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600 mile trip. Do I need oil?

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anjumkha

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2023 BMW R18C ------- 2024 Kawasaki Ninja Sx 1000
Thinking of picking up my new R18 C from Chesterfield MO and riding to Atlanta GA.

Question: DO I need to bring a quart of oil on this first trip. I heard they consume oil during the first 1K miles.
 
anjumkha said:
Thinking of picking up my new R18 C from Chesterfield MO and riding to Atlanta GA.

Question: DO I need to bring a quart of oil on this first trip. I heard they consume oil during the first 1K miles.
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I've always carried a quart of oil when on the road... (a habit from the 'old days' of cars and bikes), so when I picked up my TC (150 mile ride home), I also picked up a quart of oil. Over 10k miles now and that quart sits, unopened, on the shelf in the garage. I do carry it for long trips, 'just in case' 🙂. That being said, a quart of oil is cheap peace of mind! I'd get it ... you know, 'just in case' 😁.
 
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Cu Dubh said:
I've always carried a quart of oil when on the road... (a habit from the 'old days' of cars and bikes), so when I picked up my TC (150 mile ride home), I also picked up a quart of oil. Over 10k miles now and that quart sits, unopened, on the shelf in the garage. I do carry it for long trips, 'just in case' 🙂. That being said, a quart of oil is cheap peace of mind! I'd get it ... you know, 'just in case' 😁.
Click to expand...
Ditto on this. I ALWAYS have an extra quart or two of oil in my vehicles, and Alcina.

Same goes for coolant (for my cars).

"It's better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it..."

That said, Alcina doesn't burn oil like my X5 35d.

Mike
 
Star-Lord said:
Extra Oil..???: Absolutely not needed on the R18 platform... Especially with the limited real estate the cases already offer...
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I also carry my GS-911, REAL spare tools, and a portable air compressor on Alcina.

I’ve never had an issue with cargo space on her. Because she takes such specific oil is why I carry a quart, versus relying on the blue bottles from Walmart, should it come to low oil on the road.

I stand by my previous truism.

Mike
 
I also recently started carrying my GS-911, a small 12 V DC compact air compressor and a tool roll specific for my R18; however, I probably should customize my tool roll towards Harley Davidson...

I basically never removed the items from a recent long weekend road trip with friends.. One side case is dedicated to the above mentioned, as well as my rain gear and sunblock... The other case is tightly packed with four days worth of clothes (maximum).

The R18 Model B's limited space, has me fitting a Biltwell dry bag to the seat, using a Nelson rig that provides anchor points for longer weekend trips or rally camping..

Screenshot_20250812-043820.pngScreenshot_20250812-043758.pngScreenshot_20250812-043653.png
 
I just got my "600 mile" maintenance done.. no loss of oil. If people are saying the R18's burn oil in the first 1k mi, it's just a rumor.
 
A perspective:
On a Wednesday morning my R18 with 4k kms on the odo was delivered.
Strapped a 40 l. weatherproof hold all in the back and off with charming passenger 2 hours later.
Just under 900 hhhhót (up to 45 C ambient) mountainous kms later I let her cool off before wheeling into the man cave.
Checked oil; no difference.

I díd read the effin manual beforehand.

I bought the thing so I would not need to worry nor carry more than the on board kit.

And a flat with the R18 underway is a too weighty a matter to solve DIY. Got it covered by road side service.
 
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