Type of oil

[rdteeler]

What type of oil do yall use on your airheads.I use the Mobil 1 Vtwin 20w50 on my Harley,would it hurt my R 65 with 46000 miles.The shop I bought it from is currently using Bel Ray 20w50 mineral oil.I like to know what y'all are using.I was always toild synthetic oil would give you a oil leak,I have ove 74000 mile on my Harley and no leak yet.I think people always hear that about synthetic oil and just repeat what they have heard,Do any of yall out there use it. Thanks for any suggestion's are help.

[Matt Chapter]

Yay, oil thread!!

Oil selection, as with most life choices, is a personal decision near and dear to your heart.  The best you can hope for is some blend of science, mysticism, luck, and of course sweat when making these decisions. (Some also consult their favorite deity/deities...)

I had thought that any quality 20w50 oil would be fine for my R65, but I just now resolved to try synthetic on my next oil change (upcoming in a week or two).  My considerations are this: the hot season is almost upon us, and I believe (given recent experiences with my 4Runner) that synthetic oil has a better performance envelope than the dead dinosaur kind.

[Bob_Roller]

I tried Mobil 1 20w50 oil about 17 years ago in my '81 R65 .

Rear main seal started leaking about 3 months later, replaced the seal and started leaking again .

I went back to Spectro semi synthetic oil and the leak stopped in 100 miles .

There is a new upgraded rear main seal from BMW, next time I have to remove the transmission, I'm going to replace it with the upgraded part and try Mobil 1 again .

Some people have no issues when going to synthetic oil, keep us updated !!

[Barry]

5w40 fully Synthetic here in a cooler climate and no leaks.

One theory that might explain why some get leaks with synthetic and some don't is that there are different types of synthetic.

2 main types currently available are:

The original true synthetic containing polyalphaolefins (PAO) which are called group IV oils

Group III which are highly refined mineral oils and group III+ oils which are derived from natural gas.

Most moderately priced synthetic these days will be either Group III or III+ and that's what I've been using. The Mobil 1 that Bob tried years ago will have been Group IV PAO.

[Luca]

Mobil 1 V-twin 20w50 is a good oil according to the spec sheets.  It has good resistance to shearing and a healthy amount of zddp (motorcycle oils are allowed to have more zinc than "automotive" oils).   I've run it for the last 7k miles without any trouble.  I weep a little oil here and there but most of my rubber is original and the bike took a 10 year vacation before I bought it.  Rear main seal does not leak.

I also use Mobil 1 synthetic gear oil in trans/driveshaft tube/final drive and have no problems there.

[Einar]

I use 5w40 on my bikes. Also live in a relatively cool climate and drive that all year round. I don't have a preference on brand.

During last year's heatwave (~100F) I had some minor oil sweating on my R1200 but I attribute that mainly to overfill.

I sometimes wonder if we are being brainwashed by marketing and put too much importance on type and brand.
I focus on the right volume, a decent viscosity range and to respect the change frequency in the maintenance manual.

[Tony Smith]

Well, it's a bit hot where I live.....

Penrite HPR 20W50 in winter and HPR 20W60 during summer. Made for aircooled engines, lots of Zddp and a long term 1st class oil.

Second choice on the odd occasion Penrite is not available is Valvoline 20W50 and third choice is Shell Rotella 20W50. The last is a diesel oil so unless you are VERY confident that the inside of your engine is clean, pumping an extremely high detergent oil through it is not a good idea....


As to why etc. Well as someone else said the choice of oil is like what colour underclothes yoou wear or how many and what type of rings, beads, bangles and baubles - way to much personal opinion in it.


What I will say is a couple of do's and don'ts.

Do believe the BMW recommended oil viscosity ranges - the guys who formulated those recommendations knew what they were doing, and did it for a living, it is unlikely that the post-pubescent cash register attendant at your local auto supply place will know as much as they do.

Don't blindly believe advertising puff on oil containers - just because it can last 12 months and 100,000km in some obscure brand car that nobody you know ones does not mean that it will work the same wonders in your engine.

Don't assume that just because wonders are claimed for it and it is more expensive that synthetic oil will do anything at all for your engine, most synthetics are fine oils, but modern dino oils are also damm good.

