31 January 2008

MEDIA RELEASE

McLeod Accessories Proudly Announces Distribution Partnership with Castrol Australia

Castrol Transforms its Motorcycle Engine Oil Range in 2008 with Tri-Zone Technology!

McLeod Accessories Marketing Manager, Peter Coffey says;

"We are thrilled to announce this distribution agreement with Castrol which is perfectly timed to launch Castrol’s all new Tri-Zone Technology 4-stroke motorcycle oil range.

No oil brand had demonstrated the technical product innovation, along with the strong branding & racing pedigree required to win-over and satisfy the demands of the modern-day motorcyclist... until now!

The benefits of Castrol’s new Tri-Zone formula, plus the new packaging to go with it are a huge step forward for motorcycle oils in this country.  McLeod Accessories is proud to commence this association with a brand that can be acclaimed for working hand in glove with the motorcycle industry for over 100 years. ".

Castrol’s technical relationships with motorcycle manufactures and the use of the highest level of motorcycle racing as a testing ground is a very important part of Castrol’s ongoing development of high quality products - both for competition racers and enthusiast bikers. 

Castrol’s involvement and success in the motorcycle arena can be traced from the very beginnings of racing at the Isle of Man TT in 1907 through to the bikes in today’s powerful MotoGP and SBK series.

The new motorcycle range:

2-Stroke

• Castrol Power 1 TTS Racing                    
• Castrol Activ 2T

4-Stroke With Tri-Zone Technology

• Castrol Power 1 Racing                 
• Castrol Power 1 GPS                     
• Castrol Activ 4T                   

The introduction of the new generation of 4-stroke motorcycle oils is a reflection of Castrol’s expertise to produce oils that meet the requirements of the end consumer.

The new range is available from February 2008.

See following pages for;

• Tri-Zone advantages
• Tri-Zone technical information
• List of motorcycle product range
• Castrol company history

Castrol Tri-Zone Technology for 4-Stroke Bikes

Your 4-stroke bike’s performance depends on the ability of three critical zones within your bike – The Engine, Clutch and Gearbox to synchronize and operate efficiently as one. All Castrol 4-stroke oils are specifically designed and tested to work and provide superior protection to these critical moving parts and this is the Castrol Tri-Zone advantage.

The ideal 4-stroke motorcycle oil needs to successfully meet the demand of all three of these very different zones.

The Castrol Tri-Zone

Demands from the engine zone; the huge stresses of mechanical loading, high piston speeds, and combustion temperatures along with maintaining high flow in all conditions.

In the clutch zone, there is need for cooling, as well as the ideal balance between slip and grip for smooth and reliable operation.

For the gearbox zone, the need is to combat shearing, sliding and hammering forces to protecting precision components against wear.

Castrol Tri-Zone is dedicated motorcycle oil technology that has been specifically developed to answer the needs of each of the three critical zones by providing unique built-in performance based properties that are not included or required in car engine oils.

Utilising over a century of experience, it is Castrol’s most technologically advanced motorcycle engine oil range of products ever offered! 

"Castrol’s motorcycle range has evolved.  This new generation of motorcycle lubricants incorporates the most advanced properties of Castrol oil science and engineering", remarked Andrew Johnson, Castrol Marketing Manager for Australasia.     This new range has been technically enhanced to ensure that key lubricant performance parameters exceed far beyond the minimum industry requirements for motorcycle engine oils.

"We have made a number of beneficial changes. The first, and most visible piece of this effort, is a fresh new look and some product name changes that reflect our strategic global brand standards."

Not only will the packaging look different, but many of the products will be different.  The new 2 and 4-stroke engine oil range alongside the motorcycle ancillary series of products, have been technically enhanced to offer consumers specialist benefits over existing products.

The 4-stroke range is the pinnacle of this development and is at the forefront of motorcycle oil technology.  With the development of Trizone Technology it’s Castrol’s best motorcycle product range ever. 

Castrol’s Technical Manager, Neil McTavish, explains the rationale of Trizone Technology development.  "Your 4-stroke bike’s performance depends on the protection of three critical zones within your bike – the engine, clutch and gearbox.  Strong performance in all three zones is required for top performance and good component durability. These zones rely on the one oil and are located in one compartment which is what we mean by Trizone.

The ideal 4 stroke motorcycle oil needs to successfully meet the demand of all three of these very different zones."

"Castrol Tri-Zone is dedicated motorcycle oil technology that has been developed specifically for improvements in motorcycle applications", comments Neil.  "In particular, it answers the needs of each of the three critical zones by providing unique built-in performance based properties that are not included or required in car engine oils."

Neil claims that compared to the previous generation of products, the new Castrol core range of products incorporating Trizone Technology has been transformed.  "We have created unique 4-stroke formulations giving improved performance across all critical areas of the 4-stroke motorcycle engine.  All these functions are crucial to the operation of a motorcycle and yet are so often overlooked."

The new Trizone Technology has been specifically developed for and subjected to a world-wide series of sophisticated motorcycle tests.  The tests were developed by Castrol engineers to represent lubricant performance in the three key areas for advanced motorcycle applications: engine cleanliness and wear and more significantly clutch compatibility and gearbox protection.

