Engine oil

[Wanderer]

I guess this is a technical question but is specific to the 1200GS.

What oil do you use (I tried a search on oil but nothing came up?). My dealer recommended 10-40 Castrol GP. Anyone use anything different and why?

 

[Aitch42]

It depends how many miles you have done as I understand it. My dealer has recommended 5-40 Motorcycle oil up to the 6000 mile service and 10-50 after. The lower viscocity oil it to aid 'wearing in' if the engine components - it also aids rattling which I believe gets quieter with the thicker oil.

 

[blackburnlee]

I use Castrol GP 10W40 which seems to do the job perfectly well. From all that I've read it seems that there's no reason to use even semi-synthetic as the greater internal tolerances on the Boxer motor make it pointless.

By way of interest mine seems to be using approx. 200-300ml per 1000 miles.

 

[Mouse]

Same here, Castrol GP 10W40.

If you consult the chart in the bike's manual, it suggests that actually you should use 20W50 in hot climates - I suppose the UK in summer might count, just

 

[TheJoker]

My bike had Castrol GP up to 12,000 miles, and now GPS... Annoyingly I *just* bought 4l of GP... *sigh*

 

[Tricky]

Castrol GP up until 6K... now GPS

 

[Pukmeister]

'MOTUL 5100' 10W40 Semi-Synthetic.

 

[Piggers]

If you consult the chart in the bike's manual, it suggests that actually you should u

Looking at the info in the manual I would say that the temp chart for the
20W50 looks closest to the climate in which we ride in the UK, so I cannot work out why most people run on 10W40 ! Maybe its for the slight gain in performance due to the lower drag.
A lot of people on this site claim quite high oil consumption, maybe using 20W50 would reduce some of this.
As most of my riding is done when the weather is fine, I think that I will use 20W50 when change time comes..

BTW may bike has done approx 1600 miles and I have noticed no oil usage at all !

Piggers

 

[Ste@SSB]

My bike had Castrol GP up to 12,000 miles, and now GPS... Annoyingly I *just* bought 4l of GP... *sigh*

use it for your top ups ... they mix no problem ...

 

[Emoto]

20-50 for the last 24,000 miles. The first 600 were with whatever comes in it from the factory.

The climate here in New England may differ from you folks over in Old Blighty...

 

[gavin]

Changed to GP 20W50 after 600 mile service.

 

[kdude]

20-50 for the last 24,000 miles. The first 600 were with whatever comes in it from the factory.

The climate here in New England may differ from you folks over in Old Blighty...

Me too... the book says use 20-50 so thats what I'm using. For me I use the BMW brand or Castorl dino.

 

[Engineer]

I guess this is a technical question but is specific to the 1200GS.

What oil do you use (I tried a search on oil but nothing came up?). My dealer recommended 10-40 Castrol GP. Anyone use anything different and why?

I use Putoline DX4 10/40 because that's what my dealer puts in it.

 

[Wanderer]

As an update to my initial question, I've just heard from a very reliable 'inside source' that THE oil to use is 20w50, despite what dealers may be using at service time.