BMW Gear Oil

[Burnszilla]

Choices:
BMW Hypoid gear oil SAE 80W90 GL-5
(For Boxer gearbox, shaft and rear drive assemblies and for K-Model transmissions and rear drives)

OR

BMW Super Synthetic gear oil SAE 75W140
(Recommended for all BWW motorcycles after 1970)

How come the Synthetic doesn't have the GL-5 mark on it?

The synthetic is ok to use in my old K75s?

[deilenberger]

Originally posted by Burnszilla
Choices:
BMW Hypoid gear oil SAE 80W90 GL-5
(For Boxer gearbox, shaft and rear drive assemblies and for K-Model transmissions and rear drives)

OR

BMW Super Synthetic gear oil SAE 75W140
(Recommended for all BWW motorcycles after 1970)

How come the Synthetic doesn't have the GL-5 mark on it?

The synthetic is ok to use in my old K75s?

The Synthetic 75W-140 will work very nicely in your K75S.. it's what I'm running in mine. It tends to smooth shifting as the transmission warms up (or actually - maintain smooth shifting.) And dunno why no GL5 mark on the synthetic.

Good stuff, I recommend it.

[flash412]

BMW does not manufacture gear oil. Your wallet would be better served to go to a discount automotive store and pay 1/3 the price for an equivalent product. Your bike won't know the difference.

[Burnszilla]

I put in the Synthetic 75W-140 and it made quite a noticeable difference in the shifting. Smoother.

Thanks.

[davel]

Originally posted by flash412
BMW does not manufacture gear oil. Your wallet would be better served to go to a discount automotive store and pay 1/3 the price for an equivalent product. Your bike won't know the difference. I agree "Mobil 1" makes a great gear oil, I've been using that in the rear and trannies for over 10 years now...

[dlearl476]

The warranties on my last two new vehicles ran out last year. In a quest to simplify my life, I decided I'm going to run the same lube in all my vechicles.
Luckily the lube specs are similar on all of them. I use Mobil 1 Super Syn 15w-50 and Swepco 201 gear oil. Swepco is the acknowleged king for Porsche transaxles and it works out great for me. Although it's probably more pricey than even BMW lube, the 911 takes ~.8 gallons (the only way you can buy it) and the K and the R each take ~.2. So I change the 911 every year and alternate the bikes, which is probably twice as often as I need to change it. The way I see it, the lube for the bikes it free.:idea

[roadcrave]

ok im a newbee. just want to make one final question before i change to syn.., i have a k- 1200lt 2003 with 10,000 miles, can i really put syn.. in my transmision also, im convinced on the final drive, matthew

[knary]

Originally posted by flash412
BMW does not manufacture gear oil. Your wallet would be better served to go to a discount automotive store and pay 1/3 the price for an equivalent product. Your bike won't know the difference.

The BMW price for the 75w140 compares well to the stuff from the discount store. IIRC, both were around $15/quart, with the BMW branded quart being slightly cheaper.

My GS doesn't seem to care if I put the lighter stuff (e.g. 80w90) or the heavier stuff in the tranny. OTOH, my old K75s definitely shifted more smoothly with the heavier stuff.

[roadcrave]

I think my transmision is a dry clutch anyone know for sure???matthew

[Burnszilla]

On a K Bike...
Your clutch is dry.
Your transmission is wet with gear oil.

[bikerfish1100]

fwiw- ALL BMWs run a dry automotive style clutch (well, to be honest, i can't vouch for the F650, but that's no more a BMW than other Aprilia's/Rotax's are). once the new K12S is released it will be sporting a wet clutch.