Don't buy "discount" oil - you do not know what it is and chances are it will be light stock that has been fortifed to bring it up to standard (usually barely) and the "fortifiers" evaporate out of an aircooled engine faster than you can say "where did that knock come from"....

[mrclubike]

Mobile 1 V twin 20/50 all year long
Here In Missouri I ride anytime it is above freezing
The only leaks I really have is the oil passage plugs.
 I really don't care because I am used to having a Land Rover and compared to that it doesn't leak at all.
Heck even my British Bicycles leak oil  

[Tony Smith]

Heck even my British Bicycles leak oil  
 

I have in my collection a BSA bicycle, it is an immediate post-war model when BSA were still subject to supply strictures - not too much chrome.

But it leaks oil, although to be fair that is more Sturmey-Archer's fault than BSA.....

[Kookaburra]

My personal choice of underpants is Valvoline 20w -50w changed every 6 months. Why? it is relatively easy to obtain, not too costly to change at regular intervals and seems to be designed for older conventional engines. i note this is Guru Tony's second choice. NSW is also a little more temperate than the hot as Hades place Tony chooses to inhabit. Mind you I was riding in 36 deg C last Monday. 2015 the hottest year on record. Meanwhile for our North American members the worst snow blizzards in 100 years affecting 85m people. (What climate change in the age of the anthropocene?)

In a related question about oils and heating. Any of you'se (Australian version of y'all) gone the route of adding the spacer to the oil pan to increase oil capacity and reduce oil temperatures?

[Barry]

Valvoline is good stuff and highly regarded amongst the oil experts.

[rdteeler]

I agree with everyone about the oil .But being anal about stuff like this is what makes it part fun,research and discussion.I have 100% percent  faith in mobil 1 20W50 V Twin all year round.I was on a motorcycle trip with a friend that was a oil chemist that worked for a top brand oil company.We were in the Hill country one night sipping on a few suds and started talking about oils,he confirmed in his belief that Amsoil was indeed the best,in  his opinion.But he quickly said the Mobil 1 was right there with it.I have owned 3 BMWs. 1998 R 1100,1996 F 650 Funduro,and now the R 65.My funduro had 56000 miles on it the guy was running Rotella in the bike .I switched to synthetics after I was warned against it,I was told it would leak oil.I switched to Mobil 1 full synthetic  it ran smoother and no leaks.Now the question with the R65 I was told not to use synthetic buy 2 mechanics.But he Mechanic that actually just fixed my bike to me that I could and it would not hurt it.My bike has almost 47000 miles and it weeps a little oil  not much.so Im on the fence .Knowing me I will use the same oil in my Harley on the Beemer.I will let yall know how it turns out.Besides that the price for the Dino oil is pretty close to the price on Mobil 1.

[montmil]

...I switched to synthetics after I was warned against it,I was told it would leak oil.I switched to Mobil 1 full synthetic  it ran smoother and no leaks.Now the question with the R65 I was told not to use synthetic buy 2 mechanics.But he Mechanic that actually just fixed my bike to me that I could and it would not hurt it...

You might listen to the old guys regarding synthetics in Airheads. These Airhead engines of ours are decades old; my newest being a 1983 and my oldest a 1978. Unless the engine's main oil seals have been replaced with newer generation designed materials compatible with synthetic oil, the OEM seals -particularly the rear main and final drive seals- may, that's MAY, pass the slippery and thinner synthetic oils. Next thing you know, your clutch friction material and brake shoes may, that's MAY, need replacement.

I run mineral oils in all my Airheads. And dinosaur oil it's not. Prehistoric plants it is.

Your bike. Your choice.

[Barry]

I'm an old guy and I've run semi and full synthetic for years without problems.  

There's no denying some people experience leaks and some don't.  There's no absolutes with this, the old wives tale that synthetic will always cause leaks on old bikes is manifestly wrong. If you look into the chemistry of Synthetics there's no reason why today's synthetic oil should cause leaks especially the group III synthetics which are really just highly refined dino oil.   Any experience with synthetic oil causing leaks 25 years ago is probably no longer relevant and only serves to illustrate the length of time that old wives tales persist for.

  

[rdteeler]

That makes sense ! I know that the synthetics due a great job of cleaning internal engine parts.I have experimented with it on my Harley.No more metal slag on the magnets since i switched over 13 years ago.