Although many American motorcyclists don’t think of Shell as an oil supplier for motorcycles, Ducati owners know better. Since 2017, oil with Ducati and Shell co-branding is available on the shelves at Ducati dealers in the United States. Racing enthusiasts are aware that Shell oil has been used in Ducati factory racebikes in MotoGP and World Superbike since 1999. In that time, the partnership has racked up over 150 race wins and seven world championships.
“The transfer of knowledge from racing to product is a natural process for Ducati,” according to Ducati Motor Holding CEO Claudio Domenicali. “We have also adopted this approach in the development of our partnership with Shell, which has been successfully working alongside us at every circuit for over 20 years. Shell Advance Ducati 15W-50 has been created for this, with the aim of providing our passionate Ducatisti with a product as high-performance and effective as the engine oil used by our teams on the track.”
Shell oil has been the stock lubricant in the engines of Ducatis built in the company’s Bologna, Italy, and Rayong, Thailand, production facilities. That will continue to be the case for the next three years. Already a staple at Ducati dealers in the United States and Italy, Shell Advance Ducati engine oil will now be sold in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. Shell promotes its proprietary PurePlus technology as an agent that keeps pistons clean, reducing engine wear, and protects the motor at high temperatures.
Shell Vice President, Global Key Accounts and New Business Development and Strategic Partnerships, Steve Reindl adds, “We are pleased that our close working relationship with Ducati on the track continues to grow every year to bring the performance benefits of our Shell Advance motorbike oils to more Ducati owners around the world. Just as we have committed to helping Ducati achieve success in the MotoGP and World Superbike Series, we are committed to offering Ducati enthusiasts on the road the best oil technologies.”