BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

Just been idling time looking at the multitude of Oils available for the RT and a name turned up which I hadn't come across before. Westway Lubricants do a 15w-50 Semi Synthetic API SJ spec Engine Oil which is priced at £23.99 for 5 Litres. Does anyone have any experience of Westway Oils.
Thanks.

No, but I'm gonna try this next service - https://www.smithandallan.com/products/transport-motorcycle/4556-smith-and-allan-limitless-ultra-4t-10w-40---fully-synthetic-motorcycle-oil/ anyone tried it?

The Camhead is basically the same as a car engine, with a dry clutch & separate gearbox, therefore, fancy expensive motorcycle specific engine oils are not necessarily required.

The Rider's Manual recommends several viscosity ranges, 15W-40 or greater i.e. 50 is one of them. The quoted oil standards are API SF / ACEA A2, or better, no mention of JASO, presumably because it doesn't need a motorcycle specific engine oil.

"Car oils have been used up to 1998 as the base for most motorcycle oils. But as the technology in cars evolved, the oils were modified to meet those modern needs. As a result, additives were added and friction modifiers were blended with the oil. Although these modifications were positive for use in cars, they were damaging to motorcycles. This was especially the case with motorcycle gearboxes and clutches. Unlike with cars, motorcycles don’t use a separate oil for the gearbox, causing the clutches to slip due to the friction modifiers. It also could attribute to gearbox pitting (localised corrosion and the formation of micro-cracks). Oil in motorcycles and scooters is required to run under more intense conditions than in cars because it has to endure hotter temperatures as well as higher engine speed and a greater power density. These circumstances subject the oil to significant operating stress.

In 1998 JASO T903 was introduced as the globally recognized standard for 4-stroke motorcycle oils. It defines the required performance levels for satisfactory lubrication of the different motorcycle designs."

If anyone is looking to save cash on Camhead oil, would you use a car oil rather than an expensive, over engineered motorcycle specific oil.

Old-Git wrote:I'm gonna try this next service - https://www.smithandallan.com/products/transport-motorcycle/4556-smith-and-allan-limitless-ultra-4t-10w-40---fully-synthetic-motorcycle-oil/ anyone tried it?

The BMW recommended oil for a 1200 Wethead 2015 is, SAE 5W-40, API SL / JASO MA2.

David. wrote: The BMW recommended oil for a 1200 Wethead 2015 is, SAE 5W-40, API SL / JASO MA2.

Yep, the only difference is 5w vs 10w, I'll live with that.

Recently, my attention was brought to Mannol oils, they are German, therefore, it's got to be good.

https://www.mannol.de/products/motor-oi ... rd-engines

David. wrote:The Camhead is basically the same as a car engine, with a dry clutch & separate gearbox, therefore, fancy expensive motorcycle specific engine oils are not necessarily required.

The Rider's Manual recommends several viscosity ranges, 15W-40 or greater i.e. 50 is one of them. The quoted oil standards are API SF / ACEA A2, or better, no mention of JASO, presumably because it doesn't need a motorcycle specific engine oil.

This OPIE, Car Engine Oil Guide, https://www.opieoils.co.uk/t-a-guide-to-oils.aspx explains the API & ACEA Specifications.

I remember this Castrol Grand Prix being one of the first motorcycle specific engine oils.

David. wrote: I remember this Castrol Grand Prix being one of the first motorcycle specific engine oils.

This was the oil I used in my first bike (an AJS Model 14 ). If I remember correctly it was ,or is, a straight SAE 50 grade and poured like golden syrup. It even came in a metal can. Lovely stuff.

Looks like we've got Alexander Duckham to thank for the introduction of multigrade oil in 1951, https://www.duckhams.com/history/

David. wrote:Recently, my attention was brought to Mannol oils, they are German, therefore, it's got to be good.

This is the Mannol 15w-50 Favorit spec., https://sct-germany.de/index.php?locale ... t%2015W-50

Mannol have confirmed by email that the oil should work just fine.

David. wrote: This is the Mannol 15w-50 Favorit spec., https://sct-germany.de/index.php?locale=en&action=accessory_chemical_preview&name=Favorit%2015W-50

Mannol have confirmed by email that the oil should work just fine.

And it sells for £4 a litre post free on eBay ! !.

If you use 10w-40 in a Wethead or Camhead, (it's one of the five viscosity ranges listed in the Rider's Manual for a Camhead). Or, like me, who has a Jap. IL4 that uses 10w-40, like most other bikes do, how about getting 5 x 4 litres of Mannol at £3.32 per litre. 20 litres will keep you going for a while or get together with others and share the bargain.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363018803803 ... =28&chn=ps

Or, 10 litres for £35, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303081766588

As I don't purchase items from ebay, how about these two finds.

Mannol 7812 Motorbike 10w-40, https://www.amazon.co.uk/MANNOL-7812-Mo ... r=8-1&th=1

Mannol 7832 Powerbike 15w-50, https://www.buycarparts.co.uk/mannol/15768226

I decided to get Motul from BikespeedUK for both bikes, the oil comes with a "free" Hiflo oil filter.

XJ650, 10w-40, https://www.bikespeeduk.com/index.php?a ... uctId=2698

RT, 15w-50, https://www.bikespeeduk.com/index.php?a ... uctId=2719