Burning oil?

[ice-cycle]

First, I am not a wrench wizard, and my knowledge of motorcycle engines is marginal at best.

Anyhow, I checked my oil tonight, only to discover I was down over a litre, after having put in a litre already --two litres over 1,900 km. What gives?

The last few days I have thought that the valves were clicking. I am freaking tonight. First I worry about doing damage to the bike by running it with less than enough oil. Second, I am thinking that either the valves or the rings are gone. There is a bit of black soot out the back exhaust, but not a huge amount. I have never noticed it smoking oil.

I will call the local dealer tomorrow to get it checked. Thankfully it is still under warranty. But let me say I am not pleased. My Strom never needs oil between changes at 4,000 km.

[SergioK]

If you fail to check the oil regulary, meaning almost every time you ride the bike, and the engine seizes from lack of oil, I would find it hard for that to be a 'warranty' item. These bikes use up oil! Depending on how you use the engine, it can consume more than 1l/1600km.


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?t=362425

[throttlemeister]

And before anyone steps in that that is normal, it is NOT. It is called crappy engineering. But I love this oil slurping, vibrating, agricultural piece of crappy engineering anyway. Just check the oil and don't fill up over the halfway mark. It uses more when the oil is high and you risk overfilling, as this thing not only consumes oil, it is also able to hide it from you making you think it consumed when it didn't.

[SergioK]

TM, I can burn oil at a rate of 500cc's every 500kms or at a rate of 200cc's every 1600kms, it all depends on how I use the engine. So 'normal' is what you do with the machine on a regular basis.

[throttlemeister]

I know, mine can too.. But normal would be no noticeable oil consumption between service intervals.

[jduke]

ice-cycle, in case no one's told you, here's an easy way to consistently check your oil level.
1 - make sure the bike is operating temp warm, maybe after a 30 minute ride.
2 - put bike on side stand for 10 minutes - this allows oil to drain from cooler.
3 - put bike on center stand for 30 minutes.
This should give you a consistent reading.
Also, I saw a report on oils once that showed some brands of oil evaporate quicker than others. So maybe you're not burning oil, but using a brand that evaporates quicker. I seem to remember Mobil 1 was one that evaporated more than the BMW synthetic brand. Not sure, so don't quote me on that.

[ice-cycle]

Fortunately the engine is running fine. I think what pisses me off --excuse the language-- is that this high tech piece of equipment burns oil at all. As I said in my first post, I make 4,000 km trips from Quebec to Nelson BC to see my family, and I have yet had to put any oil in the V-Strom (DL1000) on a trip.

Here I am riding a new BMW and it is down oil!

[jduke]

Yeah, but for the price of a can of oil you will still be riding the BMW long after the VStrom is retired.

[signit98]

...don't bank on that, Jerry

[jduke]

A friend of mine got upset at BMW. Quality issues, recalls, FD issues. The whole deal.
Anyway, he sold his BMW's and bought both him and his wife VSrom's. Claimed they were twice as good as BMW's for half the price. Swore he would never go back to BMW.
Guess what he's riding now? Yep, BMW. Claims the VStroms were real junk compared to the BMW problems.

[geothepencil]

You gotta qualify this guy who bought the VStroms and then went back to to BMW a little. Some people shouldn't be riding anything.

geo

[bradzdotcom]

Originally Posted by geothepencil

Some people shouldn't be riding anything.

geo

[geothepencil]

Thats one of my favorite pictures !


geo

[Raven]

Originally Posted by throttlemeister

as this thing not only consumes oil, it is also able to hide it from you making you think it consumed when it didn't.

Now that is funny! but true!

Learned that lesson in the middle of no where Nevada. I wonder if I killed off any little varmits that day

[RBMann]

Who said it burned the oil? Just because it is not there does not mean it got past the rings or valve guide seals. Our flat twin engine is a huge pump, with the pistons moving in and out together. A lot of oil vapor/particles get push all over the place. If you have heard a BMW with a bad breather valve, you will know what I am talking about. Quite a bit ends up in my air-filter box.

RB

[daviddunn]

Originally Posted by signit98

...don't bank on that, Jerry

Sometimes I wonder why you even read this forum. The majority of your posts are almost "anti-BMW". Why is that?

[SergioK]

Cause he has 4 BMWs... that's why!

[daviddunn]

Originally Posted by SergioK

Cause he has 4 BMWs... that's why!

That's why I'm so confused. If I didn't see his signature, I would assume he is:

A. A Honda Goldwing rider, that thinks any bike other than a Honda Goldwing is a waste of money, especially a BMW.

B. A Japanese sportbike rider that thinks anything other than Honyamasuzikawa R/CBR/GSX-R/Ninja is a waste of money.

C. A Harley rider that thinks anything other than a Harley is a waste of money.


I just see a lot of negative feelings about BMW motorcycles, which doesn't seem to fit with the fact he owns 4 BMW bikes, and I would even say he owns some of the greatest BMW's that have been made to date, which I give him props for! I'm not trying to be rude, I am really just confused at the negative energy I see coming from signit98 on this board.

[SergioK]

Dave, it's called love/hate...

I love my BMW's but hate it when they breakdown.

[ckcarr]

There once was a member who missed an oil check somehow. Siezed or blew his engine up. It was a nice bike too. It's rare, but can happen. Oil seems so inconsistent it bears checking every ride. Part of the pre-ride inspection along with the wobbly rear wheel...