Redline Oil?

[southerncarider]

I would like to try Redline Oil in the gearbox of my R1100RT and perhaps the final drive. I got email back from Redline Oil suggesting I use their ShockProof Heavy for this application. They also said their oil wasn't specifically designed for motorcycles. Does anyone have any pro or cons on this oil line? I'm thinking with the heavier oil in the gearbox the shifing might improve. In addition I can get it locally, instead of driving two hours to the nearest dealer.

 

Robert

[Voyager]

I like Redline & use it in my vehicles. Seems to be some issues with foaming & blowing out of vents in rear diffs.

 

see here

[Paul Mihalka]

I tried different gear oils in the gearbox of my '99 R1100RT, and Redline Shockproof Heavy was the best shifting. Only down side was a bit stiff shifting for a few miles in close to freezing weather, but you in Cali would not have that problem. I would not use it in the rear drive. There were some reports of foaming and pushing out of the top vent. In the rear I would use any brand name 80/90 or 75/90 synthetic gear oil.

[Waltman]

Why don't you try Maxima oil instead? I just did in my 12k service, and the bike is amazingly smoother. Better than new.

 

Maxima Oil

[RFW]

I would like to try Redline Oil in the gearbox of my R1100RT and perhaps the final drive. I got email back from Redline Oil suggesting I use their ShockProof Heavy for this application. They also said their oil wasn't specifically designed for motorcycles. Does anyone have any pro or cons on this oil line? I'm thinking with the heavier oil in the gearbox the shifing might improve. In addition I can get it locally, instead of driving two hours to the nearest dealer.

 

What's the big deal about gearbox oil? All that is required by BMW is a standard GL5 rated oil. Why do you need to drive 2 hours to get this; most every major auto retailer sells the stuff. Why would you want to change to Redline oil, when BMW has approved any "brand name" GL5 oil available on the market, and unlike engine oils (don't get me started on that again!!) gearbox oil selection is quite straightforward?

 

Bob.

[Paul Mihalka]

In the R1100 gear boxes there is a noticeable difference in shift quality with different oils. Base line is standard 80/90 GL5 oil, next up is BMW 75/140 synthetic oil, Redline Synthetic Heavy is the best shifiting I found. With that it shifts like a NICE tractor box.

[russell_bynum]

With that it shifts like a NICE tractor box.

 

[Reddog900]

I must agree with Paul, installed Redline Heavy and I noticed an improved feel in shifting. I run it in the trans and gearbox, I have not noticed any loss or foaming. I have run it for over 4k miles without a problem and will continue.

 

Happy Ridin'

[Corkus]

I changed to Redline shockproof (heavy I think) in my 1150RT at 48K miles. It shifted so much better I was kicking myself for not trying that oil sooner. I would even say it shifted BETTER than any farm tractor .

[eakins]

shockproof heavy in the tranny & rear (don't overfill and you won't have problems! i never have) are the best thing i did for my bike. tranny shifts night & day better and the rear dropped in temp 31 dgrees. verified with a non-touch tester. road for an hour. tested rear. changed rear oil to redline. road for another hour. test in the same exact spot. 31 degress lower temp. just do it.

[eakins]

I tried different gear oils in the gearbox of my '99 R1100RT, and Redline Shockproof Heavy was the best shifting. Only down side was a bit stiff shifting for a few miles in close to freezing weather, but you in Cali would not have that problem. I would not use it in the rear drive. There were some reports of foaming and pushing out of the top vent. In the rear I would use any brand name 80/90 or 75/90 synthetic gear oil.

rear frothing only when the oil is overfilled. i'm on my 7th change of shockproof in the rear and i've done sections where i've been going 110 for upwards of half hour. never ever a problem. problems occur when slopy maintainance was done. i measure out my oil in a graduated cylinder. the correct rear oil level is not to flush with the fill hole. it's lower around the beginning of the notch seen on the left inside of the fill hole. if your still worried use 75w-90ns redline instead. i'm sticking with shockproof in the rear because it work extremely well for me.

[eakins]

I would like to try Redline Oil in the gearbox of my R1100RT and perhaps the final drive. I got email back from Redline Oil suggesting I use their ShockProof Heavy for this application. They also said their oil wasn't specifically designed for motorcycles. Does anyone have any pro or cons on this oil line? I'm thinking with the heavier oil in the gearbox the shifing might improve. In addition I can get it locally, instead of driving two hours to the nearest dealer.

 

What's the big deal about gearbox oil? All that is required by BMW is a standard GL5 rated oil. Why do you need to drive 2 hours to get this; most every major auto retailer sells the stuff. Why would you want to change to Redline oil, when BMW has approved any "brand name" GL5 oil available on the market, and unlike engine oils (don't get me started on that again!!) gearbox oil selection is quite straightforward?

 

Bob.

because redline works better than bmw's oil. have you in fact tried it? not all oils are the same!

[eakins]

Why don't you try Maxima oil instead? I just did in my 12k service, and the bike is amazingly smoother. Better than new.

 

Maxima Oil

i'm a big fan of maxima. only thing i'll use in my xr & klr motor. for the rt though i think that shockproof is still the best option. maxima is of the highest quality 75w-90 but shockproof goes beyond that in chemistry to help reduce the well shockloading of the the bmw trans. i don't however that maxima oil helped imensely with your shifting. that company is the pinacle of motorcycle oils. i'd put their engine oil in my bikes before i use redline's engine oil.

