Amac Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 ...not approved by BMW, voids your warranty? That's what I was told when I went in for an oil change today. Is the dealer misinformed? Is BMW trying to get out of warranty claims? Link to comment
ShovelStrokeEd Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 He is either misinformed or lying. BMW sells synthetic oil under its brand name and it is approved for use in their motorcycles. Go back and buy a quart from the parts guy and bitch slap the idiot who told you that with it. Link to comment
roadshadowww Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 BMW does not recommend a specific brand or brands (except for their own), they in their owners manual, specify quality standards that are required. Harley trys to pull the same crap to sell their "Syn" oil. Link to comment
Amac Posted June 28, 2006 Author Share Posted June 28, 2006 Thanks for the replies. I plan on putting big miles on this -R and I'm going to run synthetic. Lets see what happens. Link to comment
Woodie Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Lets see what happens. It'll run and run and run. You will ride, take pictures, and post them here. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. (I think you get the idea now!) Link to comment
Bobmws Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 As long as the oil you use has the proper rating, it is approved. My 04KRS calls for "SG". When I had the 6k done at the dealer they wanted to put in Amsoil. I declined, because I can't buy it a local store or on the road. Interestingly, the BMW dealer in Calgary (multibrand dealer) does not carry BMW oil, they use Golden Spectro synthetic blend for BMW service. I'll most likely go to Mobile One at my next change. Link to comment
Boffin Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 I have never seen BMW branded oil here in the UK - perhaps it is a BMWNA thing. My handbook reccomends 'Branded oils meeting or exceeding' a spec which i don't recall and my handbook is not at hand. I have heard that BMW advise no synthetic before 6K and many here say not before 12, or 15 K. I dont use it as a rule because the UK is a mild, non-dusty, easy climate where lane splitting is allowed (almost mandatory) and so the extra expense is just wasted money. Change the oil at the sheduled mileage with the grade in the handbook and all will be well. Use synthetic if you ride in hot conditions or are regularly held up in traffic. Andy Link to comment
tallman Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Bob, I believe the BMW oil is Golden Spectro. Link to comment
duckbubbles Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Andy, it may be a BMWNA thing. I remember hearing that the BMW branded oil was "bottled" by Golden Spectro in the US. Frank Link to comment
chrisolson Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 On my GT which is similar to your R (wet clutch) the manual calls for Castrol GPS which Castrol calls a semi-synthetic. The Castrol site specifically mentions that their GPS oil gives "excellent wet clutch performance" - marketing speak for ok for wet clutchs. The concern about some synthetics are friction modifier additives which are not wet clutch friendly - although I'm not an oil expert and I did not stay in a Holiday Inn last night so I have no idea which synthetics may or may not be suspect! BMW specifically mentions no oil additives as "these can worsen clutch operation." Link to comment
roadshadowww Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 Before my current 06 K1200GT I owned a K1200R.....BMW says in the service bulletin use Dino til 6k and then SYN is OK to use if you wish and it gives the Specs of the oil. I use Amsoil and have for years as far back as my FJ1100.....and I used it in my K12R and now I use it in my new K1200GT. Link to comment
2wheelterry Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 From the back of a bottle of BMW Full Synthetic Motor Oil, "Formulated, blended and packaged exclusively for BMW of North America by Spectro Oils of America." Link to comment
chrisolson Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 Regardless of mfg, BMW indicates the oil should meet JASO MA standards which I would assume most automotive oils (synthetic or otherwise) don't. From the Spectro-oils web site.... "...motorcycle manufacturers have developed a series of tests called 'JASO T-903' which includes a shear stability, volatility, low and high temp. viscosity and friction clutch lock-up time tests, all of which address the motorcycle specific issues mentioned above. A lubricant manufacturer must complete the required ASTM tests for all of these categories and submit the results to the JASO in order to receive the 'license' for marketing a JASO MA tested oil." Link to comment
270 Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Regardless of mfg, BMW indicates the oil should meet JASO MA standards which I would assume most automotive oils (synthetic or otherwise) don't. From the Spectro-oils web site.... "...motorcycle manufacturers have developed a series of tests called 'JASO T-903' which includes a shear stability, volatility, low and high temp. viscosity and friction clutch lock-up time tests, all of which address the motorcycle specific issues mentioned above. A lubricant manufacturer must complete the required ASTM tests for all of these categories and submit the results to the JASO in order to receive the 'license' for marketing a JASO MA tested oil." Someone with more professional legal training that I should jump in here (read: 3 hours of business law will surpass me...), but I it's illegal to require a specific branded oil by voiding the warranty if another brand is used. I cannot remember the name, but it's been around for a few years. I seem to remember it was a suit that involved Acura (sorry Acura if I'm mistaken) as they required Acura only dealer service using only Acura branded filters to keep the warranty in effect. They got blown out of the water in court. Alas, we have another oil thread.... Put oil in it. You choose...it needs be an automotive/motorcycle/truck type lubricant intended to be used in the crank case with an SAE weight that falls within the recommended specifications as outlined in your manual. Now, what percentage of NA's revenue comes from BMW branded oils and lubricant's? It's rhetorical...once you get your mind wrapped around that one, you'll see why a simple service bulletin threatening revocation of a warranty is all NA needs to make you think twice about your oil purchasing decisions ! Link to comment
chrisolson Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 ... but I it's illegal to require a specific branded oil by voiding the warranty if another brand is used. True, but I'm not sure the quote you referenced made that inference. The manual for the GT does not mandate BMW branded oil, in fact the brand mentioned is Castrol GPS. Even so, there is no written mention of warranty exclusion by brand. Put oil in it. You choose...it needs be an automotive/motorcycle/truck type lubricant intended to be used in the crank case with an SAE weight that falls within the recommended specifications as outlined in your manual. Exactly the point. The manual references SAE 10W-40; API SG; JASO MA which many, but not all, meet... specifically JASO MA which is not a BMW invention but rather a Japanese one. Alas, we have another oil thread.... So true, but since wet clutches ( which is what the OP referenced ) are somewhat new to BMW, maybe its an OK excuse ... Link to comment
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