Oil

[dan_forker]

Does anyone know what oil company makes BMW Branded Oil? I would like to stay with the same oil but am tired of paying the dealer price for BMW Oil.

I have a 2005 1200RT with 11,000 miles on it and it is almost broken in but not quite. I plan to switch to synthetic but not until it quits using oil completely. Amazing how it smoothed out between 8000 and 10,000 miles.


Dan Forker

[stpgh]

It is made by Spectro Oil.

[aaaaaa]

How know it's spectro? I don't have a motorcycle oil container handy but I do have a 5-30W car oil container. There's not a hint of anyone else's brand name on it.
Thanks, Robert '00 R1100RT '04R1150GS '05ST1300 '06 530xi(cage)

[Arkyride]

Cuz it says so on the back of the bottle--just went and looked. If you buy spectro at the Honda dealer, you will pay probably as much or more.

[Mr. Frank]

As strange as it may seem, the BMW branded motorcycle oils are reasonably priced compared to similar products.

[Greenwald]

Go to BMW Sporttouring.com

Excellent info site - you will find info about BMW oil being "badged" by Spectro for sale in this country.

Spectro Oil itself has quite an interesting web site too.

I agree - BMW brand oil is reasonably priced and gets the job done. It may cost a little more than what you can find at Wal-Mart, but as my Dad always said....

"Tell me how to save twenty bucks and you have my complete attention; tell me how to save twenty cents and you're wasting my time."

[bmwmick]

Does anyone know what oil company makes BMW Branded Oil? I would like to stay with the same oil but am tired of paying the dealer price for BMW Oil.

I have a 2005 1200RT with 11,000 miles on it and it is almost broken in but not quite. I plan to switch to synthetic but not until it quits using oil completely. Amazing how it smoothed out between 8000 and 10,000 miles.


Dan Forker

Yes,
Spectro makes the dino-oil and Valvoline makes their SSEO Synthetic.
http://www.beemershop.com/tech00.html

Mick

[JimVonBaden1]

Ug, another oil thread.

I use Castrol GTX. Use whatever makes YOU happy, and don't worry what all the "experts" on this, or any other site, think.

Jim :brow

[Oznay]

I'm with ya on this Jim,Castrol works for me.:thumb

[screwtop]

I'm with ya on this Jim,Castrol works for me.:thumb

+1 $1.39 at Walmart. What's not to like?:thumb

[127161]

A semi-related question:
I have an '05 R1200RT. The owner's manual calls for 20-50 oil with a minimum spec of either SL or SM (I don't have the manual in front of me). All oil I've seen at the two dealers in the Atlanta area is SG--several iterations back in the "oil gene pool". Both dealers were unaware of it and say that they put in what BMW provides them, this is the latest oil they've got and they wouldn't expect any problems because of it.
Has anybody else experienced this and what would you anticipate the effect on the engine to be? It sounds to me like another reason to change your own oil so you put in the most current stuff.
John Bergey

[AntonLargiader]

A semi-related question:
I have an '05 R1200RT. The owner's manual calls for 20-50 oil with a minimum spec of either SL or SM ... It sounds to me like another reason to change your own oil so you put in the most current stuff.
Actually it's the other way 'round. The word I have is that the SL in the manual wasn't correct, and that BMW is still adhering to the "nothing above SH" policy, which the BMW oil apparently meets. I'm a bit surprised this has't been clarified, though.

[Wallowa]

In my OM that came with my '07 GSA it states "SF or better"...FYI

Interestingly the recommended viscosity classes doesn't list 15W-50..but does list viscosity classes for "High-quality and synthetic oil"...Hmmmm, what pray tell is a "high-quality" oil...more to the point what is a "low-quality" oil!:dunno

Phil::

[aaaaaa]

The oil thing seems to be nuts to me anymore. I'm going to order amsoil for all the bikes. The price difference at Pep Boys (I'm comparing synthetics) is too small to worry about any more.
robert

[127161]

Anton: Thanks for the information. My conspiracty theory is that BMW made a big commitment with Spectro to buy SG/SH grade oil for the dealers to stock. Unless and until that commitment is met they'll keep recommending it regardless of the fact that the SG/SH standard is several years behind the times?

aaaaaa: I'm with you. The main thing is to use a good quality name brand oil, maintain a consistent level in the crankcase and change it frequently. Can't go wrong that way.

