OIL CHECK WINDOW..... why?

[Mouse]

I think it's totally safe to top up with any decent 10W/40 mineral oil. I have in the past without worries.

Although if you planned ahead, you would buy a 1L container of GP and take it with you

 

[drinkingparrot]

dipstix

Talk to an aprillia mille or tuono owner about oil levels, now thats a nightmare.

 

[plasmatron]

the manual says to check it at operating engine temps on the center stand... I find mine can be right down near the bottom line cold and yet reads just over the center dot when at operating temperature... in a colder climate with even bigger temp fluctuations the window must be all over the place...

does anyone have any thoughts about using Castrol R4 Superbike 5W-40 in our 1200GS's?... A mate of mine works for Castrol here in Taiwan and I can get a really good price on a case of the R4 oil... but it's fully synthetic... you can read about it here...

good idea / bad idea

 

[kiwiAdventure]

I've just returned from a 10 day 4,000klm adventure ride with some very hard riding. The bike has used hardly no oil at all.
The oil level only has to be in the sight glass. Half way is best, but not important.
If you do put oil in do it slowly and you want put too much oil in. It will take up too 15 minutes for the oil to come too correct level.

 

[Mouse]

Plasmatron - general wisdom is not to use synthetic oil until the engine is properly run in. Which apparently doesn't happen until at least 12,000 miles.

 

[kiwiAdventure]

Plasmatron - general wisdom is not to use synthetic oil until the engine is properly run in. Which apparently doesn't happen until at least 12,000 miles.

This comes up every six months. BMW does not recommend synthetic oil at all.

 

[Wraithwrider]

A useful hint somewhere was to decant some Castrol GP into some cleaned 100ml plastic tonic bottles.

A good excuse, as if any is needed, for an evening on the G&T.

If you only add a bottlefull at a time before checking you can't overfill.

I got my TT 'under-the-rack' bag today and toolkit, spare bulbs and oil will go in there.

 

[Mouse]

This comes up every six months. BMW does not recommend synthetic oil at all.

True but a lot of people on this site say they use it, after the bike is run in, with no ill effects.

Personally I shall probably keep using GP (mineral oil) in mine for the forseeable future.

 

[Joyseeker]

vines of guildford recommend Castrol GPS...... synthetic and red to prove it..... expensive too.