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What weight oil to use?


rcassin

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Morning Rob

 

The correct weight is the most accurate answer--

 

To determine that you will need to define the ambient temperatures that you will be riding in (or starting the engine in).

 

Oil weight per average riding temps should be in your riders manual but that is sometimes difficult to understand due to the usage of (<) & (>) symbols.

 

Then you have the RT-P usage differences between different police departments with some specifying their own oil type/viscosity requirements.

 

But basic bottom line: most mid spring to early fall in the northeast would be just fine using any good quality 20w50 motorcycle oil. Or using a 15w50 synthetic or 15w50 semi-synthetic motorcycle type oil.

 

Some automotive oils in the 20w50 & 15w50 range will also work good just make sure that they meet BMW boxer motorcycle requirements.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by dirtrider
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Mobil-1 15W-50 is hard to beat. Available at most Walmarts and auto parts stores ~$25 for a 5-quart jug.

 

If it was good enough for a Britten V1000, it is good enough for an old boxer.

 

Britten%20V1000-1995.jpg

Edited by Selden
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Many oils meet the spec.

I've been using Mobile 1 motorcycle oil as it meets the jaso and api ratings spec as stated in my bikes manual. I follow the viscosity ranges in the manual for the temps in which I will be riding. 20w-50 seems to work for most conditions.

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Good grief! :/

Come on guys, lets not make this into something big. These bikes are not high tech, most of our bikes are well over 100,000 miles now. It REALLY isn't that important.

Just choose the right weight oil and the basic spec BMW listed (which has been WAY superseded since these bikes came out).

DR has covered this already. This thread doesn't need to drag on. There are much more important things to discuss.

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Is there any oil that meets BMW spec other than BMW oil? With all of that added phosphorus and such.

 

Afternoon Eckhard

 

Yes, there are plenty of oil's that will meet or even exceed BMW oil specifications

for the 1100/1150 boxer engine.

 

The basic problem is in researching WHAT oil STILL meets the old BMW 1100/1150 specifications.

That isn't as easy as it sounds as oil that at one time easily met BMW specs might have been

re-formulated & now doesn't.

 

Basically API oil ratings are backwards compatible for most automotive usage but not so much

as far as motorcycles go. So an API SJ oil will usually work in an automotive application

calling for SG or SH but that isn't always the case with motorcycle usage.

 

The below was part of an old BMW service bulletin in the 1100 era about using later rated API

SJ oils in the 1100 boxers--

 

Recommendation: The current recommendation is as follows:

Brand-name HD oil, API classification SF, SG or SH; CD or CE

suffixes are permissible; alternatively, brand-name HD oil, CCMC

classification G4 or G5; suffix PD2 is permissible.

 

Not Approved: The API specification SJ is not approved for use in

any BMWmotorcycle. This latest API classification does not guaranty the

required levels of wear protective additives such as Calcium,

Magnesium, Zinc, etc. as with most prior API specifications.

 

One of the problems in using (some) modern automotive oils in the older boxers is that a

LOT of modern SL/SM rated oils usually don't contain enough anti-wear anti-scuff additives

to meet the older BMW boxer requirements.

 

Modern automotive oils are blended more for emission control protection & most modern auto

engines use roller valve lifters so don't require a lot of anti-scuff additives.

 

The saving thing here is: modern auto application don't use 15w40 or 20w50 oils so a lot

of modern 15w50/20w50 automotive oil's still contain enough ZDDP type additives to pass

muster for the old BMW boxer engines. The problem can be the older 15w50 or 20w50 might

have had a lot of those additives removed if the oil company decides it is cost effective

to use a standard base stock & additive package.

 

The other problem is some modern automotive oils still do have a good additive package but

don't carry the older SG or SH rating as those ratings are obsolete so newer oil entries

can't even be rated for those obsolete specs.

 

SO__ what-to-do?-- either use an older rated SG/SH rated oil, or do a lot of research to

see what the oil that you intend to use contains, or buy a more expensive motorcycle rated

(MA) oil.

 

Or just dump in anything that you find on the shelf & don't worry about it, in most cases

the BMW boxer doesn't need a lot of bearing & cam wear protection unless you ride them fast & hard.