Castrol Motorcycle Product Range

4-Stroke                   
Castrol Power 1 Racing 4T 5W-40 Exceeds API SJ and JASO MA2 Standards

Increased Acceleration for Motorcycles

• Tri-Zone Technology delivers complete performance protection for the engine, gears and clutch.
• Full synthetic 4-stroke engine oil for high performance sports bikes.
• Ensures optimum engine performance, providing increased acceleration under the most arduous riding conditions.

Castrol Power 1 GPS                   
4T 10W-40
Exceeds API SJ and JASO MA2 Standards

Increased Power for Motorcycles

• Tri-Zone Technology delivers complete performance protection for the engine, gears and clutch.
• A part synthetic, advanced premium 4-stroke engine oil for high performance bikes.
• Fast flowing Power Release formula reduces internal losses in the engine.

Castrol Activ 4T 15W-50 Exceeds API and JASO MA2 Standards

Continuous Protection for Motorcycles

• Tri-Zone Technology delivers complete performance protection for the engine, gears and clutch.
• Modern high quality engine oil specifically for 4-stroke motorcycle engines. 
• Wear protection formula ensures continuous protection throughout the drain interval so that you can start and go in confidence.

Castrol EDGE Sport 25W-50

• Exceeds API SG
• Incorporates API SM Technology

Power and performance for dry clutch motorcycles

• Premium quality multigrade oil for 4-stroke motorbikes requiring a higher viscosity oil and use a dry clutch.
• Minimises oil consumption and boosts oil pressure in big bore engines.
• Excellent wear protection on radical cam profiles.
• Assists in maintaining optimum oil pressure in large displacement high performance engines.

2-Stroke Castrol Power 1 TTS Racing 2T JASO FD

Exceeds ISO EGD and JASO FD                       
Increased Acceleration for Motorcycles

• Full synthetic 2-stroke engine oil with proven performance in extreme racing conditions.
• High protection formula enhances throttle response for fast acceleration.
• For oil injector or pre-mix ratios up to 50:1.

Castrol Activ 2T  JASO FC Exceeds JASO FC Standards                            

Continuous Protection for Motorcycles

• Modern, high quality 2-stroke engine oil fortified with Deposit Protection Formula.
• Provides continuous protection against the build up of carbon deposits on the engine and spark plug, ensuring fast and reliable starting.
• Improved piston and combustion chamber cleanliness.

Motorcycle Protector Series Range

Castrol’s commitment to motorcycle technical superiority and specialized performance doesn’t stop with the engine oil range.  Castrol’s ancillary range is a comprehensive series of premium lubricants and protective products that have been designed to provide total care and complete protection regardless of what, how and where you ride.

Castrol Chain Oil

High performance Chain Lubricant

• Provides overall protection and longer service life to chain and sprockets.

Castrol Foam Air Filter Oil                       

Top Motorcycle Filter Performance

• Aerosol pack provides ease of use. 
• Spray on to cleaned filters for good air flow and dust capture.
• Specially formulated for ‘wet type’ foam air filters fitted to 2 and 4-stroke engines.

Castrol MTX SAE 75W-80

High Performance Motorcycle Gear Oil

• Designed for 2-stroke motorcycle gearboxes for on-road, off-road and racing applications. 

Castrol A747

High Performance 2-Stroke Lubricant

• Recommended for water-cooled, road racing engines and high performance go-kart engines. 

• A range of highly stable suspension oils for various viscosity ratings for dampening and rebound control in motorcycle telescopic forks.
• Every product in the range is compatible with seals and rubber components.

Notes to Editors:

1 . Synthetic oil is purer and cleaner than mineral products. With their chemically-designed molecules and structured additives, synthetics combine high temperature stability with low temperature flow. They are less volatile, and have better performance capability. This means the right synthetic oil can give measurable improvements in fuel economy, longer service intervals with consistent performance throughout the time in service, reduced oil consumption and cleaner emissions.

2 . An overview of Castrol - Castrol (www.castrol.com) is a major brand within the BP group of companies and is the market and technical leader for specialised industrial lubricants and automotive lubricants for the retail consumer. Castrol is the market leader in marine lubricants and a key player in the aviation and commercial vehicles market. It is also the third largest marketer of lubricants worldwide.

Lubricants manufactured and marketed by Castrol are supplied direct to business and end-consumers in over 60 countries and through local distributors in the rest of the world. Business is concentrated on automotive lubricants, particularly in the consumer sector, but there is also a strong presence in business markets such as commercial vehicle fleets, marine and specialised industrial segments.

The first Castrol car lubricant was introduced in 1909 and was named after its castor oil ingredient. The company, which has over 150 subsidiaries, operating in some 55 countries, was purchased by BP in 2000.

3. BP is one of the world's largest oil, gas and petrochemical companies with operations in over 100 countries. Its main activities are exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas; oil refining, marketing and transportation; gas marketing and power generation; and the production and marketing of petrochemicals. The company also manufactures and sells photo voltaic panels for solar power generation and is actively looking at other forms of renewable energy, particularly hydrogen fuel cell technology. The company's current market capitalisation is around $200 billion and it employees around 103,000 people worldwide. BP ranked No.2 on Fortune 500 in 2004.