Just like with any motor bike, the oil you use in your KTM 450 can have affect performance and longevity; you want to be sure that you’re using the best product to keep your bike running for as long as possible.
The owner’s manual for your KTM 450 will tell you to use 10W50 Synthetic oil. Lots of people will use 10W40 instead, because it’s often cheaper and easier to find. Don’t do that. The oil recommended in your owner’s manual is recommended for a reason. That’s the oil that will keep your engine running smoothly for the longest time.
A quick search for 10W 50 oil will bring up several options, but if they’re all 10W50 synthetic oil, what’s the difference? We’ve put together a short buying guide to help you understand the differences between the different brands, and give you all the information you need to choose the best one for you.
These are the 4 best oils for KTM 450 EXC on the market:
Oil for KTM 450 EXC 1: Bel-Ray Synthetic Super Bike
This is a premium oil designed for racing. It has anti-wear additives to preserve your engine and increase longevity and it will lower the engine temperature while increasing horsepower.
If you just use your bike for fun, this oil may be a bit much. It’s not cheap, and if you aren’t racing your bike you probably don’t need to added protection this oil offers. If you’re racing, though, you definitely want it.
Oil for KTM 450 EXC 2: Castrol 10W50 Motorcycle Oil
Castol is a well-known and trusted oil brand, although you may be more familiar with the oils they make for cars. They’ve been making engine oil for a long time, for home and professional use.
Their motorcycle oil is designed to flow quickly and smoothly while still reducing engine friction as much as possible. The end result is better acceleration, so if you love to ride fast, this oil is a good choice. Cheaper than the Bel-Ray oil, too.
Castrol is a good choice for beginners if for no other reason than that it’s a well-known brand, and you can be sure of the quality of the product.
Oil for KTM 450 EXC 3: Motorex Power Synthetic
This is a good choice because Motorex is the brand that’s recommended in a lot of owner’s manuals.
Any good 10W50 oil will work, and plenty of people get by with 10W40, but if the manufacturer recommends this specific brand of 10W50 oil, you should take notice. Motorex oil optimizes clutch performance and provides great thermal protection.
This is a highly rated oil that’s well-known and well-made. That, combined with the manufacturers recommendation, makes this an EXC-ellent choice (yes, that was a pun) and one of the best oils for KTM 450 EXC bikes around.
Oil for KTM 450 EXC 4: Motorex Cross Power
Motorex Power Synthetic is a good choice because the Motorex brand is the brand KTX recommends. Motorex Cross Power is a good choice because this is the exact oil that KTX recommends.
Designed to protect your engine under the most extreme conditions, Cross Power is guaranteed to keep your bike in optimal condition for as long as possible. This is high-quality, high-performance oil. You can’t go wrong choosing Cross Power.
Oil for KTM 450 EXC Conclusion
Not all engine oils are created the same. Each brand engineers their oils for slightly different purposes.
As long as you’re putting 10W50 oil into your engine, you’ll be fine. Beyond that, the choice you make regarding the brand of oil is mainly going to come down to how you use your bike, and your own level of experience.
If you’ve just bought your first KTM 450, buy the Motorex Cross Power (see full specs). That’s the oil that your owner’s manual recommends. Unless you have a lot of experience with motor bikes, you probably don’t yet have the expertise or experience to make a good choice about what oil to substitute for Cross Power. Play it safe and stick with the manufacturer’s recommendation.
If you’re more experienced, you can and should consider switching brands. Cross Power
(see full specs) is good stuff , but you might be better off with a different choice. Power Synthetic, also from Motorex, may suit your needs better if you feel that your clutch performance is off.
If you’re doing a lot of racing, the Bel-Ray oil might be the better choice, since that’s what it’s optimized for.
If you just ride you bike for fun, switching to a more affordable brand like Castrol can be a good idea, too. It’s a company you can trust to make a good product, and it’ll provide the protection your engine needs while improving your acceleration a bit, too.
It all comes down to knowing your bike, and knowing how you’re going to use it. Racing bikes have different needs than bikes that are only used for pleasure. They face harsher conditions and much heavier use. Motorex oils tend to be engineered specifically to handle the rough treatment a racing bike handles, and if you’re going to use your bike that way it’s worth it to spend the extra money on a more expensive brand of oil.
Remember that Motorex also specializes in motor bike oil; cheaper brands like Castrol are making all sorts of engine oils. Motorex will have a level of expertise that Castrol can’t match, not matter how old or trusted the brand is. It’s still good oil, but Motorex is going to be better.
Using Motorex or Bel Rey might be overkill if you ride your bike for pleasure and don’t race it. That said, overkill might be what you want. If the goal is to keep you bike running well for as long as possible, an over engineered racing oil is certainly up to the task. You’ll spend more money on oil, but it might be worth it in the end.
Again, as long as you use a 10W50 your engine will run and it will be protected. You don’t have to spend the extra money on Motorex; something like Castrol will work. Will work very well, even. As long as you understand the differences between the oils and know what you’re using your bike for, you’ll be able to choose the best oil for KTM 450 EXC that you’ll need.
