Any objects to Rotella in a BMW Motorcycle?

[tpfeffer]

It would seem from this forum that using Delo 400, Delvac 1300 or Rotella 15W-40 in motorcycles is hard to beat. My two applications are engine lubrication for a 2000 BMW R1100RT, oil and air cooled, with a dry clutch and a 1983 BMW R100RS air cooled with dry clutch. The service manuals recommend a 20w-50 for air temperatures above about 85 F.

Are there any downsides to using these oils in my applications? What about the 40 weight versus the recommended 50?

Thanks
Tom
[email protected]

 

[Silk]

The consensus from the BMW types seems to be stick with 20/50 for the airheads.Trouble is it's getting hard to find a good quality 20/50...it seems to be a budget grade these days.I'm using Silkolene Pro4 15/50 at the moment,but just because I had some to use up that I had been using in my aircooled dirt bikes.I'm thinking I might use Valvoline Maxlife 20/50 next....or maybe Castrol Edge 25/50.

 

[ZGRider]

Motul 7100 20w-50 100% Ester-based synthetic oil. You can buy it online for about $9 per qt. It is a mix of PAO and Ester.

None better.

 

[chevrofreak]

Originally Posted By: ZGRider
Motul 7100 20w-50 100% Ester-based synthetic oil. You can buy it online for about $9 per qt. It is a mix of PAO and Ester.


Which is it?

 

[heavyhitter]

I would say any quality auto 20w50 would be OK. I wouldnt lose sleep over using a HDEO.

If I had your setup however I'd be all over the 15w50 Mobil 1. Get it a WW for like $22.50.

p.s. Welcome aboard!
I live in Omaha too.

 

[TuonoRider]

Personally, I run Pennzoil Motorcycle 20w50 in my R1200 GS Adventure.

 

[CSM746]

On the airheads, it seems 20W50 rules during the summer months, but I remember riding airheads on October runs around Lake Superior using 10W40 Spectro. Started easy in subfreezing temps and used very little. The oilheads R1100s, 1150s, and 1200s are pretty easy on oil. On my R1200 I also am running Pennzoil 20W50 Motorcycle as well and in the late fall I run Delvac 15W40 on the color tours because of temps in the 20s at times and this oil turns a little easier. I leave it in until spring and drain it for the 20W50. After using the current case of Pennzoil up, I will switch to Mobil 1 15W50 which I have used in Beemers (after a long break in) for the last 25 years with no problem. I have also used Mobil 1 20W50 Motorcycle with good success. I have been riding BMW airheads and oilheads for 35 years on good quality 10W40, 15W50, and 20W50 oils and would be comfortable using 15W40 in an oilhead year round. It is a listed option in the owners manual.

 

[Oil_Flunky]

Autozone and Advance locally have had 20w50 Mobil 1 V twin motorcycle in stock.

 

[CSM746]

I just returned from a trip around Lake Superior on my R1200RT. 2200 miles on 15w40 Mobil Delvac and it remains at the right at the top of the ring in the sight glass where it was when I left. Morning starting temps were as low as 28 degrees. But, turned over without labor and started immediately. I believe these diesel oils-Delvac, Rotella, Delo, Pennzoil Long Life, etc. are tough oils suitable for use in motorcycles. I am sold on Delvac and may run it year round in my R1200GS and report back with a couple UOAs.

 

[BigCahuna]

I have a '82 goldwing that I use as a beater and winter ride. I've used Rotella 15/40, and Delo 400 15/40 without any clutch issues. I'm in the process of changing the starter and when it's running I plan to try Delvac 15/40. It seemed to me, the shifting was easier with the Delo, so I'll see how the Delvac does. I know when the temps get down in the 20's overnight the bike seems to strain starting for the first time in the morning.But then I'm also getting slower in the morning.,,

 

[fxrider]

good choice.

 

[whitesands]

There is an a individual that's a member of a site I used to frequent that is an engineer at SWRI that does HDEO certifications tests (yup, those certifications you see on the back of a bottle of oil) for many of the big Diesel manufacturers...Anyway, he's also a motorcycle enthusiast and based on what he's seen in his years of testing his favorite conventional oil for bikes was DELO 400...But he said any of the name brand HDEOS are excellent for bikes...He used to post up some interesting charts from work on how they would measure ring wear as the engine ran by something called radioactive tracer technology...They could actually measure wear rates of rings, cams, cylinders ect ect as the engine ran...He would post up pictures of torn down engines for parts inspection after tests...Basically, they go MUCH deeper into their analysis than a UOA...And another reason he likes HDEO's is that for an oil to pass diesel certifications every engine component that is affected by oil quality is measured for wear unlike the gasoline only certifications which all HDEO's carry as well...The HDEO tests are the most rigourous of any engine oil certification which is why he rated them so highly.

I'll leave with you one of his quotes...He's big on buying oil from the actual oil companies (Mobil, Chevron, Shell) instead of OEM branded oils (Honda GN4, Suzuki Performance 4, yamalube ect ect)..."OEM branded oils are low cost/low bid products they buy from oil company. They don't make, refine or blend oil trust me on that." And "Why would you buy a product that doesn't even have/source of the mfg's name on it ?" Good question, who actually makes those OEM branded oils ?
Just a little information for you folks considering HDEO's...And yes the source is reliable.
I've run Rotella for about 12,000 miles in my Bandit 1250 with 2,500 to 3,000 mile OCI's, now running Delvac and it runs smooth as a sewing machine with nearly 15,000 miles on it...However, since your BMW is air cooled a high quality synthetic might be a better choice if it tends to run hot since the shear resistance and HTHS is a bit better than conventionals of similar grade and that's a good thing to have when oil thins out with higher engine temps....

 

[bmwtechguy]

Maxlife 20W-50 good for older airheads, especially if starting to seep oil.

Conventional 15W-40 HDEOs are great for all but the hottest temps and coldest riding conditions. Synthetic 5W-40 HDEO's are another good option especially for cold morning starts in late Fall.

Others I would consider:
Mobil 1 15W-50 and 20W-50/10W-40 motorcycle
Amsoil 20W-50 V-twin/10W-40 bike oils, or 15W-40 HDEO (less $)
Schaeffers 5W-40(HDEO full syn), 15W-40(HDEO blend), 20W-50 (racing syn-blend), and 5W-50 (full syn racing).
Redline, Spectro, and Motul make several very good oils.

Lots of great choices to consider.

 

[Ausfahrt]

As mentioned, there are lots of good choices out there and any of them would serve you well. I frequently visit a motorcycle forum that has a BMW section and one of the fellows there uses Mobil 1 15w-50 exclusively in his 1996 R1200GS oilhead.
The engine is original and has not been rebuilt.

 

[whitesands]

Wow....Interesting because the same engineer at SWRI liked mobil 15W50 so much he used it in his bike and cars...

 

[Johnny]

All of the above recommendations will work. I put 146,000 miles on a 1982 R100 in the Texas summers using standard old Mobil 1 5W-20 (the stuff in the original metal cans). Everyone told me not to do it (especially BMW) but it worked just fine.