Oil...again

[Black Knight]

Not really got into the forum too much as been away a lot but i've gathered that its normal for the 1100S to use a lot of oil.

I seem to be topping it up after pretty much every decent rideout.
Its an 03 and i've just clocked 9K on it so still fairly low milage.

My worry is im going to the IOM TT for 10 days. Is there plenty of places to get the correct oil over there or am I going to have to carry a load and go without undercrackers for thw best part of two weeks?

[sproggy]

Mine uses between a quarter and half a litre per 1000 miles which is fairly typical of all the boxers I've owned/ridden. Currently on 13k miles. If you have to top yours up after every ride (unless you ride 500 miles at a time!) then it's well beyond what might be considered normal. How much do you put in?

At 9k miles you should be using mineral oil to allow things to bed in - if you're using synthetic then (a) the engine won't bed in properly and (b) you'll use more. What oil are you using?

It also depends on how/when you're checking the oil. If you're not checking it right then you could be over-filling each time and then the engine will burn far more.

[madman]

sproggy, I would suggest that you will not use more oil because it is synthetic, but because synthetic is generally thinner. You can buy 5W50 synthetic which is what we use in one of our bikes and they don't need topping up very often.

[sproggy]

I don't think I explained very well - what I meant was that these engines have higher oil consumption until they're bedded in, and using synthetic oil at a low mileage will prevent normal bedding in, therefore oil consumption will remain higher for longer than if mineral oil were used for the first 10k miles or so.

In theory, as you say, there's no reason why synthetic oil usage will be higher than for mineral or s/s, however having said that my experience with synthetic oil in my 35k mile GS suggested otherwise (it used plenty of it, then changing back to semi-synth of the same grade reduced consumption drastically).

[Black Knight]

Ok, Thanks.

I admit to using semi synth simply because thats what was in it when I bought it and I had a few litres left spare so have been using that to top up.

Average ride out is maybe 200 miles and I filled it from 1/3 sight glass to 2/3's of the sight glass.

Next time it in for service i'll make sure they still mineral in it.

Thanks.

[scotty]

The oil consumption of these bikes is really baffling to say the least. Mine has done 43K and uses a bit of oil if I am just taking short trips running around. I was on a long trip to London/Cornwall and then back up to Scotland recently and was giving the bike some real stick on the long run down and back up. 1,900 miles in 9 days. Checked the oil when I got back and it had'nt used a drop not even a cc ! Totally baffling. Running it on halfords semi-synthetic.

[Daz555]

Just a quick question on oil. Roughly how much oil is required to top up from the lower red line to the upper? I don't mind topping up from time to time but I really want to avoid over filling.

[sproggy]

Just a quick question on oil. Roughly how much oil is required to top up from the lower red line to the upper?

You shouldn't really do it by quantity - just add a little at a time until the level's where you want it in the glass. But roughly 200-250ml, I think.

[Bedw]

The Riders Manual states approx. 0.5 litres betewen the two marks.
It also states that maximum oil consumption is 1 litre per 1000km.
I had the read that over a few times and find it hard to believe that any manufacturer would consider this acceptable in the 21st century.
I have just bought a 2003 r1100s and if it even approaches that sort of consumption I won't be keeping it for long. I travelled 300,000 hard and fast miles on my last three bikes (2 x 130k ntvs and 40k 750VFR) and never needed topping up between 8000 miles changes. They were still not using oil when I sold them.
My early impression of the BM is that it is over complicated where simplicity is desirable (e.g. lunatic switchgear, intuitive only to two fingered aliens, servo brakes!!!! ????? ) and basic where a little technical sophistication would improve it (oil and perhaps fuel consumption) . I hope that in the next few thousand miles the bikes fast handling qualities will override my initial gripes and whinges.

Just a thought - did Ewan McGregor need the back up vehicles to carry the oil for his long way round??

[sproggy]

Reading that, your first post on the forum, I wonder why you actually bought the bike in the first place if you find so much about it unacceptable!

All manufacturers (bike and car) quote a maximum oil consumption figure but few vehicles actually approach that level of consumption. It's all about covering yourselves against warranty claims. Don't judge the bike until you've ridden it a few thousand miles, but Boxer engines do use some oil. Accept that, or sell it now - you WILL need to check it regularly at least until you know how much it uses. Technical sophistication wouldn't help - it's a characteristic of boxer engines that they use oil - the "new and sophisticated" 1200's also use some oil.

