Both contenders are top-tier engine oils designed for high-performance 4-stroke motorcycle engines. Ultra is a fully synthetic engine oil while its competitor is a blend of synthetic and best mineral base stock to achieve optimal performance. Both competitors are known for their best performance in cold weather.
The base stock in Ultra is made up of natural gas, with practically no impurities, instead of crude oil. This is done through its PurePlus Technology combine with its Active Cleansing Technology to enhance its engine cleaning ability. It meets the API SN and JASO MA2 standard and is also compatible with a catalytic converter.
Motul’s Technosynthese engine oil strengthened by Ester Technology enhances its anti-wear and engine cleaning properties. It meets the API SM and JASO MA2 standards to provide the most efficient friction for clutch engagement. It is suitable for dry clutch systems as well.
Compared to Ultra, Motul 5100 has a longer drainage interval, better wear protection, enhanced engine cleaning, and can be used in a variety of engines. But lacks behind its competitor when working in a high-temperature environment. Ultra has a superior API rating and is more suitable for catalytic converters.
Table of Contents
Similarities and differences:
- Both competitors are designed for 4-stroke motorcycle engines.
- Ultra is fully synthetic and Motul it’s a synthetic blend.
- Both of them meet the JASO MA2 standard. Motul meets the API SM while its competitor meets the API SN standard, which is superior to its competitor.
- The kinematic viscosity and the viscosity index of Ultra are relatively higher.
- Both would perform correspondingly well in cold weather but Ultra takes the lead in high-temperature environments.
- Motul is superior in terms of providing wear protection and sludge protection to engines.
- Ultra is more compatible with catalytic converters than its competitor.
- Oil drainage interval of Motul is longer than its opponent.
- Motul is costlier than Ultra.
Comparison Table
| Specifications | Motul 5100 | Advance Ultra |
| Manufacturer | Motul | Shell |
| Oil Type | Technosynthese | Full Synthetic |
| Engine Type | 4-stroke motorcycle engine | 4-stroke motorcycle engine |
| Available in Viscosity Grades | SAE 10W – 40, 15W – 50, 10W – 30, 10W – 50 | SAE 10W – 40, 15W – 50, J300 |
| API Standard | SM | SN |
| JASO Standards | MA2 | MA2 |
| Cost of 1 liter (10W40) | 14.10 $ | 9.44 $ |
Viscosity Comparison
The kinematic viscosity determines the thickness and fluid characteristics of a lubricant. It tells us how easily a lubricant would flow under normal conditions.
As we can see that the value of kinematic viscosity at both the high and cold temperatures is relatively higher than its competitor.
As you can see in the table below that the kinematic viscosity decreases as the temperature elevates.
But how much the change is going to occur varies from liquid to liquid. It is measured by a unitless number named the viscosity index. The more the change occurs, the less would be the value of the viscosity index.
The viscosity index of Ultra is slightly higher than its competitor which means that the change in its kinematic viscosity, due to the temperature change, would be relatively lower than its competitor.
| Parameter | Motul 5100 (10W – 40) | Advance Ultra (10W – 40) |
| Kinematic Viscosity @ 40 °C | 89.8 mm²/s | 90.2 mm²/s |
| Kinematic Viscosity @ 100 °C | 13.82 mm²/s | 14.2 mm²/s |
| Viscosity Index | 157 | 163 |
Lubrication Standards
Ultra meets the API SN and Motul meets the API SM standard which is inferior to API SN. API SN provides improved sludge protection, enhanced seal compatibility, and better temperature deposit protection for pistons.
Both of them meet the JASO MA2 standard which is suitable for mostly wet-clutch applications.
It provides better friction performance to the clutch to make its engaging time more quickly.
So, in this regard, Ultra takes the lead since its API rating is superior to its opponent.
Endurance in Extreme Temperatures
Both of them would perform exceptionally well in cold weather because of having equivalent pour point values. But Ultra would be slightly better in high-temperature conditions because of its slightly higher value of the flashpoint.
| Parameter | Motul 5100 (10W – 40) | Advance Ultra (10W – 40) |
| Pour Point, °C | -33 | -33 |
| Flash Point, °C | 226 | 230 |
Cleansing Ability
The cleaning ability of engine oil depends upon the quantity of detergents or cleaning agents in it. And the major ones are sodium, calcium, and magnesium.
Since the combined concentration of these detergents is in relatively higher amount in Motul, its sludge or deposit protection ability would be better than its competitor.
| Detergent | Motul 5100 (10W – 40) | Advance Ultra (10W – 40) |
| Sodium, ppm | 5 | 7 |
| Calcium, ppm | 2048 | 1905 |
| Magnesium, ppm | 9 | 6 |
Anti-wear Protection
Anti-wear additives in engine oil are the reason for its wear protection ability and their quantity determines the strength of that ability.
The collective amount of zinc, phosphorous, boron, and molybdenum is higher in Motul compared to its competitor.
It means that Motul would offer better wear protection to engines compared to its opponent.
| Additive | Motul 5100 (10W – 40) | Advance Ultra (10W – 40) |
| Zinc, ppm | 920 | 820 |
| Phosphorous, ppm | 829 | 692 |
| Boron, ppm | 59 | 49 |
| Molybdenum, ppm | 2 | 109 |
Compatibility with Catalytic Converter
One of the major constituents of anti-wear additives is zinc. It has a drawback that it produces harmful zinc ash on burning which settles down on the catalytic converter and affects its performance.
It occurs when a small amount of engine oil gets leaked into the combustion chamber and burned up along with the fuel.
So the quantity of zinc in an engine oil would be proportional to the amount of harmful ash production.
In the table given above, we can see that the amount of zinc is relatively higher in Motul.
So it would have more impact on the performance of the catalytic converter. Hence the Ultra would be more compatible with the catalytic converter than its opponent.
Oil Drainage
The formation of harmful acids in engines can lead to engine breakdown.
That’s why alkaline-based additives are being added to engine oils to neutralize such threats.
The neutralizing ability of lubricants depends upon a very important parameter named Total Base Number or TBN. It is a parameter that determines the drainage interval of engine oils. The TBN Ultra and Motul are 4.7 and 5.5 respectively.
It means that Motul would last longer than its competitor against the harmful acids and hence would have longer drainage internal.
Hence in this regard, Motul would be a better choice since its oil drainage interval would be longer, and conversely, its oil changing frequency would be comparatively low.
Price Comparison
Having comparatively better sludge cleaning ability, enhanced wear protection and longer drain interval makes Motul more expensive than its competitor.
The cost of 1 liter of Motul 10W40 5100 and Castrol Advance Ultra 10W40 is 14.10 $ and 9.44 $ respectively.
