2011 R1200GS - only mineral oil allowed, ever?

[Polarbear]

I complain about keeping my dollars, but find many suggest syns are longer lived and IF one could go twice as far on a oil change, I too could consider the price as equal to regular oil, changed more frequently. Ya'll go 6, 8 even 10 thousand miles on an oil change with syns.? It sure would equal or make the price of the stuff more appealing! I still do my regular oils at 3-4000miles... Some even go 5000 on regular oils today. My new KLR manual and most others recommend 7500m changes today, no matter what oil. One thing certain for me, the same interval(changes) for syns and the price is a killer of me using them. The engines don't seem to care and my (near)million miles proves that for me. Randy

[deilenberger]

I complain about keeping my dollars, but find many suggest syns are longer lived and IF one could go twice as far on a oil change, I too could consider the price as equal to regular oil, changed more frequently. Ya'll go 6, 8 even 10 thousand miles on an oil change with syns.? It sure would equal or make the price of the stuff more appealing! I still do my regular oils at 3-4000miles... Some even go 5000 on regular oils today. My new KLR manual and most others recommend 7500m changes today, no matter what oil. One thing certain for me, the same interval(changes) for syns and the price is a killer of me using them. The engines don't seem to care and my (near)million miles proves that for me. Randy

Randy - the price of one oil analysis from Blackstone Labs is less than one extra oil change even with dino oil. The analysis will tell you how much further you can go on the oil. I've had my R12R done several times at 6,000 mile oil change intervals. They have said I could easily go 10,000 miles on the BMW Synthetic oil, and perhaps more. I don't since 6,000 makes for two changes per year for me.. 3-4,000 mile changes are wasting oil. Even dino oil is good for 6,000 miles unless you ride in the middle of the desert in a windstorm a lot.

You asked for numbers - these are numbers with data to back them up. Get your oil analyzed - I'm sure you'll find you're changing much too frequently (unless you're only doing 3,000-4,000 miles a year - then a yearly change is reasonable.)

[ponch1]

Randy - the price of one oil analysis from Blackstone Labs is less than one extra oil change even with dino oil. The analysis will tell you how much further you can go on the oil. I've had my R12R done several times at 6,000 mile oil change intervals. They have said I could easily go 10,000 miles on the BMW Synthetic oil, and perhaps more. I don't since 6,000 makes for two changes per year for me.. 3-4,000 mile changes are wasting oil. Even dino oil is good for 6,000 miles unless you ride in the middle of the desert in a windstorm a lot.

You asked for numbers - these are numbers with data to back them up. Get your oil analyzed - I'm sure you'll find you're changing much too frequently (unless you're only doing 3,000-4,000 miles a year - then a yearly change is reasonable.)

I used to use Castrol 4T in my bike when I lived in Iowa. When I did my 6K the oil still looked pretty good. I moved to AZ and did my 12K a month ago. The oil looked totally beat. I switched to Mobil 1. I hope it holds up better.

[deilenberger]

I used to use Castrol 4T in my bike when I lived in Iowa. When I did my 6K the oil still looked pretty good. I moved to AZ and did my 12K a month ago. The oil looked totally beat. I switched to Mobil 1. I hope it holds up better.

The you say "looked" do you mean visibly? A oil analysis is really the only way you'll know the oil condition, and it gives a good idea of what's going on inside the engine (via trace metals found in the oil..) Oil that is black isn't necessarily bad oil, it just means it's holding carbon byproducts of combustion in solution (which is a good thing vs them settling out in the engine.)

[ponch1]

The you say "looked" do you mean visibly? A oil analysis is really the only way you'll know the oil condition, and it gives a good idea of what's going on inside the engine (via trace metals found in the oil..) Oil that is black isn't necessarily bad oil, it just means it's holding carbon byproducts of combustion in solution (which is a good thing vs them settling out in the engine.)

It was not only black, but seemed thinner. In Iowa it still had a golden hue and seemed thicker. Whatever the case, I think the heat here will test any oil. I commuted many days were it was 105-110˚F outside. I do agree though that the only way to know is through analysis.

[RINTY]

...these are the numbers...deilenberger

Thanks, Don this is good to know. I think for many of our machines, the oil serves light duty, as the bikes aren't subject to short trips, or cold weather duty.

