BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

IF this has been covered before please forgive me but I must ask:


Ive never had an issue with any of my Rts burning a bunch of oil.My friend is out of town on an extended ride around the great lakes.  She is burning about 8  ounces every 1000 miles.


What causes one bike to burn oil and one not. She is not easy on the bike but not crazy on it either. Ive heard others have issues with oil on the forums but just dont understand why one does and one doesnt.


Im willing to listen to any thoughts.


Bud

You don't say what bike she has but I think that's about 300ml which is not a lot.  LCs use next to nothing but air cooled models sometimes do.  I suspect its down to how they were run in, probably not hard enough. .

I'd agree with RTman, some folks are too soft on their bikes when running in.

My 2012 TC RT had 3,000 miles on when I bought it, with two previous owners.

On our trip to Germany the oil consumption was 340 ml per 1,000 miles, the bike having gone from 4,700 to 6,900 miles.
The oil usage was less when we were in Norway, 160 ml per 1,000 miles, the bike has now done 10,000 miles.
The riding style in Germany was more aggressive than in Norway, with more high engine speed cornering & engine braking.
(MIN to MAX on the sightglass is 500 ml).

This is the second TC RT I've had & they do seen to stop using oil after about 10,000 miles, when they are run in.

LC RT's will probably use less oil because, being watercooled the engine tolerances will be tighter.

(8 US Fluid Oz = 237 ml)

Sorry, she has a 2012 Lowered RT. She was pretty easy on it when she bought it new. Ive always thought that was part of the problem. Ive just never had an issue with oil consumption on any of my RTs dating back to 1995. And my 2014 uses absolutely none.

How many miles has the bike done.

She just turned 60,000 as she entered Canada to days ago.

Not a huge mileage, a Cylinder compression test may help to assess any Engine wear.

How about what viscosity range/quality is the oil & ambient temperatures being ridden in.

I use Castrol 10w-50 Fully Synthetic, in Germany, we hit 39 degC., not so warm in Norway.

She uses Castrol 20-50. I think she is at the end of this bike soon. Ive been trying to talk her into a new waterhead. Her only hold back is the height. She has a low version RT now and she has some concerns about getting her feet planted with the new bike.


I think I have her about worn down and this fall she may pony up and get a new one for next years riding season. Then she wont have to concern herself with oil usage. 


Bud

If it's Castrol 20W-50 Mineral oil, that was the specification for pre-TC 1200 RT's.

Both my RT 1150 and my current 1200 both use about 4 oz. per 1000 miles. I have always used BMW oil only. 8)

DaygloDavid wrote:This is the second TC RT I've had & they do seen to stop using oil after about 10,000 miles, when they are run in.

The bike has now done 15,000 miles, on a recent trip to Wales (750 miles),  with some hard riding, it didn't use any oil.

2014 LC.  Oil used since new.  Nil.  Window stayed the same between services.

Very true.  All my previous RTs, 1100s, 1150s and 1200s have used some. The amount seems to be related to how they are run in as well.