Oil Usage Normal

[EasyGoingPat]

Hi,

I am considering buying a ten-year-old BMW1100S with 28,000 on the clock. The bike looks immaculate and has a fairly comprehensive service history, but the seller said he was pleased that it only used about half a litre of oil per 2000 miles. My past experience of bikes (excluding clapped-out bangers) has been that they don't use any oil.

Is it okay for the bike to be using this amount of oil?

Kind wishes ~ Patrick


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[davebike]

For an oil head BMW that is par for the course
they use less if used regularly ans if you use good oil but they all use lots of oil
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Dave
NC750Xdct + others at work !
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[EasyGoingPat]

Thanks for the (unbelievably) quick reply. That is reassuring to know.

Got to admit, the oil/air cooling is a new one on me. I'm not familiar with it at all, and I've certainly never worked on one. Think maybe I need to do some reading about it.

- Patrick
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[Aff]

Yep, short journeys hurt the oil on these things. Think the manual states that if you ride it for short journeys or in the cold then you have to change the oil every 3 months/1500miles.
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[RhynoCZ]

20W50 could help. I used to ride GPz with 10W40, needed 1 extra liter per 5000km, then I got 20W50 and I did not add a droplet of oil. Yes, it still burned some oil, but it was nearly nothing.
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'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[temeluchus]

20/50 is where its at for these oilhead boxer engines.

I think BMW actually spec 15w50 for them but 20/50 is close enough.
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[EasyGoingPat]

Thanks for the replies.

I am a bit confused though. Isn't 20/50 thinner than 10/40? I'd have expected a thinner oil to burn more.

And there was me thinking a knew a little bit about engines.
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[davebike]

Higher the no. the thicker first no is viscosity when cold second viscosity when hot

I/We use full synthetic Silkolene Pro 4 in 15/50 in Oil head BMW's customers report less oil consumptive than whatever expensive oil local BMW agents use
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Dave
NC750Xdct + others at work !
davebike1@gmail.com

[EasyGoingPat]

Doh! Of course it is. I remember now. It is based on water being viscosity 1, isn't it?

I hesitate to ask this question because I don't expect anyone to advise me what bike to buy, but I do a lot of short (< 10 mile) journeys; could anyone with experience of boxers advise me if I might be shelling out for a lot of oil?

- Patrick
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Thank you to anyone taking the time to read my posts.

[davebike]

Boxers are a bit heavy on oil but not that bad You could get away with one oil change a year with full synth but get the gear box and final drive changed as well and I put synthetic gear oil in those as well !

Older BMW Boxers are not cheap to run but not that bad unless you go to the BMW dealer for servicing /work local to me they charge £100 + VAT an hour the phrase is charge like wounded rhino's!!

Air filters are cheap and the plugs last well if you fit the better NGK EIX type
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Dave
NC750Xdct + others at work !
davebike1@gmail.com

[RhynoCZ]

This will help you
https://www.4x4.org.pl/site/sites/default/files/OilGrades.jpg

When I saw this picture (similar one in my service manual) I found out, that the 20W50 can handle temperatures way over 30°C and that got me thinking. When it was really hot out side the GPz ate that 10W40 like crazy and even spit it into the airbox a lot, the engine was also very noisy. Then, I got the 20W50, the cold starts were worse, but thicker oil made the engine run quieter and smoother + when it was over 30°C out side I could ride it with no worries.

UK climate seems to be a bit colder so 15w50 should do the trick and let you start it easily in chilly weather. Many people will recommend you to use thicker oil, when you run an old air cooled engine.

EDIT: The 20W50 was cheaper than any 10W40 when I used to buy it 5 years ago.
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'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[EasyGoingPat]

That is an extremely useful diagram. Thank you!
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[Northern Monkey]

For a low tech engine, you're probably wasting cash using expensive fully synthetic oil

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Petronas-Syntium-800-15W-50-Car-Motor-Engine-Oil-1L-Litre-/351022083835?pt=UK_Vehicle_Oils_Lubricants_Fluids&hash=item51ba8beefb

£4/litre for a semi
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