Mobil 15w-50

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Ducman

The BMW dealers should at least have it in bulk should one need to get some for home. Or maybe in 1 Litre bottles from the service department.
It seems to be a good oil.
It smells like a Group III mineral oil, and the TDS and marketing blurb indicates that is what it is.

Marketing/sales materials are fairly open about the fact that it's a blend.

 

[BMWR1200GS]

The stealership, most other BMW owners, the Adventurerider BMW user forum http://advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=3 all recommend conventional oil during the break in period. Good quality conventional mineral oil is cheap so I changed mine at 600 miles, 3,000, 6,000 and 9,000 miles. At 12,000 I went full synthetic with Mobil 1 15W 50 "red 5 quart jug". I also changed the filter at 600, 3,000, 6,000 and then 12,000 miles. The filters were all MANN filters.

The conventional oil that I put in the bike at 600, 3000, 6,000 and 9,000 was Valvoline and/or Penzoil 20W 50. I have no idea what was in the bike at delivery.

Best Regards,

 

[Quattro Pete]

Yeah, I know, but what I was really asking is "What does BMW Motorrad" have to say on the subject? If you read current owner's manuals, in order to comply with them, you will not be using mineral oil ever.

I've been using synthetic 15w-50 in mine since the first service (600 miles), and haven't seen any ill effects, but I'm at only 5K miles right now.

I would like to think that whatever break-in there was, would have completed during those first 600 miles anyway. If you didn't get your rings seated properly by then, you probably never will.

 

[BMWR1200GS]

I agree with your comments about the rings.

At any rate, BMW Motorrad is known for NOT being specific on this subject. For years and years the documentation said ONLY Motul, which for years and years was virtually impossible to get here in the USA. Go figure?

Best Regards,