The switchgear isn't unintuitive, it's just different. You have trouble with it because you've ridden Hondas for thousands of miles but you'll get used to it. I ride a Honda as well as the S and I much prefer the BM switchgear of the two.

Servo brakes? You knew the bike had them when you bought it, and presumably you had a test ride. Sure, BMW do things differently but it's a case of 'if you don't like it, don't buy it'!

Fuel consumption? I think you'll find it perfectly acceptable for an 1100cc bike - do you have reason to think otherwise?

As anyone else on this forum will tell you it takes a while to get used to the characteristics of the S. If you expect a perfectly smooth, maintenance-free bike then you've bought the wrong one, but if you're willing to adjust your expectations and, perhaps, riding style you'll find that the S is a fun, characterful bike which'll be far more rewarding than you might be thinking right now.

[Twodogs]

And i'll second that
Everything Sproggy said is c*ck on

[chobbler]

I'm sure somebody's said this before but BMW use the original Nicasil plating on their cylinder bores (supplied from Italy!) which is a quality plate, harder wearing and a better thermal transmitter than average cylinder plate. Added to this they use a high chrome content piston ring which is also as good as you get for wear resistance, harder than normal but still engineered softer than the plating.
As a concequence they take ages to bed in. You are encouraged to put heavy wear on them initially by using crap oil, as the chrome skips over the nickel silicon otherwise, then switch to slippery oil when they have honed themselves. Then they stay good for as long as good oil is used. Nicasil / chrome is well known for this issue in competition engine shops. They tend to avoid it as high milage is not an issue.
I don't believe using full synth at low milage ruins the bedding in, just slows it down a lot. Bore glazing is often mentioned but this relates to iron liners which look like sponges under the microscope.
Nic/chrome combo is used in HGVs quite a lot which is where I learned about this from a famous biker who went truck racing.
Name that pilot

[gus]

A mr steve parrish?
Sproggy,s covered all bases.
Bebw,stick with it mate.All will become clear.It aint a Honda.And thank F**k it aint.
gus

[Bedw]

ok, so BMW's burn some oil.
I'm sure sales would plummet if new prospective customers were made aware that they would not have a warranty claim if their new bike drank a litre of oil every 1000km.

The servo brakes work a treat but since I've started riding it theres a small worry at the back of my mind about what would happen if say a fuse blew just when I needed my brakes the most . Does anyone know if the boxercup racers used servo brakes?

I don't expect anything to be maintenance free but the very fact that you thought it worth mentioning makes me wonder how much garage time I'll be spending.

I'm done with whingeing now but what set me off in the first place was checking the oil the morning after I collected the bike from 200 miles away and having to put in one and a half litres to top up. I hope it hadn't used this much on the trip home and am assuming that the gentleman I bought it from had neglected to check the oil in the thousand miles he rode it. I won't comment on the prat who didn't check for himself before parting with his hard earned.

Any opinions as to the likelihood of permanent damage from such a low oil level.

[gus]

Hi
Are you sure you haven,t overfilled it.1.5 litres is alot to bring to correct level.You need to make sure the bike is well warmed up and has been sitting for 10 min or so.A lot of oil can be hiiden away in the coooler and hasnt had a chance to return to the sump.Using a litre a 1000km is the extreme end of oil comsumption.Its an air/oil cooled engine,tolerence aint as tight or consistant as a watercooled bike.Dont worry about it.They all do it to varying degrees.I,ve had yamahas burn oil like no tomorrow.Nature of the beast.I dont think the boxercup racers used servo brakes.I personelly think that abs and servo assist is shit.Again too many things to go wrong.KISS rules apply to brakes in my book!
Unless it sounds like a talbot horizon(remember them)or a diesal truck i wouldnt worry about it.
Sounds like you just need to readjust from owning jap bikes to european quirkiness.Again,stick with it and i promise you it will worth it.The S is a very good and capable bike.Judging by the mileage you clock up,you should be happy overall.
gus
ps maintenance is a piece of piss if you know your way round a socket set.