Synthetic Oil

[New1200RTRider]

I have a little over 10k miles on my 2005 1200 RT and was wondering if it is a good time to start using Synethic Oil?

Was going to switch from using BMW Dino Oil to Motul synthetic.

[duckbubbles]

I switched my ST to Synthetic at 10,000 miles. Oil consumption has dropped, everything else has stayed the same. That's just been my experience. I went with Mobil 1 15W50.

 

Frank

[Dave_in_TX]

I switched to synthetic at 6K miles with no problems.

[Survived-til-now]

Be careful with Motul Synthetic because that is what I put in my 1150 RT and shortly after burnt out the exhaust valves!

 

The 1200RT has improved oil cooling and sodium filled valves. It runs much cooler than the 1150. But the lesson is there - the oil has a cooling function and not just lubrication.

 

Synthetic is supposed to be OK after 6000 miles but it depends on how well you broke in your bike. If it is still using oil that could suggest it needs to bed in more before switching.

[Dave_in_TX]

Be careful with Motul Synthetic because that is what I put in my 1150 RT and shortly after burnt out the exhaust valves!

 

The 1200RT has improved oil cooling and sodium filled valves. It runs much cooler than the 1150. But the lesson is there - the oil has a cooling function and not just lubrication.

 

Synthetic is supposed to be OK after 6000 miles but it depends on how well you broke in your bike. If it is still using oil that could suggest it needs to bed in more before switching.

 

Why do you blame the Motul for the burnt valves? Synthetics generally result in a cooler engine. Could something else have been the cause?

[kopov260]

I have more than 26k miles on my ST and I am using the BMW 20-50 mineral oil (I couldn't find anywhere in my owner's manual that I have to use synthetic) . I am not planning on switching to synthetic. My dealer doesn't recommend it and I agree that there is no point for spending more $$. I change the oil every 6K miles, the bike runs great, never overheats and doesn't use any oil. So unless there are definite benefits from using synthetic I think it's just waste of money.

[Survived-til-now]

"Why do I blame Motul" for my burnt out valves......

 

Well it was a very hot summer (for the UK) and I had just changed to Motul 15-50 from Castrol GPS. I had hoped that a slightly thicker oil might help damp down some of the engine vibration coming up through the bars.....

 

Exhaust valves burnt out - in to dealer for repair (by recovery truck of course) and when the dealer took off the valves cover he asked what the heck oil was in there? I told him and he drained out the oil, told me it had come out too thick for his liking and not to do it again - back to GPS

 

So in my too imprecise post what I meant to say was - if you switch to a synthetic oil like Motul and put in 15-50 in their range just remember that the oil has to cool as well as lubricate..... no science just a big bill for valve replacement and you are of course right - it might be coincidence but the dealer couldn't find anything else wrong.

 

Now - conspiracy theorists to the front please - BMW wouldn't have improved oil cooling on the R1200's nor altered the valves for fun. So logic goes that in the evolution of the R-series engine they have progressively upped output and sometimes fall behind on taking in all the implications on the engine - so if you are on a limit somewhere and you start doing things like changing the oil from the recommended one (over here anyway) you might stray over the line and bang goes your engine......

 

Even more paranoia - I happen to believe BMW's like to be treated a bit rough and need to bed in well. Have you noticed how much better it goes if you wham open the throttle rather than twist progressively - all in the programming.... Anyway my dealer warned me about oil when I bought the 1200 - change to synthetic too soon he said (I have not and will not) and it will never properly run in and it will be using oil for ever. My bike now has over 26,000 miles on it and rarely needs a top-up.

[Don_Eilenberger]

"Why do I blame Motul" for my burnt out valves......

 

Well it was a very hot summer (for the UK) and I had just changed to Motul 15-50 from Castrol GPS. I had hoped that a slightly thicker oil might help damp down some of the engine vibration coming up through the bars.....

 

Exhaust valves burnt out - in to dealer for repair (by recovery truck of course) and when the dealer took off the valves cover he asked what the heck oil was in there? I told him and he drained out the oil, told me it had come out too thick for his liking and not to do it again - back to GPS

I would have loved to ask the mechanic how 15W-50 Synthetic oil ends up being thicker than 20W-50 standard oil.

 

Sounds like more mechanic blather (when they don't know what really happened or would rather not tell you.. they make stuff up.. ie - blather)

 

Exhaust valves burn because (1) Mixture is too lean and/or (2) Adjustment is too tight

 

The fact that you were trying to solve mechanical vibration by changing oil leads me to believe 1 or 2 was true, or perhaps both.

 

It's possible that if the oil was severly overheated - it thickened up - and provided less than optimal lubrication to the top end, but the result then would have been destroyed camshafts. I can see no reason that "thick" oil would cause exhaust valves to burn. Perhaps someone can enlighten me..

 

So in my too imprecise post what I meant to say was - if you switch to a synthetic oil like Motul and put in 15-50 in their range just remember that the oil has to cool as well as lubricate..... no science just a big bill for valve replacement and you are of course right - it might be coincidence but the dealer couldn't find anything else wrong.

As long as the oil continues to circulate - the cooling will take place. Synthetic/dino - it really doesn't matter, heat transfer characteristics of the two will be so simular that any difference is down in the noise.

Now - conspiracy theorists to the front please - BMW wouldn't have improved oil cooling on the R1200's nor altered the valves for fun. So logic goes that in the evolution of the R-series engine they have progressively upped output and sometimes fall behind on taking in all the implications on the engine - so if you are on a limit somewhere and you start doing things like changing the oil from the recommended one (over here anyway) you might stray over the line and bang goes your engine......

 

Even more paranoia - I happen to believe BMW's like to be treated a bit rough and need to bed in well. Have you noticed how much better it goes if you wham open the throttle rather than twist progressively - all in the programming.... Anyway my dealer warned me about oil when I bought the 1200 - change to synthetic too soon he said (I have not and will not) and it will never properly run in and it will be using oil for ever. My bike now has over 26,000 miles on it and rarely needs a top-up.

Your dealer is still working on myth and old data.

 

BMW cars come from the factory with synthetic oil. On the bikes - once they stop consuming oil - there is no reason not (and a lot of reasons TO) change to synthetic. I'm changing at 6,000 miles. My gently (according to the book) broken in Roadster went 2,500 miles since the 600 mile service and has used about 4 ounces of oil. Many of the 2,500 miles were done at high RPMs in 1st/2nd gear (Rt 33 and 66 in West Virginia - people who have been on these roads know why 1st/2nd gear.. continuous 180degree+ switchbacks for miles and miles..) in hot hot weather (85-90F.)

 

Not to get into the usual religious war on oils - use what makes you happy, but don't believe everything the dealer tells you. They frequently have just made it up on the spot to keep their image of "expertise" intact with you. I refer to it as "blather"..

[smiller]

What Don said. The comments you received are nonsense and I would seriously question the skills of the speaker.

[E30TECH]

What Smiller said.

[steve.foote]

What E30TECH said.

[fourteenfour]

anyone have experience with royal purple?

 

I get most oils really cheap (we distribute lots of parts... as in I work for the people who's race car just cannot seem to make it into the race anymore!) so all synthetics are up for purchase, RP seems to be heavily pushed lately

[Dave_in_TX]

anyone have experience with royal purple?

 

I get most oils really cheap (we distribute lots of parts... as in I work for the people who's race car just cannot seem to make it into the race anymore!) so all synthetics are up for purchase, RP seems to be heavily pushed lately

 

I don't have any experience with Royal Purple but it has a reasonably good reputation at the oil forum at www.bobistheoilguy.com The only knock against it it is that it seems to shear down faster than some other synthetics.