I seem to remember that a few years ago it was mentioned that the latest car type engine oils, SJ etc, were not suitable for use with modern motorcycles. I want oil suitable for a current R series BMW motorcycle which is air and oil cooled.
Any comments?
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Stick with motorcycle oils, as they're specially blended to cope with the higher operating temps, wet plate clutches, and gear boxes. Car oils aren't!
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Common sense says I agree with Dave N, and certainly run my Honda Hornet on a fully synthetic oil (changed at the full intervals, not in between as so many people do).
For me, to choose oil to the spec recommended by Honda was the right thing to do. No snake oil. Nothing fancy or trendy. Just an oil that met the spec, without being fleeced.
I have owned this 13,000RPM beauty from new five years ago, and it's as sweet as a nut.
However, I know of someone else who has a similar machine, and 'to see what would happen' runs it to this day on ordinary 10w40 car oil.
The result?
Despite his being told not to do it, Over sixty thousand miles later, his is still as sweet as a nut, too, burns no oil, and has an excellent gearbox action! Even the clutch doesn't slip, despite the alledged friction modifiers in the oil he chose.
It seems like you pays yer money and takes yer risk!
Me? I will stick with what has served me well.
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Avoid oils with 'friction modifiers' on the label.
For my 'posh' bike I use bike oils, sometimes getting it from Gericke with their free oil and air filter offer, sometimes from the Halford 20% off offers.
'Thumper' gets good quaility car oil.
Posh gets changed at recommended intervals - 5000 miles
Thumper also at recommended - 2000 miles.
55000 and 20000 miles respectively so far 5 and 4 years old.
Like cars, the frequency of change has more effect that grade I think.
Martin
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API SJ's friction modifiers can be a problem if your bike's clutch runs in the same oil as the engine. Most fossil oils blended for bikes are usually rated SG/SH where I live for example and for that reason. Motul/Amsoil and co produce synthetic oils for bikes. Again where I live so do Mobil and Caltex. Castrol has a new one just out as well.
You should use a bike-specific engine oil not a car oil.
Your answer lies first in your bike's manual. Second a phone call to a BMW dealer will fill in the background you need.
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I've done nearly 30,000 on my work bike using Halfords semi-synth meant for cars, with no problems. I suppose if your bike has a marginal clutch then the 'friction modifiers' might affect it, but I'd suggest this term is a meaningless one used by marketing, isn't oil meant to reduce friction???? As for heat, don't car turbos generate heat? I saw a BMW K100 at Rivington on Sunday with 124,000 miles on the clock, I wonder what oil he used. It's nice to see a bike with a decent mileage, our local Harley dealer seems full of one owner four year old bikes with under 2,000 on them.
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I have an R1100SE - it uses a lot of oil. I need to check it every month or so. I use synthetic oil from the dealer.
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I have to top my YZF750R up two to three times a week, approx 500 miles, which is why I use Halfords semi-synth. I'd go bankrupt paying for fully synth bike oil.
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Martin, are oils with friction modifiers clearly marked usually? The reason I ask is because I usually just get middle of the road car oils, such as Comma 10/40 semi synthetic etc and have had no trouble to date...Triumph Daytona 900 9k, Firebucket 6k, ST1100 40k, R1150GS 6k and STX1300 4k.
The only thing that I am aware of is that sometimes the Pan 1100 (according to the dealers) could suffer from clutch slip if fully synthetic was used. On my Pan I used ordinary 10/40 with absolutely no ill effects.
Reggie
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Reggie, my workshop manual says an oil grade of SE or higher and do not use oils with 'energy conserving' graded CD or higher.
The little example diagram shows somwthing like SAE 10W-30 SH/CD - where the CD is the energy conserving bit. There are or course many opinions about this and why should Mobil 1 for bikes cost more than normal car Mobil 1 if it has 'less' in it ??
My local bike discount store warns of dire consequences of putting car oil in 'thumper' I say its only in there for 2000 miles and can't even get warm in that time!
Martin
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