Best oil

**Tully** · #1 4 Nov 2006

What does everyone feel is the best engine oil for the 1200 engines?

**Margus** · #2 5 Nov 2006

I think you'll find variety of answers to the extremes. Some prefer strict $$$-costing motorcycle oil while guys like me put the cheapest car semi-synth oil inside since it's an robust boxer afterall...

**Tully** · #3 7 Nov 2006

Cheers for that.

I also remember reading somewhere that BMW suggests not using synthetic oils in the first 6000m. It sounds counter intuituve to me. I would have thought that synth oil would be better for an engine that is still settling in.

**Gecko** · #4 8 Nov 2006

I used to use fully synthetic castrol superbike oil in my R1100GS as this is what the dealer advised . After many miles of burning oil I switched to much cheaper Hein Gericke fully synthetic at about 1/4 of the price of the castrol and I hardly use any oil at all now. it's a 15w50 (I think) but has same API spec as the much more expensive castrol oil I was using. 5 liters is about Euro 22 from Hein Gericke - it's great stuff and 40,000km on I don't regret switching from the liquid gold castrol advised by the BMW money grabbing dealer !

**Tully** · #5 8 Nov 2006

Cheers Patrick. That explanation about syth oil on new engines makes heaps on sense.

**andyb43** · #6 9 Nov 2006

Tully,

Dont use oil specified for a car if your bike has a wet clutch, use specific bike oil.
Car oil has added friction modifiers that will contaminate your bike clutch leading to clutch slipping where the only way out is to flush then replace the fibre plates.

I have found that the fully synth is very good but the semmi synth is fine to use, after 26 years using all manner of oils the semmi synth has never had any problems with burning oil or wear problems.

**htdb33** · #7 10 Nov 2006

I have logged some mileage on wet clutch bikes. I have used almost exclusively Mobil 1 15w50 which is a pretty decent oil but an automotive oil none the less. Never had any clutch slippage.

I will also say that I did experience some slippage (and usage) in my R1150RT while using BMW motorcycle oil. I switched to Mobil 1 and both problem went away.

I think the best oil is the type you change on a regular basis.

Dont you love an oil thread.

Yankee Dog

**AliBaba** · #8 10 Nov 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by htdb33

I will also say that I did experience some slippage (and usage) in my R1150RT while using BMW motorcycle oil. I switched to Mobil 1 and both problem went away.

Yankee Dog

Hmmm. doesn't the R1150RT have a dry clutch?

**a1arn** · #9 10 Nov 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by mollydog

Tully,

Regular oil allows this to happen. Synthetic oil is reallly too slick, and in a way does too good a job with its friction modifiers that prevent parts from working
against each other to remove rough spots and inperfections. With synthetic oil from new, an engine will never make max power, will use oil (as many BMW's do) and will be down on compression.

My solution? After about 2500 miles and a couple oil changes of regular dino
oil, give that bike some SERIOUS stick, run it hard to rev limit for a day of sport riding. Now switch to Synthetic. Nw its ready.

Patrick

Something here:

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

http://mototuneusa.com/thanx.htm

Sounds heretical, initially.

But it works. Or, to be more specific, worked on my bike.
1st oil change 25 km, 2nd at 150 km, 3rd at 1000km(Synthetic this time)
The same bike has had two engine rebuilds previously, and was run in carefully both times (manufacturer recommended -> lousy performance).

This time round, I thrashed it deliberately from day 1 -> noticeable improvement.

I've posted the links above as synthetic oil is not recommended for a new engine. Rationale for same.

**htdb33** · #10 13 Nov 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by AliBaba

Hmmm. doesn't the R1150RT have a dry clutch?

OK, you got me. I looked it up and it does have a dry clutch.

HOWEVER, I also put 30,000 miles on a Triumph Trophy 1200 with the same oil. The Trophy has a wet clutch (I looked it up this time).

Yankee Dog