What Weight Oil...

[Peter_Krynicki]

...would my 1999 R1100s like?

Thanks
Pjk

[bikerfish1100]

what does your shop manual or owner's manual recommend?


(it will not tell you the bestest tires in the world for your bike however. for that, you need to ask the same question, again, that a gazillion other people who can't or won't bother to use the "search" function have asked).

sorry dude, it's just been one of those days, ya know?
see ya over on http://forums.pelicanparts.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=24 there's lots more abuse available there. this room is more for arguments. wink wink, say no more, say no more.

[Peter_Krynicki]

I suppose one of the drawbacks of the internet is that it allows one person to say something to another that they would be afraid to say face-to-face. Catch my drift, coward?

Pjk

[kgadley01]

...would my 1999 R1100s like?

Thanks
Pjk

15-50 or 20-50 is fine...

[bikerfish1100]

I suppose one of the drawbacks of the internet is that it allows one person to say something to another that they would be afraid to say face-to-face. Catch my drift, coward?

Pjk

no, i'd probably be just as blunt in a face-to-face. i'm politically incorrect like that.

but seriously, did you check your owner's manual, or your shop manual? you should certainly have one, if not both. i'm a big fan of DIY.

[116318]

Pjk, Depending on what part of the country your in would play a factor in the weight you want to run in your machine. I live in Michigan and from June to October I run BMW's 20w50 . Than I switch over to 10w40 . Durning the winter month's I start them up every 30 days and let her run for about 5 to 10 minutes. I don't own a battrey tender and I have been doing this for 30 years. So it works for me. Good luck :thumb

Max in Michigan
1998 R1100gs

[DrPaul]

Durning the winter month's I start them up every 30 days and let her run for about 5 to 10 minutes. I don't own a battrey tender and I have been doing this for 30 years. So it works for me.An engine that has not run in a month (in Winter, especially) 'deserves' to be started by a fully charged battery. The starter motor has to overcome the added friction of unlubricated parts and the increased viscosity of cold oil. Also, a product of combustion is water vapor. In a cold environment, if the engine and exhaust system do not reach operating temperature, much of that water condenses in the exhaust rather than "boiling" off. This accelerates rust and corrosion. It would be better to change the crankcase oil when laying up in the Fall, stabilize the fuel and keep on a battery tender between rides. Just my $0.02.

[DarkCloud]

...would my 1999 R1100s like?

Thanks
Pjk

Your engine would like 10-40. Smaller molecules, less friction. better acceleration, besides you've got an oil temp gauge on your bike so no need to worry about oil temp heat issues.

JON

[Peter_Krynicki]

Thanks to almost every one who replied! I'm going with the 10-40. The last several winters in NJ have been snow-free enough that I was able to get out at least once every week or so and got by with just a few shots on the battery tender.

Stay safe
Pjk

[116318]

Listen to Dr Paul, he is right on the mark. I forgot to mention that I have a heated garage and I also put in stablizer. Like most of us in the snow belt we get a good case of cabin fever and need to get out, snow or no snow.

[bikerfish1100]

According to my Clymer's, 20W50 is spec'd for temps of 15F to 105F. 10W-40 is spec'd for -20F to 40F. I remember summers in NJ- and unless things have changed since i was last there, it's generally a bit hotter than than 40, certainly for the next few months.
do what you like, but i've never run anything other than 20W50 in any beemer i've ever owned, cuz i ride in temps up to and including 110, but i don't ride much at all below 20.
remember, knowledge is power. and I am one powerful dude :laugh

[Andy VH]

About the only thing the lighter weight oil does for you at low temps (like below 20 degrees) is make the engine a slight bit easier to start. That's all. Once the engine is running and warm the standard oil weight is fine. I live in Wisconsin (Green Bay) and have been riding my 94 R1100RS for nearly 14 years and 130K miles. I use Mobil 1 15W50, and it has always started just fine. But then, Mobil 1 flows at low temps better than dino oil.

