Oil usage on 11RT

[Marek]

DOes your RT use oil between changes?

I noticed that oil level in the window is dropping after a 2-300 mile ride. I don't see any leaks - I assume is getting burned. I've got 27000 miles and adding more everyday. What's acceptable oil usage?

[Dan Gleebitz]

Mine is about the same age as yours and running on fully synthetic oil (SAE 5-40) loses a cupfull between oil changes (5fl oz / 6k miles)

[Marek]

I'm trying to get ready for IBA rides (1000, 1500) to start and don't know what to expect. I going on some incremental rides this week and next week just to test my but and the bike. I bought this bike 3000 miles ago and it's all new to me.

Another thing I see is the RPM folks are riding at - being limited to 5 gears - when I turn about 3500 RPM I think I'm about right, and shift to stay above 3000 - is that acceptable on 99RT?

 

Mark

[Reddog900]

Mark,

 

From what I have read here on this forum, running your bike up to the redline, 7800 rpm, will not do it any harm, in fact doing this helps get your engine rings seated properly. Don't know how many miles you have on your bike, but I have a 2000 RT and try to run my RPM's at least above 4K before I think about shifting. This seems to keep me at the lower end of the power curve. My bike runs great, it likes running at that RPM and my fuel/mpg is not effected by doing this. At least once a week I try to really wind the engine up, take it close to redline for a couple of minutes to get all the junk burnt out. As some would say "An Italian Tune-Up". Mine runs very happily after that. Don't be afraid to do this, bike will run better.

 

Happy Ridin'

[Husker Red]

I hear ya barkin', Red Dog. My 2000 RT certainly prefers the higher RPMS. I don't think I've hit the meat of the powerband until 5K. After riding a cruiser, it took a bit to be comfortable revving it up. That said, it doesn't SOUND great at higher RPM's. Things start rattlin' and vibrating, but it does run strong. One more reason to wear ear plugs.

 

Back to the oil question, yes it is normal to still burn oil. Some folks say theirs quits buring oil at 13 or 20K, but mine still burns it at 34K. Maybe a quart between oil changes, probably less. Oh well, oil is practically cheaper than gas these days...

 

I've read here on the board that you should keep the oil level near the bottom of the window. If I fill it up, it just seems to burn it quicker. Leave it low, it's still low in a 1000 miles. I don't know why, but it seems true.

 

Mike

[Couchrocket]

This seems to be typical:

 

1. Cruising along the slab in higher gears, load staying relatively the same. E.G. 650 mile run up the I-5 from Temcula, CA to home here near Mt. Shasta... zippo oil consumption.

 

2. Get out in the twisties and really "on throttle/off throttle" lots of shifting, lots of acceleration and then engine braking, etc. it will burn 3/4 quart in 1k miles.

 

Carry a quart with you and you'll be certain not to need it.

 

Do search on "checking oil" etc. for the very long, sometimes entertaining, and always boring, "long version."

[AviP]

Just returned from a 4000 mile trip and the motor drank a 1/2 quart of semi-synthetic. With 16K on the odometer, it's still a thirsty basturd.

[Ken/OC]

At just short of 50K miles, my '02 RT eats maybe a quart of non-synthetic in 3,000 miles -- a lot less than when it was young!

 

The RT has a lot of oil and a long way to go before the level can be considered low. I follow the advice somebody posted here a while back. Leave the bike on the sidestand for a while. If you can't see oil in the sight glass, then put it up on the center stand and add to the middle of the sight glass. No higher or, for whatever reason, the excess will be teleported to Arcturus!

[Springer]

Yes, and always has and I don't expect it to stop either. The harder I run it the more it burns. It has 15K on it and since the 12K service it burns that amount of oil equal to the distance between the dot and the bottom of the red circle every 500 miles. If memory serves me that's about a quart every 2,000 miles. I've always heard and I think BMW says 1000 miles per quart is acceptable, but then that may be just during the break-in period. I've not heard any other number.

[fatbob]

My '04 RT does'nt burn a drop! She started life as a demo bike, I bought her with 600 miles on the clock. My dealer said he ran the beej***s out of her for the last 200 miles before I bought her, maybe that did it. I've always run the beej***s out of her too. I guess you pay your fee and takes your chances!? I've got 12K on the clock now, and never had to add any oil between changes. 'Course I change oil at 3,000 miles too. Had been running BMW semi-syn, now running Valvoline motorcycle oil (20/50 4-stroke).

 

Bob

[Big D]

My 1999 1100RT used oil when I first got it. At about 25K it pretty much tapered off where I rarely put any oil in between 3K changes at 38k. I use Castrol 20/50 dino in mine. It take awhile to break these boxers in but with proper maintenance they will go a long way.

D

[BFish]

you need to do a search on this topic. we've all experienced oil usage and there are 100's of threads and posts on the matter.