Dreaded oil thread

Motocod · Post by **Motocod** » Mon Sep 15, 2014 9:51 am

Ok, probably going to regret this, but here goes!!

I've had a quick look using the search function, but want to get a quick consensus of opinion on what engine oil to put in my R1100S. I'm going to Spain/France on Sunday and expect to be doing a few miles, and it's about due anyway, so obviously want to keep it nice and tip-top.

So, synthetic or mineral? Which grade?

I tend to find it uses a little more than I'd like under hard use, so wondering if synthetic might be a little longer lasting perhaps.

Let me know your thoughts! I appreciate for some it's subjective, so realise I'm opening a can of worms here!!

markwin · Post by **markwin** » Mon Sep 15, 2014 11:54 am

Not going anywhere near advising which particular brand to use but I think a lot of the concerns about oil can be dismissed if you follow the recommendations of the original manual , I say this bearing in mind that recommended oil specs may be updated and may be "better" but the change of recommendation can be for other reasons however the engine was assessed as requiring a certain spec of oil when it was designed and that should be the oil in the original manual. There is a lot of discussion and difference of opinion regarding using synthetic oils ,some say that because they are "better" it must follow that there is an advantage in using them ,this may or not be the cause in particular applications but until this is proved conclusively for the application I would be putting it to use for then I would stick with the manual for advise.

Motocod · Post by **Motocod** » Mon Sep 15, 2014 11:57 am

You speak a lot of sense!! Just reaching for my owners manual...!

f90x · Post by **f90x** » Mon Sep 15, 2014 6:08 pm

20/50 mineral. Not the Halfords Classic. Harley stuff is good or I would use Valvoline racing when I could get it. Simple engine, simple oil. I would change it every 3-4k miles.

Hayden · Post by **Hayden** » Mon Sep 15, 2014 7:51 pm

f90x wrote:20/50 mineral. Not the Halfords Classic. Harley stuff is good or I would use Valvoline racing when I could get it. Simple engine, simple oil. I would change it every 3-4k miles.

Totally agree, regular oil changes are perhaps more important than using spangly oil, anyway, no one likes dumping an expensive synthetic oil after 4K so people leave it in, far better to use a good mineral oil but change as you suggested.

just my 2p worth...

Gromit · Post by **Gromit** » Mon Sep 15, 2014 8:50 pm

f90x wrote:20/50 mineral. Not the Halfords Classic. Harley stuff is good or I would use Valvoline racing when I could get it. Simple engine, simple oil. I would change it every 3-4k miles.

^This^

My own experience echoes it.

metropolis2k · Post by **metropolis2k** » Mon Sep 15, 2014 8:59 pm

f90x wrote:20/50 mineral. Not the Halfords Classic. Harley stuff is good or I would use Valvoline racing when I could get it. Simple engine, simple oil. I would change it every 3-4k miles.

Ditto. I've just filled up with this taking advantage of the occasional discount code (or the standard Boxertrix one).[/url]

f90x · Post by **f90x** » Mon Sep 15, 2014 9:53 pm

In addition, for your France trip; just take a litre with you. That's what I used to do.

Motocod · Post by **Motocod** » Tue Sep 16, 2014 8:12 am

My experience with mineral oil is that it burns a bit. I called my local main dealer yesterday and he recommended synthetic as it's better for the Nikasil, and doesn't tend to burn as easily as mineral. I've gone for a tub of synthetic 10/40 on this occasion, so I guess we'll see.

Vince · Post by **Vince** » Tue Sep 16, 2014 5:51 pm

The 10/40 synthetic in my 19,000 mile 12r seems to do the job. Ive just come back from Spain chasing cuatro, liter sports bikes my mates are riding. Im pleased to report very little oil usage, when I took my R12st there an back 5 years or so ago it used 1.25 liters of 20/50 mineral.
Mind you I run up 97.000 miles on 20/50 mineral in my 12rt, that was fairly good on oil but I suspect she started to sip a bit more in her old age and was soundingna little loose compared to the less mileaged r.

omg1010 · Post by **omg1010** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 7:24 am

f90x wrote:In addition, for your France trip; just take a litre with you. That's what I used to do.

1 liter? What on earth do you need such an amount of oil for? For my annual 1-week tour to France or Italy which spans over 2500 kms I take 250 ml of oil with me. And most of that goes back home with me ...

Brgds
Oliver

Blackal · Post by **Blackal** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 7:33 am

My R1200GSA will use around 3/4 ltr in 3,000m+ on holiday.

A lot of hard-accelleration, high speed (high wind drag) - which will consume more than the average tootle around.

I'd prob get away with a 1/2 L bottle, but if you get it wrong - you will pay dearly for a Litre bottle.

Al

Vince · Post by **Vince** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 8:06 am

omg1010 wrote:
f90x wrote:In addition, for your France trip; just take a litre with you. That's what I used to do.
1 liter? What on earth do you need such an amount of oil for? For my annual 1-week tour to France or Italy which spans over 2500 kms I take 250 ml of oil with me. And most of that goes back home with me ...

Brgds
Oliver

They all vary on oil consumption. See my post above.

f90x · Post by **f90x** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 8:19 pm

omg1010 wrote:
f90x wrote:In addition, for your France trip; just take a litre with you. That's what I used to do.
1 liter? What on earth do you need such an amount of oil for? For my annual 1-week tour to France or Italy which spans over 2500 kms I take 250 ml of oil with me. And most of that goes back home with me ...

Brgds
Oliver

Two things.

Firstly; As blackal says If you need it and haven't got it, what are you going to do? I'll maybe use half to 3/4 as Al does and the last 1/4 is for safety. If I've got it, then I'm not going to run out. Also, I don't want to have to go looking for it.

Secondly; My Europe trips are between 3 and 4000 MILES. Your pootle to the shops converts to roughly 1500miles for which you take 250ml of oil. Double your mileage and that equates to 500ml which is roughly what I use, plus up to another 1000 miles and there's my spare just in case.

'That' is 'what on earth' I need such an amount of oil for

BTW that was with my R1100S which is what the OP is asking about. My 12S used about 3-400ml on last years 3500 mile thrash through France and the Alps I think.