Oil

[MotoGP]

I know this has been beaten to death but how many GS riders are using synthetic now? Is it really necessary to put 6-10K on the bike before switching to synthetic?

[AdamWebber]

Yes. Maybe even 15k-20k miles.

[prwatts]

Originally Posted by AdamWebber

Yes. Maybe even 15k-20k miles.

I agree with the 15-20k.
I agree with the Synthetic - the engine may still be an old tractor but the valve gear is way more modern and that would definitely benefit from the stability an ester oil gives.
Also they keep raising the red line.
I use Motul 300V Chrono 4T 15W50 and in mid summer here in Arabia Motul 7100 4T 10W60. Which I have to bring in, in my bluddy suitcase. Well it's synthetic, I suppose, all they have here is 40% of the world's dinosaur oil....

[MotoGP]

How ironic!

[prwatts]

Yes and when ambient is 55C I shudder to think about wot's going on in the engine.
Previous owner ran him on Kak-strol GTX all his life. No wonder it rattles so much. But it was the only used GS I could get here and bringing one in was such a hassle.

[MotoGP]

Yes, but doesn't BMW recommend Castrol?

[prwatts]

Hi, the Castrol they recommend is a newer spec, and is a synthetic blend. It is good enough. I cannot buy that here, only ordinary old 20W50 GTX. If I go to all the trouble of carrying synthetic oil in my luggage out to Arabia, I may as well buy the best I can, which IMHO is Motul double ester. 300V Chrono or 7100.

The best oil I can buy here is Swiss Motorex but the importer is charging 50% more than I pay in UK for the absolute very best.

Opie Oils in the UK is my supplier and they have a useful website. Also they are helpful if you phone them up. Have a look here:

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/

But for sure you can get good oil in LA, there are lots of US specialist oil suppliers.
It should be 20W50, 15W50 or 10W60. not 0Wn or nW40.
Double Ester.
Preferably 4T (Bikes) but in a GS car oil is ok because the clutch is not running in the engine oil.

[MotoGP]

Thanks a lot!

[frothin hard]

Hi ALL, my experience so far:

I am a first time GS owner with no precocieved notions, Just bought a 2011 R1200GS from my local (only 2 dealers in my state) dealer in Melbourne Australia.

Below is what BMW Melbourne told me about oil:

*top up with Castrol 4T Activ 15/50 mineral based oil as this is what they are shipped from Germany with.
*use this same mineral based oil for the next 15,000kms or so.
*then switch to the Castrol Synthetic Blend

I then took the GS in for the first (1000k) service and this was what i was then told by BMW Melbourne

*use only the synthetic blend oil straight away as the new DOHC motor requires this new synthetic blend, and furthermore I was told that during this 1000k service they drained all the Castrol Mineral oil out and replaced the oil filter and filled with the new Castrol synthetic blend.
*I was advised that these engines when new up to about 15.000ks will use oil and require regular topping and to top up with this synthetic blend.

I hope I have not confused you as much as BMW Melbourne have confued me!!

If anyone know what oil the 2011 model is shipped with and what it should be using before and after 15.000ks, please feel free to share...

[marc]

The manual for the '10 GS (I'm assuming the '11 is the same) says



I read that as the specific oil Castrol GPS (not GPX!) 10W-40 is good for >= -20 ºC. If you're using some other (probably not synthetic) 10W-40 then it is only good for temps >= -10 ºC.

Any of the oils are likely OK depending upon the temperature range where you ride your bike. I find it interesting that they don't give the upper limits like they used to do.