i think my r1200s is sick

[dohc97]

I did a 250 mile ride today. The last 70 or so miles, the bike started idling very roughly whenever I had to stop. Otherwise, the engine pulls strong as before. When I got home, after taking a 2 hour break, I started the bike again. Again, it idled very roughly. I also noticed that no oil is visible in the oil level window. Could these 2 be related? Did I damaged my engine? I didn't rev it past the 5,000 mark.

[NakedRider]

Have you added oil? If so, how much did it take?

[dohc97]

Originally Posted by NakedRider

Have you added oil? If so, how much did it take?

It was too late for me to go to the motorcycle store to get some oil. Can I use automotive oil instead of motorcycle specific oil?

[AZ-Twin]

Originally Posted by dohc97

It was too late for me to go to the motorcycle store to get some oil. Can I use automotive oil instead of motorcycle specific oil?

Any oil is better than no oil.

I personally don't like to mix oil brands, but I know people who do, and have never hand any problems doing so, even mixing conventional oil with synthetic in a pinch got them home.

Rob

[Bob Hancock]

Originally Posted by dohc97

It was too late for me to go to the motorcycle store to get some oil. Can I use automotive oil instead of motorcycle specific oil?

Geez. Maybe all these internet oil threads wherein the "experts" spurt their genius has caused the bread to fall butter side down. Yes....you can use auto oil especially if the choice is that or no oil. With that dilemma, 7-11 GoofBall brand at 99cents a quart is a wonderful choice.

[Steve Carlton]

Originally Posted by dohc97

It was too late for me to go to the motorcycle store to get some oil. Can I use automotive oil instead of motorcycle specific oil?

My suggestion would be to wait until you get the right oil. I think the oil level has to go well below the bottom of the sight glass before the engine starves. When was the last time you saw oil in the glass? The 12s seem to burn it very slowly, so I doubt that is your problem. Several guys complaining about rough idles, though.

[boxercup]

Originally Posted by dohc97

It was too late for me to go to the motorcycle store to get some oil. Can I use automotive oil instead of motorcycle specific oil?

Sure>same grade though!

[Guest24]

Originally Posted by AZ-Twin

Any oil is better than no oil.

I personally don't like to mix oil brands, but I know people who do, and have never hand any problems doing so, even mixing conventional oil with synthetic in a pinch got them home.

Rob

Is that like saying my bottled water is better than your bottled water. Just check and make sure the oil you buy has the proper letters that are called for in the spec.

[Bob Hancock]

Dudes and Dudettes....if I have contributed in any way in helping to provoke another oil thread I sincerely apologize.

[AZ-Twin]

Originally Posted by Nail24

Is that like saying my bottled water is better than your bottled water. Just check and make sure the oil you buy has the proper letters that are called for in the spec.

What I am saying is if I have brand A in my bike, I prefer to top off with brand A, but if I am in a pinch, which I seldom am, I would be willing to add brand B or C rather than do without.

[Guest24]

Originally Posted by AZ-Twin

What I am saying is if I have brand A in my bike, I prefer to top off with brand A, but if I am in a pinch, which I seldom am, I would be willing to add brand B or C rather than do without.

Most of us are annal about what we choose to put in the crankcase. That's why I carry a top-off quart in the system case. BMW makes that nice little carring case for it also. Yep I got one.

[mkletecka]

Did/does the oil warning light come on? If not, it "could be" a bad coil on one of the spark plugs, had the same problem on my dual plug R1150R.

M.Kletecka

[dohc97]

no warning light came on. the temp gauge was showing normal engine temp. as i mentioned earlier, this rough idling has been noticed in the past.

to the other members in here who also has the same rough idle, has anything been said about it by the service shop?

[mkletecka]

Have not heard anything about this problem other than now. On my 12S, as with my previous 1100S and 1150R, from time to time the idle will vary a bit - even get a "bit" on the rough side, which seems to happen based on weather/altitude & and how hard I have been hammering it. As mentioned, on my 1150R one day it developed a constant rough idle, but ran pretty good, well actually I did notice a very slight reduction in power, which was found to be a bad coil and was replaced under warranty at no cost. Anyway, not to sound like a dick weed about your problem, but your bike should still be under warranty, and I would not worry about, but let the dealership worry about making it right, heck thats one of the many reasons I stay with beeemer, cause of their "3" year 36K warranty and the typically great service they always provide.

Best of luck
Mike Kletecka
Dana Point
Gray/silver 12S

[ckcarr]

I never ride without checking oil levels in the sight glass. Then I check tires, then gas. I think there's this imaginary comfort zone people develop with any vehicle where you believe everything is "OK." When it may have slipped beyond it.

I agree with AZ-Twin. All he is saying about oil is that if you are in dire straits and cannot read the dipstick or see oil in the sight glass then ANY oil is better than NO oil. That means any oil. You don't have time to shop around. You have ALREADY messed up before this problem surfaced by not addressing the problem before riding. Buy anything - the closest Circle K match or whatever, then change the oil when you get home if you want.

[chewie]

if its been serviced as per specs then get the dealer to look at it - under wtty

what if you were to overfill it with crap oil, ride about the place blow a seal and then take it to the dealer...

"tut tut tut - sorry mr ya see you over filled it with (crap) oil - no wtty!" well that probably wouldnt happen, but they dont like you dicking around with things too much

any oil is better than none - well sure, but if its used abnormal amounts, they'll see that when you take it back - but not if you top it up

what grade fuel do you use over there? - i try to use 98 rov but sometimes have to use 95 rov - my bike has run low on fuel and ran rough and i think it was dirty fuel/low grade

air filters need to be checked, replaced/cleaned quite often too - dirty air not good

[ExarKunONe]

Blowing a seal would be very unlikely considering that the crankcase vents to the airbox.

[markjenn]

Originally Posted by chewie

what if you were to overfill it with crap oil, ride about the place blow a seal and then take it to the dealer...

"tut tut tut - sorry mr ya see you over filled it with (crap) oil - no wtty!" well that probably wouldnt happen, but they dont like you dicking around with things too much

Dealers definitely DO "like you dicking around" with keeping the oil level within spec. For heaven's sake, it's the owner's responsibiltiy to monitor the oil level between servicing, not the dealer's.

I'm with the majority here - if you notice the thing is low on oil, replenish it with whatever you can find ASAP. To run the engine low on oil because you are trying to find the "right oil" is just plain silly - like withholding water from someone stranded in the desert because you're not sure if Evian is better than Dasani.

- Mark

[chewie]

Originally Posted by markjenn

Dealers definitely DO "like you dicking around" with keeping the oil level within spec. For heaven's sake, it's the owner's responsibiltiy to monitor the oil level between servicing, not the dealer's.

for heavens sake mark, i monitor my oil level, but after a 250mi ride and having no oil - i'd be going to the dealer, because that would be a sudden and significant loss of oil

[adrianw]

Hi,

On my R11S , I'd now when it needed oil, as after heavy braking the engine would make different noises from normal running. (In my imagination I could see all the oil pushed to he front of the engine by the braking force)

This change would settle after about 10 seconds at a standstill.

Time for 800 millilitres of oil.

Haven't noticed this on the R12 yet.

The most I've ever had to top it up [R11] with is a litre, and I've never worried about mixing oils, fuk, I even topped the R11S up with a litre of two stroke racing oil before (by mistake). Still going fine at 132,000 miles.

Lighten up, there are more important things to worry about.

Adrian