931. The merger closed on November 30, 1999. The two came together to provide high quality engine oils and lubricants and capture a large market share.
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The company offers wide variety of engine oils including those used in heavy duty vehicles, premium automobiles and more. It also offers industrial lubricants. Its motorcycle oils in India are sold as Mobil Super Moto; Mobil Super Moto 10W-40 is listed as meeting API SN, JASO MA and JASO MA2. Besides offering superior quality engine oils, the company also provides crude oil, natural gas and petrochemical products.
Honda
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) sells genuine engine oil for Honda two-wheelers. In May 2023 it launched the Pro Honda range in 10W30 and 5W30 grades, each in an MA version for motorcycles and an MB version for scooters; the 5W30 grades are meant for BS-VI Honda models. It is formulated considering the conditions of the Indian roads. The oil is tried and trusted and works well for advanced engines.
It reduces the wear and tear of engine rendering longer life to it. It also provides maximum power to the engine. Besides, it cools the engine under extreme heat. The company offers engine oils and other lubricants at competitive rates.
Engine oils from all these companies are widely sold in India. However, you cannot just opt for any of these. It is imperative to have a thorough look at what these brands are offering and pick engine oil which is best suited for your vehicle. Even if an engine-oil is high in quality it would do no good to your vehicle if it isn’t formulated for it.
You may also like: Top Petrol Pump Brands In India.
Engine Oil Brands in India Compared
The table below summarizes who owns each engine oil brand and its current two-wheeler range, based on each company’s official product pages as of September 2026.
| Brand | Owner | Two-wheeler oil range |
|---|---|---|
| Castrol | Castrol India (BP group; 65% sale to Stonepeak agreed December 2025) | Castrol Activ |
| Servo | Indian Oil Corporation (government-owned) | Servo 4T (API SG / JASO MA2) |
| Gulf | Gulf Oil International (Hinduja Group) | Gulf Pride 4T Ultra Plus |
| MAK | Bharat Petroleum (government-owned) | MAK 4T NXT, 4T Plus, 4T Star |
| HP Lubricants | HPCL (ONGC subsidiary) | Racer4 and other HP lubes |
| Shell | Shell plc (London) | Shell Advance |
| Mobil | ExxonMobil | Mobil Super Moto |
| Valvoline | Aramco (products business); Valvoline Cummins in India | Valvoline 4T Premium, Champ 4T Fuel Efficient |
| Pro Honda | Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India | Pro Honda 10W30 and 5W30 (MA and MB) |
| Tata Motors Genuine Oil | Tata Motors (commercial vehicles) | None; truck and bus oils only |
How to Choose Engine Oil for a Bike or Scooter
Choosing engine oil for a motorcycle or scooter comes down to three checks: the viscosity grade, the JASO class and the oil change interval in the owner’s manual. Brand matters less than matching these specifications.
- Read the owner’s manual. It lists the approved viscosity grade (for example 10W-30 or 20W-40) and the performance standard the manufacturer requires.
- Match the viscosity grade. Under the SAE J300 system, a multi-grade oil such as 10W-30 has a winter grade (the number before W, for cold starts) and a grade for normal operating temperature (the number after the dash).
- Match the JASO class. Geared motorcycles with a wet clutch need JASO MA or MA2 oil; gearless scooters with automatic transmissions use JASO MB.
- Check the label, not just the brand. The same brand sells different grades for motorcycles, scooters and cars, so confirm the grade and JASO class printed on the bottle.
- Keep the level correct. Check the oil level regularly and change it at the interval in the service schedule; see this guide to bike maintenance in Indian weather conditions.
What Do JASO MA, MA2 and MB Mean?
JASO T903 is the Japanese Automotive Standards Organization standard for four-stroke motorcycle oils, introduced in 1998, with the MA1 and MA2 sub-categories added in 2006.
- JASO MA: oil for motorcycles with a wet clutch; it is not friction-modified, so the clutch does not slip.
- JASO MA1: a lower tier within the MA specification.
- JASO MA2: the higher tier within MA, suitable for modern motorcycles, including those with catalytic converters.
- JASO MB: oil for scooters with automatic transmissions; it contains friction modifiers for fuel economy and should not be used in motorcycles with a wet clutch.
Common Mistakes When Buying Engine Oil
- Putting scooter (JASO MB) oil into a geared motorcycle, which can make the clutch slip.
- Choosing an oil only because the viscosity number looks the same, without checking that it carries the JASO motorcycle rating the manual asks for.
- Picking a different viscosity from the one in the manual because a shop recommends it.
- Assuming a well-known brand name guarantees the right oil; every brand sells several grades.
For more on keeping a two-wheeler in shape, see the names of bike parts with pictures, tips on choosing a safe two-wheeler helmet, and the comparison of second-hand bikes versus new bikes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the best engine oil brand for bikes in India?
No single engine oil brand is best for every bike in India. Castrol Activ, Servo 4T, Gulf Pride 4T, MAK 4T, Shell Advance, Mobil Super Moto, Valvoline and Pro Honda are all widely sold; the best one is whichever meets the viscosity grade and JASO class in your owner’s manual.
Can I use scooter oil in a motorcycle?
Scooter oil rated JASO MB should not be used in a motorcycle with a wet clutch. JASO MB oils contain friction modifiers that can cause the clutch to slip; geared motorcycles need JASO MA or MA2 oil.
What does 10W-30 mean on engine oil?
10W-30 is an SAE J300 multi-grade viscosity rating. The 10W is the winter grade that describes how the oil behaves at cold temperatures, and 30 describes its viscosity at normal operating temperature.
For a fuller explanation of grades like 5W-30, see our guide on what 5W-30 means.
Is HP (HPCL) owned by the Hinduja Group?
No. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited is a government-owned company and, since 2018, a subsidiary of ONGC. The Hinduja Group owns Gulf Oil International, the company behind the Gulf lubricants brand outside the United States.
Who owns Castrol now?
Castrol has been part of the BP group. In December 2025, BP agreed to sell a 65% stake in Castrol to Stonepeak while keeping 35%, with completion expected by the end of 2026 subject to regulatory approvals.
Do electric scooters need engine oil?
Battery-electric scooters have no petrol engine, so they do not use engine oil. See this guide on how to choose an electric scooter in India for what to check instead.