Even if your bike is stored in an unheated garage, I feel there is no real reason to change to a lighter weight oil. Your bike, your choice. I also keep my bike plugged ino the Battery Tender all winter (well, Dec 1st to March 15th). I do NOT go out once a week and start the bike during the winter, that does more harm than good. If you start it up in the winter, then you should ride it and get it fully up to temp on the highway for a minimum 1/2 hour ride.

I also have never used Stabil, never had a need to and never had a problem. Twice per season I run some Seafoam or Techron in the gas. Running the same injectors since day one, no problems.

[bikerfish1100]

Your engine would like 10-40. Smaller molecules, less friction. better acceleration, besides you've got an oil temp gauge on your bike so no need to worry about oil temp heat issues.

JON

not only would a R11S do better on 20W50 than 10W40 (for all the reasons previously mentioned by Andy VH), but it does not have a temp gauge. There is no RID on the S models.
and don't even get me going on the "smaller molecules" comment.

[Andy VH]

Unfortuntely,the "net" is a great source for opinions, right and wrong, such as:

"Your engine would like 10-40. Smaller molecules, less friction. better acceleration, besides you've got an oil temp gauge on your bike so no need to worry about oil temp heat issues."

This is one I cannot agree with. Lighter wieght oil has little or nothing to do with smaller molecules, or less friction, or better acceleration, unless the person posting the reply was doing it tongue in cheek. BMW specs certain oil weight ranges based on a LOT of emperical testing (meaning REAL testing, not theory). BMW knows the running clearances of CRITICAL journals and engine components that they have found need SPECIFIC viscosity ranges to provide lubrication and cooling.

Different oil weights CAN have very different shear strengths (now we are talking at the molecular level) based on the oil composition and additives. Lighter wieght oils tend to have less of these. I for one would follow BMWs recommended oil wieght and load factor guidelines, such as 15W50 and SJ or SG ratings.

[Andy VH]

Unfortuntely,the "net" is a great source for opinions, right and wrong, such as:

"Your engine would like 10-40. Smaller molecules, less friction. better acceleration, besides you've got an oil temp gauge on your bike so no need to worry about oil temp heat issues."

This is one I cannot agree with. Lighter viscosity (not weight) oil has little or nothing to do with smaller molecules, or less friction, or better acceleration. Perhaps the person posting the reply was doing it tongue in cheek. Actually, by that arguement, then everyone should be using nothing but full synthetic oil, because for nearly every oil test done, for same viscosity ratings between dino oil and sythetic oil, the synthetic oil always flows better. BMW specs certain oil viscosity ranges based on a LOT of emperical testing (meaning REAL testing, not theory). BMW knows the running clearances of CRITICAL journals and engine components that they have found need SPECIFIC viscosity ranges to provide lubrication and cooling.

The "W" has nothing to do with weight of the oil. The W refers to the WINTER viscosity rating of the oil, based on the lab test viscosity (basically a flow/pour test) for a given test temperature range. It is the rated viscosity of that oil at that lab test temperature range. Meaning also that the viscosity will change as the temperature changes. So for a 20W50 oil, it means the oil flows "like" a 20-weight oil at the WINTER test standard temperature, but still flows like a 50-weight oil at the SUMMER test standard temperature. Given that, a 10W40 oil flows like a 10-weight and 40-weight respectively. BUT! That lower viscosity 40-weight oil most likely will not have the same load bearing capability as the 50-weight oil at the same temperature range. That is the reason BMW specs the oils as it does.

Different oil viscosities CAN have very different shear strengths (now we are talking at the molecular level) based on the oil composition and additives. Lower viscosity oils tend to have less of these additives which aid the shear strength. I for one would follow BMWs recommended oil viscosity and load factor guidelines, such as 15W50 or 20W50, and SJ or SG ratings.

[Troutluck]

...would my 1999 R1100s like?

I just checked and it's about 7 pounds worth. :whistle

. . . of Rotella T.