John

[WLDBT1]

Ug, another oil thread.

I use Castrol GTX. Use whatever makes YOU happy, and don't worry what all the "experts" on this, or any other site, think.

Jim :brow

I use Castro and change more often . I do a change about every 3k with a new filter every other time .

[markgoodrich]

Anton: Thanks for the information. My conspiracty theory is that BMW made a big commitment with Spectro to buy SG/SH grade oil for the dealers to stock. Unless and until that commitment is met they'll keep recommending it regardless of the fact that the SG/SH standard is several years behind the times?

aaaaaa: I'm with you. The main thing is to use a good quality name brand oil, maintain a consistent level in the crankcase and change it frequently. Can't go wrong that way.

John

The "frequently" thing always catches me, when I read these threads...nothing personal in my comment, John.

It seems to me that 3000 miles became the standard about the time the quick lube places began to proliferate, 20-odd years ago. Persistent marketing on their part has made the interval a "rule." None of my vehicle manuals suggest an interval less than 4000 miles, unless I am operating under "extreme" conditions, which apparently would occur if I lived about 20 miles from a very active volcano. The part that is puzzling to me is why we as consumers would not follow the advice of the highly trained engineers who designed our engines, with specific oil chemistries in mind.

I am totally aware that all who say they change oil more frequently (Goldwing forums are eat up with oil discussions) are proud to announce they never have a problem with their engines. Me either. And I use the recommended intervals. My cars typically have 150,000 miles on them when get tired of them. Motorcycles, well, one needs a new motorcycle on a more regular basis.

Now that I've pissed half the forum off, lemme ask a question. In my entire life, I've never experienced a new engine that uses oil. What is UP with that?

[osbornk]

The "frequently" thing always catches me, when I read these threads...nothing personal in my comment, John.

It seems to me that 3000 miles became the standard about the time the quick lube places began to proliferate, 20-odd years ago. Persistent marketing on their part has made the interval a "rule." None of my vehicle manuals suggest an interval less than 4000 miles, unless I am operating under "extreme" conditions, which apparently would occur if I lived about 20 miles from a very active volcano. The part that is puzzling to me is why we as consumers would not follow the advice of the highly trained engineers who designed our engines, with specific oil chemistries in mind.

I am totally aware that all who say they change oil more frequently (Goldwing forums are eat up with oil discussions) are proud to announce they never have a problem with their engines. Me either. And I use the recommended intervals. My cars typically have 150,000 miles on them when get tired of them. Motorcycles, well, one needs a new motorcycle on a more regular basis.

Now that I've pissed half the forum off, lemme ask a question. In my entire life, I've never experienced a new engine that uses oil. What is UP with that?

I couldn't agree with your more. I also belong to 3 Ford truck forums and one RV forum and the oil change interval and synthetic vs. dino oil arguments are constant.

I have asked many times and nobody has ever given me an example of a single instance of an oil related engine failure when the manufacturer's recommended oil change interval and the oil level was maintained with conventional oil. Many respond that the frequent oil changes and synthetic oil are "Cheap Insurance". I don't buy insurance, cheap or otherwise, against something that doesn't happen.

Just this week, Ford announced that they changed the recommended oil change interval from 5,000 miles to 7,500 miles due to the improvements in oil and filters.

[Godfather]

Both my Audi A4 (recently sold) and Honda Element reccomend 10,000 mile oil change intervals. Both marques have outstanding reputations for engine life...Hmmm.