2013 R1200RT Oil level indicator

2013 R1200RT Display - Oil level indicator
Second post here so please be gentle. After reading the manual about 50 times, there doesnÔÇÖt seem to be much information about the Oil level indicator when pressing the info button on left grip. So far I have seen where it says ÔÇ£OilÔÇØ with a few dashes next to it or a check mark. I believe the dashes are that it hasnÔÇÖt taken a reading yet and the check mark means everything is OK. What other indications are available? Also, IÔÇÖve noticed that the Oil indicator may not be there at all when cycling through the different info options but havenÔÇÖt figured how or when it shows up.
Thanks in advance for the help!
Chris

Oil indicator on the screen only shows up when your stopped. I always check the oil level through the sight glass which is towards the bottom of the engine on the clutch side. Basically below where the fairing stops. BMW recommends the engine be warmed up to operating temperature and then given 5 minutes after shutoff for the oil to drain back down. It needs to be checked on the center stand.
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[QUOTE=cburtis;844015]What other indications are available?[/QUOTE]
None -- when stopped (and other preconditions are met, such as oil temp above a threshold) it will show either the "not ready" dashes or the check mark.

If the level is too low you'll immediately get a separate warning ("OIL") in the display along with the <!> warning symbol.

If the oil pressure is too low you'll get a flashing red triangle on the upper display (kill the engine immediately!).

[QUOTE=cburtis;844015]2013 R1200RT Display - Oil level indicator
IÔÇÖve noticed that the Oil indicator may not be there at all when cycling through the different info options but havenÔÇÖt figured how or when it shows up.
Thanks in advance for the help!
Chris[/QUOTE]
The oil level indicator only shows when the bike is at full operating temperature, vertical, and stopped in neutral.

[QUOTE=32232;844082]The oil level indicator only shows when the bike is at full operating temperature, vertical, and stopped in neutral.[/QUOTE]

not wanting to start another oil thread but here goes.I have a 2011 r1200rt,one dealer says use 10-40 wt. another dealer says 20-50wt,and the owners manual is a little confusing. about this,

Thanks for the quick replyÔÇÖs and for the detail. Very helpful! That make a lot of sense from what I have seen. I was hoping for additional indications like ÔÇ£addÔÇØ if itÔÇÖs a little low but it sounds like itÔÇÖs OK or catastrophic failure! ;)
Thanks again for the quick feedback.
Chris

[QUOTE=cburtis;844108]I was hoping for additional indications like ÔÇ£addÔÇØ if itÔÇÖs a little low but it sounds like itÔÇÖs OK or catastrophic failure![/QUOTE]
The "add" does come up -- except it is OIL and <!> -- no catastrophes until the flashing red triangle comes on. ;)

One thing to note for sight glass inspection, as long as you can see a space in the level at the top (i.e. the oil is not over-filled) and some level above the bottom (i.e. the oil level is still acceptable), you are OK. The danger occurs when you can no longer see oil in the sigh glass - at this point you have no idea how much oil is present.

Note too that due to the geometry of the sight glass set-up,you are measuring only the top end amount of oil in the crankcase; that it to say when the oil level is in the middle of the sight glass, this does not mean that you are half way down on oil... you are actually about 250 ml (or a quarter of a liter/ ~quart) beneath the top of the sight glass (empirically determined).

Best,

Lawrence

The gauge display is one of those not so useful electronic widgies for which German engineers seem to have a fascination. Some BMW cars actually dropped the dipstick and went "sensor only", a choice of dubious intelligence given the known failure rate of electronics vs the bulletproof reliability of a dipstick, sight glass or othervisual system (unless you happen to have an oilhead pop its unrestrained sight glass out of the case, a not rare event, The R1200s have a retaining ring)

The sight glass is all you need to know about and you can keep it simple by at least every few rides parking the bike on the centerstand and checking for oil in the glass before your next start. This is more than sufficient given the relatively large oil sump and the rate at which most even new BMWs use oil.

I can't remember the last time I looked for that oil check in the gauge- no need. Not suggesting you ignore a low oil warning if you happen to get one. However, almost all of those are caused by sensor problems.