Edited by dirtrider
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Eckhard Grohe
Or just dump in anything that you find on the shelf & don't worry about it, in most cases

the BMW boxer doesn't need a lot of bearing & cam wear protection unless you ride them fast & hard.

 

D.R., thanks for this as it was getting too complicated to follow.

Edited by Eckhard Grohe
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Robert Mayrand

Hey Heckhard,

What do you use as oil in yours? In Canada it's nearly imposssible to find mobil1 15w50...the nearest being mobil one motorcycle 10w40 at walmart, but ar 16$ for a quart i will pass. The spectro is also not available. The only readily available oil are the hd line in that grade. There is motul in 20w50 but still have to order it, and haven't found if it contain the additive recommended by bmw. You guys down south have it easy with all the choice, but up here it is not that obvious and the price are out of this world..just to give you an idea amsoil is between 16-18$ a quart!!

Edited by Robert Mayrand
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Hey Heckhard,

What do you use as oil in yours? In Canada it's nearly imposssible to find mobil1 15w50...the nearest being mobil one motorcycle 10w40 at walmart, but ar 16$ for a quart i will pass. The spectro is also not available. The only readily available oil are the hd line in that grade. There is motul in 20w50 but still have to order it, and haven't found if it contain the additive recommended by bmw. You guys down south have it easy with all the choice, but up here it is not that obvious and the price are out of this world..just to give you an idea amsoil is between 16-18$ a quart!!

 

Afternoon Robert

 

Do you have any Pep Boys auto parts stores near you. (they seem to have some Canadian locations)

 

If so they might/should be able to order in some Mobil 1 20w50 V-twin oil (that has all the additives that your BMW will ever need)

 

The 20w50 V-twin is around $9.60 per quart near me in the U.S.

 

Or, Pep Boys has Mobil 1 20w50 V-twin on E-Bay for $9.69 per quart + free shipping-- you might E-Mail the seller to see if they will ship to Canada.

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Robert Mayrand

no pep boys around, and same problem with the availability of mobil 20w50 vtwin, almost non existant up here. Shipping from ebay is also not an option since ebay force the seller to use insured shipping to international. 13$ quart + 21$ shipping! We don't have any access to the stuff you have. The market here as been taken by storm by an oil manufacturer called hipertech wich only do synth, that is mainly what is available in motoshop other than the manufacturer branded oil. Motul is also available and amsoil on mail order.

 

here are the spec on motul oil, is it any good for our bmw, it's made for wet clutch I think?

Motul 3000 4T Mineral Oil

 

This is an automatic translation. Click here for the original text in German

Motul 3000 4T 20W50 is a mineral engine oil

 

Motul 3000 4T is a multigrade engine oil for motorcycles, should use high quality engine oils based on mineral oil according to manufacturer recommendation. Specially developed oil with additives adapted for the transmission. Suitable for motorcycles during normal daily use.

 

 

Advantages:

 

- Year-round availability

- Optimized content of sulfur and phosphorus make long-term function of catalysts safe

- High wear and corrosion protection

- Low oil consumption tendency

- High shear stability protects the engine and the gearbox

 

 

Specifications / approvals:

 

Specifications: API SJ / SH / SG

Approvals: JASO MA2 N ° M033MOT109, exceeds the requirements of Harley-Davidson

 

Petroleum Based oil

Formula especially reinforced with extreme pressure additives for gearbox

High lubricating properties which decrease friction and wear and increase engine lifetime

High detergent and dispersive properties

Meets JASO MA

Standards: API SG

 

Robert

Edited by Robert Mayrand
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no pep boys around, and same problem with the availability of mobil 20w50 vtwin, almost non existant up here. Shipping from ebay is also not an option since ebay force the seller to use insured shipping to international. 13$ quart + 21$ shipping! We don't have any access to the stuff you have. The market here as been taken by storm by an oil manufacturer called hipertech wich only do synth, that is mainly what is available in motoshop other than the manufacturer branded oil. Motul is also available and amsoil on mail order.