[MichiganBob]

Went to the Redline Shockproof in my 02RT tranny and rear at 18k. Shifts much smoother. You will need a dedicated funnel. It coats like pepto.

[southerncarider]

I would like to try Redline Oil in the gearbox of my R1100RT and perhaps the final drive. I got email back from Redline Oil suggesting I use their ShockProof Heavy for this application. They also said their oil wasn't specifically designed for motorcycles. Does anyone have any pro or cons on this oil line? I'm thinking with the heavier oil in the gearbox the shifing might improve. In addition I can get it locally, instead of driving two hours to the nearest dealer.

 

Many thanks for all the insight on Redline Shock Proof Oil. I plan on using it in my gearbox and final drive, being careful not to over fill the final drive. Thank you once again for helping with my decision.

[KMG_365]

Many thanks for all the insight on Redline Shock Proof Oil. I plan on using it in my gearbox and final drive, being careful not to over fill the final drive.

(Hmmmmm . . . . Gotta remember to check out your final drive at Death Valley in January! )

[eakins]

Many thanks for all the insight on Redline Shock Proof Oil. I plan on using it in my gearbox and final drive, being careful not to over fill the final drive.

(Hmmmmm . . . . Gotta remember to check out your final drive at Death Valley in January! )

maybe it only happens in death valley?

i'm on my 7th change to shockproof in the rear and never a problem. in parts of rural wy & co i've gone for 100mph plus for half an hour plus fully loaded in the summer and narry a problem. was it hotter than hell there?

[KMG_365]

maybe it only happens in death valley? [ . . . ] was it hotter than hell there?

Well it is DEATH Valley after all!

 

No, actually it was in January, and as I posted in the other RedLine oil thread referenced above I think it was the rapid change in elevation and temperature. We started at fairly cool temps and went from below sea level to 2000 feet with a temperature swing from 40's to 70's--in just an hour or so. This would be a very rapid pressure change and might exacerbate the problem if the pressure in the drive were not given time equalize slowly over time. That said, I also believe that over filling played a part in the scenario I witnessed as I even saw BMW synthetic burping out of one bike. It is also very tempting to move the wheel while filling the FD which really affects the heavy RedLine level if you don't measure carefully.

 

I also would be most curious to know if you still have your foam filter under your vent cap. Leslie's had been consumed when I went to check/clean hers about a year later (when I figured the whole heavy oil vent cap thing out).

 

If the foam is gone, the oil froth might not get soaked up into the vent pipe to be spit out when going up in elevation quickly. Just a WAG. I'll let you know how Robert's does next year!

 

BTW, you comin' to join us?

[eakins]

maybe it only happens in death valley? [ . . . ] was it hotter than hell there?

Well it is DEATH Valley after all!

 

No, actually it was in January, and as I posted in the other RedLine oil thread referenced above I think it was the rapid change in elevation and temperature. We started at fairly cool temps and went from below sea level to 2000 feet with a temperature swing from 40's to 70's--in just an hour or so. This would be a very rapid pressure change and might exacerbate the problem if the pressure in the drive were not given time equalize slowly over time. That said, I also believe that over filling played a part in the scenario I witnessed as I even saw BMW synthetic burping out of one bike. It is also very tempting to move the wheel while filling the FD which really affects the heavy RedLine level if you don't measure carefully.

 

I also would be most curious to know if you still have your foam filter under your vent cap. Leslie's had been consumed when I went to check/clean hers about a year later (when I figured the whole heavy oil vent cap thing out).

 

If the foam is gone, the oil froth might not get soaked up into the vent pipe to be spit out when going up in elevation quickly. Just a WAG. I'll let you know how Robert's does next year!

 

BTW, you comin' to join us?

i'll look and see if the foam is there. i've have ridden large elevation fluctations in the past also > mt evans (14K+ ft) to denver (5200ft) in about an hour. that's 9000 ft change and about 50 degress increase in temp with no problem. if there is a scenario when shockproof in the rear froths i'm willing to explore that and look at other lubes. the one thing is when i drain i run the bike hard & hot for and hour then use a measurer to add the exact amount of fluid. i never eyeball it. i wonder if even i small amount of extra fluid has an effect?

 

so what do you mean join you? got an annual thing you do that time of year. problem for me starting today (it snowed hard and stuck solid last night, winter has arrived in steamboat) is i need to trailer a bike if i want to ride over the winter. the rt is a bitch to trailer so it's usually the klr to the utah desert. as for s. cali i'll be there in april (after the ski mountain closes) to ride some roads then head into baja for a week or so. what do you know about that?

[sbouchet]

I have been using Red Line Oil for years in every car and motorcycle for years. The Heavey ShockProof is very good in my 1995 k100rt 2000 r11rt and the 02 r11rt. much smoother than any other oil I have tried. Beware DO NOT overfill the rear drive, If you do it looks like it is bleeding out the vent.

[KMG_365]

so what do you mean join you? got an annual thing you do that time of year.

Why yes! Yes we do!!

 

problem for me starting today (it snowed hard and stuck solid last night, winter has arrived in steamboat) is i need to trailer a bike if i want to ride over the winter. the rt is a bitch to trailer so it's usually the klr to the utah desert.

Well stick your KLR in the trailer and come to Death Valley! No final drive to worry about!