Viscosity and preferences

[chrismckay]

Guys,

I realise an oil thread is going to bore the tits off you, but I'm baffled by the amount of conflicting information that I have found searching on Google.


So....... what would you use in a 2012 RT 1200 as in viscosity, synthetic or part synthetic and preferred brand.

I await the avalanche of abuse

Chris

 

[Deleted account 260111001]

Works for me...

 

[Greg Masters]

I'm baffled by the amount of conflicting information that I have found searching on Google.

So why not use what it says in the manual?

 

[chrismckay]

So why not use what it says in the manual?

Hello Greg,

I dont pick the motorcycle up untill the 22nd July...so dont have the manual yet, but I was going to order oil in preparation for getting it and doing the oil and filter...

Chris...

 

[Greg Masters]

Hello Greg,

I dont pick the motorcycle up untill the 22nd July...so dont have the manual yet, but I was going to order oil in preparation for getting it and doing the oil and filter...

Chris...

Then look here

 

[GreatScot]

If you're going to use Castrol 4T 15/50, Opie Oils are usually very competitive (£38 for 4L), buy enough for a couple of Services and delivery will be free. Other online retailers are available.

 

[steadysteve]

I think Halfords have an offer on this weekend. Not sure what grades but the ad said £12 for 4 litres. Competitive or not , £38 is still a rip-off IMO

 

[Greg Masters]

If you're going to use Castrol 4T 15/50, Opie Oils are usually very competitive (£38 for 4L), buy enough for a couple of Services and delivery will be free. Other online retailers are available.

Under £40 on eBay with free delivery.

 

[snelly]

Synthetic or semi synthetic oils tend to stay in grade and remain more stable for slightly longer periods. That's not to say mineral oil is no good. As long as you chose an oil that is within the manufactures spec , you will be ok. As to the brand , it may as well be decided by which bottle looks the nicest

 

[FatAl]

If the bike has a dry plate clutch you need not concern yourself over the JASO MA rating....this means it is for wet clutch operation.

 

[Martyn H]

The below is the answer to a query made of Castrol a couple of months ago, enquiring about oil choice for an old R100/7, a R1150R, & two 1200's, one of which is Twin Cam. To simplify matters I was looking for a "One oil suits all solution", which as you can see is 15W - 50

I wouldn’t normally recommend a 40 grade for the boxer engines, although I am aware in some sectors it is used as a service grade ( not BMW recommended though ) - I have always gone with an XW-50 as these engines tend to run noisy if a thinner oil is used and noisy to me means the oil is not thick enough to protect the engine properly.

As suggested for many years the Castrol Act>Evo 20W-50 was the staple diet of these engines and they ran well on it . A few years ago BMW started looking at their engines and decided that the best would be offered by a full synthetic, hence the change over to the Power 1 Racing 10W-50 as the synthetic would offer better protection and performance compared to a mineral 20W-50 so the Power 1 10W-50 became the dealers service fill oil.
Latterly they have been looking cost optimisation and the development of the properties of part synthetics meant that they could get excellent performance and protection with a lower cost by using the Power 1 4T 15W-50 which is the current service fill grade for the boxer twin engines.

Personally I would suggest the Power 1 15W-50 would be the best " all round" solution for all your bikes, offering a good product at a sensible cost. Of course, if you wanted to use the Power 1 Racing 10W-50 full synthetic for the ultimate performance and protection ( out of warranty period of course ) then that would also be suitable. Using one oil for all would certainly be easier.

 

[Myke Rocks]

Grow up, stop obsessing.

Here you are with a dry clutched tractor disguised as a motorcycle.
If it has already had the shit ridden out of it, and is no longer using oil, and they do tend use oil until they get the shit ridden out of them, go to your local motor factors and buy 5 litres of fully synthetic anything.
I usually buy the least expensive. Who cares what the feck is on the label. It's near enough.
All this dung about brands etc is just that. As far as I know, there are no triboilogists on this site to provide an accurate description of why I might be wrong.

There are only obsessives who believe all the advertising spam they have been fed, and who have too much money, so they believe it all.

E.G. "My bike has done 3,000 miles over the last 2 years and had only 4 oil changes of Castration Super Expensive We Saw You Coming Oil, and has given no trouble whatsoever, so this oil must be perfect."

Sorrry, left out the speeling mistaeks.

Myke