 

here are the spec on motul oil, is it any good for our bmw, it's made for wet clutch I think?

Motul 3000 4T Mineral Oil

 

Petroleum Based oil

Formula especially reinforced with extreme pressure additives for gearbox

High lubricating properties which decrease friction and wear and increase engine lifetime

High detergent and dispersive properties

Meets JASO MA

Standards: API SG

 

Evening Robert

 

If that Motul 3000 4T meets the 15w50 or 20w50 spec then the additives should be good as the "Meets JASO MA

Standards: API SG" is good. Both the MA rating & API SG rating means that it meets BMW oil specs for the BMW 1100 or 1150.

 

 

Edited by dirtrider
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Robert Mayrand

Look the price on amazon canada and you will see how ridiculous the price are, ebay shipping is non sense, and our equivalent of craiglist here is called kijiji, but since no one can get it, none is for sale. Quite lame!

 

Robert

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Eckhard Grohe

Buying anything into Canada is a pain as it is 50 to 100% more expensive that in the US. There is very little internet selling as compared to the US as our business people would rather deal in healthier markups than in sales volume.

 

Getting things shipped to Canada by USPS can cost $20 extra and 2-4 weeks longer. UPS charges $40 for the paper work thru customs.

 

I am using Castrol 20-50. Not sure of the details of it but so far so good but I have few miles/kms on it.

 

What about the Rotella T oil??? That is an inexpensive oil that people speak well of in some circles.

 

I buy US stuff of all kinds and have it sent to a mail drop, Shipping Shop, in Malone, N.Y. They charge $3.00 per parcel to hold them till you come by and get them.. In the winter I go down once in a while and collect my stuff. In the summer I am there almost every weekend as I have a camper down there. There are mail drop places in almost every small town along the border that will receive and hold parcels for a reasonable price.

Edited by Eckhard Grohe
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Robert Mayrand

Thanks Eckhard

I just order motul 20w50 from canada motorcycle now called fortnine, will see how it goes and let you know, 4l for 43$ so not too bad. What do you use in your gear box and final drive? I tought about using rotella, but the diesel specifics still bug me a little, even tough i've read great reviews, but since it's not a lot cheaper than motul i decided to go this way.

 

I also use a place to receive package in the states, it's called Freeport Forwarding in Champlain not too far from Chateauguay actually, nearer than Malone. But it's still a bit of a hassle having it shipped there, go get it, and going trough canadian custom.

 

Thanks R

obert

Edited by Robert Mayrand
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I'm with Eckhart on this one - 20/50 Castrol for motorcycles at Canadian Tire for about $6 a litre. Meets all the specs and it's readily available. I used Redline HD synthetic in the gearbox and synthetic 90 in the rear end. I also use Bosch 72161 oil filters available locally for about $5. All in Canadian money.

Ditto on the shipping it's a PITA so I use a US shipping address too.

 

 

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Eckhard Grohe

An epilogue for this discussion is this email I received today. It seems that our discussions have unregistered readers. I am happy to have the information offered but surprised that this humble discussion came to be noticed outside our circle.

 

Dear Mr. Grohe,

 

We noticed you had oil questions on the BMW Sport Touring website.

 

There should be no problem finding oil you can trust right in your neighborhood. Suzuki Chateauguay for one. Talk to Fred. He’ll be able to help.

 

You can find Spectro oil in our catalog page 309, or on our website, www.fullboremarketing.ca ,look for part numbers 33-602 for 20w50 SPECTRO-4; 33-681 for 20w50 or 33-6801 for 15w50 GOLDEN SPECTRO-4 semi syn.; or 33-760 for 100% full syn. 15w50 which was recommended by BMW N.A. for all BMW bikes after 1970. My opinion, the more you spend, the happier your bike will be.. J

 

SPECTRO is available from Fullbore through any motorcycle dealer in Canada.

 

Cheers, pleasant riding,

 

Herman

 

 

 

 

 

Herman Cornelsen

 

Fullbore Marketing

 

800 387 7625

 

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An epilogue for this discussion is this email I received today. It seems that our discussions have unregistered readers. I am happy to have the information offered but surprised that this humble discussion came to be noticed outside our circle.

