K series change of oil

[Adventure Stu]

Just off the phone with Matt Tilsley at North Oxford BMW who has told me that BMW are trying to simplify their "oil range". To that end they are changing the K series oil from the current Castrol GPS 10/40 (semi-synth) to Castrol Power1 Racing Oil 5/40 (full synth) This is the oil that has been designed for the new 1300's and is to be used across the range. Handly enough there is an agreement that castrol will only be supplying it to BMW dealers for an initial period of 6-8 months!

Just out of curiosity I asked how much it cost...£10.50 per litre!

BMW are going down the line of 2 oils to cover all bikes...the 5/40 and, IIRC, 10/50 for the flat twins.

 

[Bear]

Tried searching halfords.com and found it in 10W30 and 10W40 at £28.99 for 4 litres. Try searching for Silkolene Pro-4 Plus 5W40 (apart from the can in my shed which I'm holding on to).

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

I'm sure it's 20/50 for the flat twins

I'm lucky because I knows a bloke who knows a bloke who works for Castrol in Swindon

 

[Adventure Stu]

I'm sure it's 20/50 for the flat twins

I'm lucky because I knows a bloke who knows a bloke who works for Castrol in Swindon

that's what I meant to say. although I did say IIRC

 

[Beemerman59]

Sounds like another cartel move by two profiteering manufacturers. I sent a tongue in cheek email to Castrol about 3 months ago if they had an anti-competition cartel running with BMW over the bad availability of the ACTEVO 20/50 oil required for my GSA. This was when I was charged nearly 9 quid a litre by a dealer. Now there is availability and lower prices and I'm just wondering if the above is just another case of them doing the same thing for a few months before opening up the distribution channels.

I was surprised never to get a reply from Castrol tho.

 

[jimbogs1200]

My dealer told me 10/50 fully syn for boxer engines...

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

My dealer told me 10/50 fully syn for boxer engines...

Really?

 

[jimbogs1200]

Yep, apparently BMW are now recommending 10/50 FS in future for all R1200s...not sure about older engines...

 

[Darren@Vines]

Yep, apparently BMW are now recommending 10/50 FS in future for all R1200s...not sure about older engines...

BMW now recommend 10/50 fs as a premium oil for the boxer as well as the 20/50 i think most dealers will go over to 10/50 in bulk but will still offer 20/50

 

[Bear]

BMW now recommend 10/50 fs as a premium oil for the boxer as well as the 20/50 i think most dealers will go over to 10/50 in bulk but will still offer 20/50

What do BMW mean by a "premium" oil. Does it mean that earlier recommendations were inappropriate or have the boxer engines changed radically and thus require a different lubricant?. FWIW Halfords (and no doubt other suppliers) offer Mobil 1 as a 15W50 and Halfords also offer an own-brand 5W50. If I understand correctly, a lower cold viscosity (the first number) means that the oil will circulate more quickly on startup, which seems a good thing. I assume my dealer uses whatever BMW recommend when he services the bike but I use Silkolene Pro-4 Plus 10W50 because I've got a couple of 1 litre bottles. Once that's gone I'll go over to Mobil 1 because it's easy to get hold of.

 

[Steptoe]

What do BMW mean by a "premium" oil. .

Premium profit

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

Harsh but probably true

It never seems to amaze me juts how often BMW seem to move the goalposts were oil is concerned. I suppose they reccomend whatever it is that is the most difficult to obtain but that they happen to have of in stock

 

[rudiemoto]

Just off the phone with Matt Tilsley at North Oxford BMW who has told me that BMW are trying to simplify their "oil range". To that end they are changing the K series oil from the current Castrol GPS 10/40 (semi-synth) to Castrol Power1 Racing Oil 5/40 (full synth) This is the oil that has been designed for the new 1300's and is to be used across the range. Handly enough there is an agreement that castrol will only be supplying it to BMW dealers for an initial period of 6-8 months!

Just out of curiosity I asked how much it cost...£10.50 per litre!

BMW are going down the line of 2 oils to cover all bikes...the 5/40 and, IIRC, 10/50 for the flat twins.

the dealer should give you a choice
10/50 or 20/50 for boxers and 5/40 and 10/40 for inlinefours as far as i no
also the new 10/50 is for easy start up and the 5/40 is for race /4 clinder type
the thing is you make your choice is it cost over better oil or if you think all oil is the same then you have picked the cheap is better
you cant win if you make oil as most tossers think all oil is the same
me i put in the best at the time cost doesnt matter to me

 

[Bear]

the dealer should give you a choice
10/50 or 20/50 for boxers and 5/40 and 10/40 for inlinefours as far as i no
also the new 10/50 is for easy start up and the 5/40 is for race /4 clinder type
the thing is you make your choice is it cost over better oil or if you think all oil is the same then you have picked the cheap is better
you cant win if you make oil as most tossers think all oil is the same
me i put in the best at the time cost doesnt matter to me

Could we have this post in coherent English please? In the handbook for my R1200GS BMW specify the viscosity (10W40, 20W50 etc) for various temperature ranges and the API specification (SF or better). As long as I adhere to the instructions given to me then surely I am using a suitable lubricant? My handbook makes no mention of mineral or synthetic oils so I must infer that the published viscosity and API specifications are sufficient to allow me to buy a suitable oil. I can see the benefit of a 10W50 oil rather than a 20W50 in that it will give the (inadequate) battery and starter motor an easier life on a cold morning but, since I don't ride when it's that cold, why would I use it? R series motorcycles and very ordinary car engines reach 100,000 miles without major repairs on very ordinary oils so it seems to me that requiring something very special (i.e. rare or expensive) is merely a means to opening customer's wallets a little further.