R1200RS + R1250RS Forum
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Tue Oct 20, 2020 5:18 pm (Last edited: Tue Oct 20, 2020 6:08 pm)
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Here is an interesting video comparing two brands of synthetic truck oils after one year of usage without an oil change. This makes me feel better as I have been changing the oil in my car and motorcycles at over one year intervals or longer lately since I have not been traveling as far as I used to do. It looks like my favorite oil, Rotella, is well worth its relatively cheap price. While not mentioned in the video, note that it is said to meet MA/MA2 specifications. It looks like Rotella T-6 conforms to the same specifications and viscosity as what BMW recommends for the RS. In fact, I wouldn't be too surprised to hear that it is the same oil as the expensive BMW Motorrad ADVANTECH Ultimate Oil which is recommended in my owner's manual. I have seen this oil on sale for less than $20 a gallon at auto accessory stores. The bottom line of this oil test is that Chevron and Shell heavy duty truck oils degrade very little after being used in a diesel engine for a year. This might also be true for other oils, especially if they are synthetic-based, provided that your vehicle is operated long enough to fully warm up the engine each time it is started: Current motorcycle collection: 2002 Yamaha FZ1; 2020 KTM 390 Duke; 2011 Royal Enfield Bullet 500; 2009 BMW F650GS; 2016 BMW R1200RS; 2018 Zero S 16.6 kWh |
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Neither of those oils are available here in Europe. We do have a huge choice of oil, just not those ones.
2020 R1250RS, 2018 Ducati 939 Supersport, 2018 Ducati Monster 821, 1967 Ducati 250 mk3.
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Been using Rotella T6 for many, many years. If it's in my garage and has a motor, it's running T6.
I ride 2019 R1250GSA, 2016 Honda PCX150, 2013 Piaggio BV350
my wife rides 2020 R1250GS, 2015 Honda PCX150 Both proud former owners of a pair of 2016 R1200RS |
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Zitat von himoverthere im Beitrag #2 Perhaps you might want to look for a name-brand synthetic H-D truck oil in 5W-40 viscosity and check the back of the container to see if it conforms to MA2 requirements. Then if it does meet BMW's oil specifications and it's price is more reasonable than motorcycle-specific oil, it might be worth considering if you change your own oil. I have been using Rotella T-4 15W-40 conventional oil in my Yamaha FZ1 for the past 12 years and it works just as well as any motorcycle-specific oil that I have ever tried. In particular, I have had no problems with the clutch or gearbox operation.
Current motorcycle collection: 2002 Yamaha FZ1; 2020 KTM 390 Duke; 2011 Royal Enfield Bullet 500; 2009 BMW F650GS; 2016 BMW R1200RS; 2018 Zero S 16.6 kWh
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Zitat von Richard230 im Beitrag #4Zitat von himoverthere im Beitrag #2 Why would I do that? I can go into any bike shop and buy Motul 7100 or any similar oil that meets the specs. I have no interest in trying to use a truck oil, to save a few euros, to put into my very expensive motorcycle that was bought and paid for a few weeks ago.
2020 R1250RS, 2018 Ducati 939 Supersport, 2018 Ducati Monster 821, 1967 Ducati 250 mk3.
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Wed Oct 21, 2020 1:38 pm (Last edited: Wed Oct 21, 2020 1:38 pm)
Zitat von himoverthere im Beitrag #5Zitat von Richard230 im Beitrag #4Zitat von himoverthere im Beitrag #2 In the US, there's a Walmart, or similar, in most any town of a few thousand people. These stores or the local garage suppliers (NAPA, etc.) will stock Rotella. Finding an M/C shop, let alone one that sells something other than ATV's or Harleys, is quite a bit more challenging....... Old Forum Orphan |
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I can purchase Rotella oil at the auto accessory store located a 10-minute ride from my home for 1/4 the cost of the BMW-brand oil that can only be purchased from my BMW dealer located a 90-minute ride away. My recollection is that the small print on the back of the ADVANTEC oil container when the stuff first came out about 4 years ago, it said that the oil was manufactured by Shell Oil. So my guess is that it is likely nothing more than rebranded Rotella T-6 oil as I doubt that Shell would make a special oil just for BMW motorcycles if they already had an oil formulation that met their specifications.
Current motorcycle collection: 2002 Yamaha FZ1; 2020 KTM 390 Duke; 2011 Royal Enfield Bullet 500; 2009 BMW F650GS; 2016 BMW R1200RS; 2018 Zero S 16.6 kWh
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Zitat von Richard230 im Beitrag #7 As I pointed out Rotella T6 is not available in Europe. Why do you think that BMW, a European company, would rebrand an oil that is not available here, to put in their bikes?
2020 R1250RS, 2018 Ducati 939 Supersport, 2018 Ducati Monster 821, 1967 Ducati 250 mk3.
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Zitat von himoverthere im Beitrag #8Zitat von Richard230 im Beitrag #7 If they do that it is likely due to the cost of shipping oil across the Atlantic and whatever arrangements they can make with local oil refiners. I know for sure that BMW used to rebrand oil from a U.S specialist refiner back in the 1980's and used a different oil supplier in their European market. Everything that BMW does is based upon profit. Last year I bought some BMW-branded 20W-50 conventional oil for my daughter's R65LS and it was more expensive than their specialty synthetic oil. That oil was sourced from a European refiner (I think the refiner was located in Switzerland) according to the information on the back of the metal cans. I can only assume that the outrageous price was due to the cost of purchasing a relatively limited volume of product, the cost of shipping it to North America, along with the cost of using a metal can instead of a plastic container.
Current motorcycle collection: 2002 Yamaha FZ1; 2020 KTM 390 Duke; 2011 Royal Enfield Bullet 500; 2009 BMW F650GS; 2016 BMW R1200RS; 2018 Zero S 16.6 kWh
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Zitat von Mr. 36654 im Beitrag #10 I bought the designer BMW classic oil in the steel container that vaguely reminded me of a Log Cabin syrup container from the 1950's as a Christmas gift for my daughter. I was in the shop looking for something to buy her and saw those fancy cans of oil. Unfortunately, they didn't have a price on them and when I handed over my credit card to buy them and received the invoice to sign, I was shocked by the price, but too embarrassed to cancel the sale. But you are right, there are lots of good 20W-50 oils on the market that likely would have been just as good an option to purchase, but none of them come in such a nice can with BMW on the front. I didn't even have to wrap the cans. All I did was put a ribbon and a bow around each of the cans. Instant Christmas present. 
Current motorcycle collection: 2002 Yamaha FZ1; 2020 KTM 390 Duke; 2011 Royal Enfield Bullet 500; 2009 BMW F650GS; 2016 BMW R1200RS; 2018 Zero S 16.6 kWh
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