Everytime we take them out, the engines get up to full operating temperature, and moisture in the oil is cooked off.

[Polarbear]

You know, many of us are getting old and old school ideas die hard. Oil is one and the topic has been much to do sround here at the forum over the years. 3000m was the standard for such a LONG time and I guess I must bend a tad with the times. We have been oil analyzing for decades in the trucking world and thats not a new idea. A really good one that needs mentioning, because most do not know it well. I have never sent my bikes oil for testing. I THINK the syns are a positive "for me" item to get used to again and I will run it 6-8000m and get my dollars worth out of it. Recently been going 4-5000m on regular m/c Valvoline. Its gettin g late at 89000m on the GSA1200 now, but can't hurt and my biggest concern was always wasting my dollars on syns., which apparently have life, WELL beyond regular oil. JUST getting that old school 3000m, forever in our minds, oil change thing burried!. I spend a third more+ for oil, it better go further, lots further, imo. BMW Filters too, now at 20$+ where I live. Ugly. Randy

[Norms 427]

Don't think I'd want the Master Mechanic in post #1 to work on my bike.

BTW, when I saw the thread title, "... mineral oil ...", I thought the OP was referring to this:


Does your BMW suffer from occasional constipation? Then give it a healthy dose of Walgreens Mineral Oil!
* Relieves occasional constipation
* Tasteless, odorless & colorless
* Produces bowel movement in 6-8 hours
You can find it at your friendly neighborhood Walgreens store in the Motorrad isle.

[OfficerImpersonator]

I've owned a 2002 RTP since 2007, and a 2012 GSA since May. I've put 56k miles on the RTP, and 4k miles on the GSA.

After purchasing the GSA, the dealer hosted a "shop night" for new owners. At the event, the dealer's service manager fielded questions from the approximately 20 owners present. Inevitably, the conversation turned to oil.

It started with the new K16 owners complaining about the cost of an oil change, as the K16 bikes come from the factory filled with synthetic oil, and BMW recommends replacing that oil with synthetic oil every time.

Then it moved to the R-bikes. The service manager said that the boxer engines are made with different alloys and with different processes and techniques than the other engines, and BMW recommends using dinosaur oil in boxer engines for the first 12k miles so they achieve proper break-in. After the first 12k miles, feel free to put in whatever type of oil you want (dinosaur, blend, full synthetic).

There's no mention of this in the rider's manual, and I haven't seen this mentioned or referenced elsewhere, but I thought I'd repeat these guidelines in the event they make sense to anyone reading this thread.

[ponch1]

I've owned a 2002 RTP since 2007, and a 2012 GSA since May. I've put 56k miles on the RTP, and 4k miles on the GSA.

After purchasing the GSA, the dealer hosted a "shop night" for new owners. At the event, the dealer's service manager fielded questions from the approximately 20 owners present. Inevitably, the conversation turned to oil.

It started with the new K16 owners complaining about the cost of an oil change, as the K16 bikes come from the factory filled with synthetic oil, and BMW recommends replacing that oil with synthetic oil every time.

Then it moved to the R-bikes. The service manager said that the boxer engines are made with different alloys and with different processes and techniques than the other engines, and BMW recommends using dinosaur oil in boxer engines for the first 12k miles so they achieve proper break-in. After the first 12k miles, feel free to put in whatever type of oil you want (dinosaur, blend, full synthetic).

There's no mention of this in the rider's manual, and I haven't seen this mentioned or referenced elsewhere, but I thought I'd repeat these guidelines in the event they make sense to anyone reading this thread.

In my 2009 manual is states not to use synthetic for the first 6K miles.

[Norms 427]

Couple of months ago I went to the BMW website and downloaded owner's manuals to read the oil recommendations for various years. It appears that BMW deleted any reference to synthetic oils and deleted any recommendation against using synthetics in the first few thousand miles beginning with the 2011 model year R-bikes. This oft quoted prohibition existed for prior years, so someone in Motorrad actually had to go in and hit the "Delete" button on those sentences for the latest manuals.

Some dealers and mechanics may be late in hearing about or acknowledging the new thinking at BMW. BMW has been a little slow in adopting modern oil technology for our bikes, but they finally have come around to embracing the industry-wide standard re synthetics.