Engine Oil Change?

Due to weather and work schedule, have only put 302 miles on the R 18 since November 2020, should I change my oil and filter now or waited until I rack up more miles?
 
Oil breaks down over time, so I like to replace oil both by mileage and time. My /5 is 50 years old, so I only do 300-800 miles a year on it, but I still change the oil annually as I do on all my bikes.

When I only had one bike, I often changed by mileage as I did enough miles to need to change it a couple times a year. With multiple bikes, it’d be unusual for any one bike to hit the mileage interval in a year.

Beyond the oil, look at other parts/fluids to refresh with the bike sitting so long. Gas and brake fluid tend to attract moisture. Tires can develop flat spots, batteries can lose charge.
 
I probablly change oil more often than I should.That being said,changing oil is one of the few(BEST) things the average backyard mechanic can do to maintain the bikes longevity.I change the oil every 3,000 to 3500 miles.
98,000 on my 2014 Indian #458(sold)
46,000 on my 2017 Indian(having a 116 bbq w/headwork valves, chrome moly pushrods, lifters,barnett clutch)it will be completed next week.
13,000 on my BMW R18C
9,500 on my 2020 Gladiator Which I have changed 3 times and will change at 10,000 this month.

I change oil in a new vehicle at 500 then 2000 then 3,500 miles.
 
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Due to weather and work schedule, have only put 302 miles on the R 18 since November 2020, should I change my oil and filter now or waited until I rack up more miles?
change it, or do it at the 600mile service.
 
On the issue of oil change, is a 20w-50 weight oil similar across all brands? It would seem to me to be so.
 
On the issue of oil change, is a 20w-50 weight oil similar across all brands? It would seem to me to be so.
BMW spec is for SAE 15W-50, API SJ / JASO MA2. As long as the oil meets those specs it is fine no matter the brand.

The second part is important though. Just a weight and viscosity value like 15W-50 matching may not be enough. Regular car oil could be an issue as many motorcycles share oil across clutch, transmission and engine. As modern car oils have friction modifiers, this could cause the clutch to slip if used in a motorcycle. MA2 is a higher spec oil specifically for motorcycles with catalytic converters.
 
Hi, after looking on the internet to find out if an alternative cheaper oil is available that meets the spec's BMW requires for the r18 I ran across the following.
The book says the oil in 2022 r18 should meet this spec...15w50 API SJ/JASO,MA2
Well I did not know what the "SJ" meant so I went searching and found this...
What does API SJ mean?
API Service Category
API Service Category SJ was first introduced in 1996 for use in gasoline engines and is not suitable for use in engines introduced after 2001. API SJ oils are typically high HTHS (≥ 3.5cP) SAE 10W-40, 15W-40 and 20W-50 based on API Group I or Group II base oils.
And I see "is not suitable for use in engines introduced after 2001" so I'm like what the heck has BMW lost their mind? My was built in 2020???
I continued to search cause I see Mobile one Synth has a API of SN and meets all the other criteria...
Can I use SN oil instead of SJ?
For recent oil, the higher specification will supersede the lower letter grade. For example, if we have an oil with specification SN, it can also be used for vehicles which request API SM, SL and SJ; it is backward compatible.
Jan 9, 2021
SO looking at Mobile one full synthetic for $26 instead of $60 for BMW labeled oil that appears to be a lower spec oil sounds like a good deal to me.
https://www.amazon.com/Mobil-Advanc...d_r=7d5b6137-f8d8-4f1e-828a-c2527d92bb7f&th=1
I asked the service guy what he thought and all he said is keep every single receipt for oil and filters that I purchase cause if anything goes wrong I will need to prove I used proper oil.
What do you guys think am I way off or is it miller time :)
 
My thoughts.... we are in the world of air cooled engines.. ie R18... so "generic" words used in the modern engine world are less relevant than manufacturer and bike model "specific words" in the context of a large, slow reving air cooled thing.

Fwiw... lots in the modern air cooled boxer owners world think that for the first 20,000km or so a non synthetic oil is best to "run in" the motor.

If worried about warranty... just use the BMW product... unlikey to send you poor.
 
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My thoughts.... we are in the world of air cooled engines.. ie R18... so "generic" words used in the modern engine world are less relevant than manufacturer and bike model "specific words" in the context of a large, slow reving air cooled thing.

Fwiw... lots in the modern air cooled boxer owners world think that for the first 20,000km or so a non synthetic oil is best to "run in" the motor.

If worried about warranty... just use the BMW product... unlikey to send you poor.
Thanks for the input, I remember when I use to ride all over the nation on a 650 Triumph, I used, used oil, recycled oil just about anything except cooking oil to keep it on the road. lol. I plan on keeping the r18 for along time so I am being a bit more careful about the oil. Thanks again.
 
Hi, after looking on the internet to find out if an alternative cheaper oil is available that meets the spec's BMW requires for the r18 I ran across the following.
The book says the oil in 2022 r18 should meet this spec...15w50 API SJ/JASO,MA2
Well I did not know what the "SJ" meant so I went searching and found this...
What does API SJ mean?
API Service Category
API Service Category SJ was first introduced in 1996 for use in gasoline engines and is not suitable for use in engines introduced after 2001. API SJ oils are typically high HTHS (≥ 3.5cP) SAE 10W-40, 15W-40 and 20W-50 based on API Group I or Group II base oils.
And I see "is not suitable for use in engines introduced after 2001" so I'm like what the heck has BMW lost their mind? My was built in 2020???
I continued to search cause I see Mobile one Synth has a API of SN and meets all the other criteria...
Can I use SN oil instead of SJ?
For recent oil, the higher specification will supersede the lower letter grade. For example, if we have an oil with specification SN, it can also be used for vehicles which request API SM, SL and SJ; it is backward compatible.
Jan 9, 2021
SO looking at Mobile one full synthetic for $26 instead of $60 for BMW labeled oil that appears to be a lower spec oil sounds like a good deal to me.
https://www.amazon.com/Mobil-Advanc...d_r=7d5b6137-f8d8-4f1e-828a-c2527d92bb7f&th=1
I asked the service guy what he thought and all he said is keep every single receipt for oil and filters that I purchase cause if anything goes wrong I will need to prove I used proper oil.
What do you guys think am I way off or is it miller time :)
At least by me, the BMW oil is ~$16, not $60 per quart. A full oil change kit with filter, crush ring & 5 quarts is $98. Assuming you were referring to the the total cost for 5 quarts, it is a good savings, but put it in the context of how often you change the oil, $34 saved every 6000 miles is ~1/2 penny a mile. Is that worth the risk of a warranty denial?
 
But does it have ground up unicorn horn bits and fairy dust in it? ... oh f..k i should not post drunk ... sigh
.. anyway in all sincerity if an oil meets the specs required by the manufacturer of the engine, you should be good .. I have my own preferences and they come from way back ... Bel-Ray .. makes a 15-50 'Thumper Oil' that I use .. I am not advertising that oil ... it is just what I use ... oil that meets the specs it is what it is .... if you are worried about resale and papertrail then go with the recommended maintenance intervals and pay the premium to keep your virtual warranty alive .... if you are just a rider buy good grade oil ... do it yourself and know it is done right!!!! and don't pay some 'authority' premium bucks for woodoo ¢rap ... end of rant 😁
 
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