 

Dear Mr. Grohe,

 

We noticed you had oil questions on the BMW Sport Touring website.

 

There should be no problem finding oil you can trust right in your neighborhood. Suzuki Chateauguay for one. Talk to Fred. He’ll be able to help.

 

You can find Spectro oil in our catalog page 309, or on our website, www.fullboremarketing.ca ,look for part numbers 33-602 for 20w50 SPECTRO-4; 33-681 for 20w50 or 33-6801 for 15w50 GOLDEN SPECTRO-4 semi syn.; or 33-760 for 100% full syn. 15w50 which was recommended by BMW N.A. for all BMW bikes after 1970. My opinion, the more you spend, the happier your bike will be.. J

SPECTRO is available from Fullbore through any motorcycle dealer in Canada.

 

Cheers, pleasant riding,

 

Herman

 

 

 

 

 

Herman Cornelsen

 

Fullbore Marketing

 

800 387 7625

 

 

Morning Eckhard

 

It seems that oil suppler has found a new & unique way of rating engine oil. In the U.S. here we have no "expensive oil" or "happy bike" oil categories.

 

But if anyone wants a "happy bike" I can sell you oil at a higher price than the $27.00+ per liter they show. Maybe $50.00 per liter will REALLY make your bike happy, it will definitely make your wallet lighter so there might be some performance gain there.

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Robert Mayrand

Actually his price for the mineral oil is 12$/1L or 50$/4L wich is the equivalent of 9$ us/ quart. So really not so bad for us up here. But I suspect that this supplier is also forcing his retailer to order a full case wich the retailer will also force on us if ordering, that is the real problem. Eckhard, please let me know if your guy in Chateauguay can get it in single 4L. At ADM sport in Saint'Hyacinthe I can get it a bit cheaper, but have to order a full case 4x 4L.

 

Robert

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Eckhard Grohe

What interests me more is how he got to know of this conversation we are having. Are there software bots that crawl the forums and report what they find or is this Facebook, Google or Microsoft tracking our moves.

 

As for Spectro oil, I'll not be going that route as I believe the regular oil is good enough for the sedate style of driving I do. I'll spend the cash saved on better tires or brake pads as these have an immediate impact on my well being.

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Hi Eckhard.

 

It is very easy to create a Google Alert for a keyword. You can even do it to a specific site. I use them to watch for reviews of the company I work for online.

 

Just go to https://www.google.com/alerts

 

When you save one, you get an email whenever something comes up.

 

And to save a specific site use the phrase site: and then the URL, ie site:bmwsporttouring.com as part of your search.

 

That works on regular Google as well, if you only want results from a specific site.

 

site:bmwsporttouring.com spectro for example.

 

Scott

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Eckhard, Nothing so ominous as Web bot's or the NSA & Trump monitoring Oilheads. It was me.

 

My friend of 40 yrs. and riding buddy happens to be the Int. sales manager for Spectro Oil. I emailed him that Canadians can't seem to buy motorcycle oil, there might be a business opportunity. The rest just happened.

 

BTW, Spectro made oil (re-labled)for BMW Corp. for 30 years.

Its good enough I even buy it with my own money!

Dave

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What interests me more is how he got to know of this conversation we are having. ...

 

Perhaps he's a forum member?

 

Maybe, but a Guest (meaning anyone on the planet) can view the forum and find that post, as Scott suggested. Only members can reply or start a new thread.

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I change a lot of bike oil, on my own, my customers and my friends bikes, and do so generally every 3500-5000 miles.

 

I stock and use the most universal oil for the various applications, and have never had an issue with commercial grade conventional 15/40 oils such as Shell Rotella, Delvac or Delo. Commonly available, cheap and all off these are of good quality. If someone wants me to use something else, that's fine, but I have had zero issues with these brands and weight on oilheads.

 

Our riding season in NE Ohio is pretty limited, so buying synthetic for short interval changes seems like a waste of money to me, especially in our area. If I lived in a hot weather state I might think differently about both synthetics and oil weight, opting for 20/50 syn for higher temperatures.

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