Only the best synthetic oil for my baby

This weekend, my friend Chris and I decided to change the oil and filters in our bikes. I had picked up a 2002 BMW K1200RS in May with 16,000 miles on it and Chris has a 1999 BMW R1100S with over 100,000 kms on it which he also just recently acquired. Both bikes were well cared for, and even though they were serviced regularly by their dealer, one of the best ways to become familiar with your new ride is to work on it yourself. You don’t need a lot of tools or knowledge to change your oil, and there is nothing more gratifying than performing your own service. One of the first things I like to do with a new bike, especially a used one, is change the oil to my favorite brand of oil which I believe to be the best synthetic oil on the market-Motul.

Motul is a premium lubricant manufacturer in France and they sponsor pretty much every racing event you can imagine in Europe and Asia but they are not very well known over here in North America. Their oils are some of the finest in the world and they manufacture a synthetic blend that I am especially fond of, their 5100 series. A high performance 4–stroke ester synthetic blend lubricant that provides better shifting and less wear due to extreme pressure additives and an anti–foaming agent that keeps oil pressure high and heat transfer at a maximum. I use the 15W50 in both my R1200GS and K1200RS and they run cooler, quieter, and shift smoother because of it.

Now that you have the oil, it’s time to consider the oil filter. We used to buy our filters from BMW Motorrad until we discovered the K&N filter which is almost half the money and comes with a nifty patented bolt design at the bottom of the filter which makes it much easier to install and remove without the need of an oil wrench tool-very cool! And K&N filters can be purchased at most motorcycle shops.

We also used an engine cleaner before we drained the oil to clean up any build-up  or debris in the engine. First we warmed up the oil by running the bikes for 5 minutes. They we poured in the Motul Engine clean and let the bikes run for 15 minutes to circulate the cleaner through the engine. Then we got ourselves an oil pan and our tool kit and loosened the oil drain plug. You have to be careful when doing this as the oil is quite hot and you don’t want to splash any on your hands or in your face. Wear protective eye wear and a pair of work gloves when you unscrew the drain plug and be careful not to drop it into the used oil in the pan. The oil will drain very quickly and thoroughly. Let the oil drip for a bit to ensure everything is out of your engine. Then you need to remove the oil filter which in my case is located in a separate housing but on some bikes it is completely exposed like on Chris’ bike and most Boxer engines. There will be more oil in the filter so proceed with caution here as well.

Once your oil is completely drained and the filter has been removed, you should put the drain plug back. Then take your oil filter, dip your finger in your new oil, and rub it around the rubber gasket around the edge to lubricate it and make a better seal. Then install the filter, it’s important not to install it too tight. Screw it in place until you feel some resistance (hand tight) and then maybe add another half turn and that should be tight enough. Close up the housing if you have one and then you are ready to pour in your new oil. Make sure you read the instructions on your owners manual as to where the oil indicator window is. It’s important not to overfill your bike. Fill it up until you can see the oil level, in my case the half way mark of the window. Then stop, put the cap back on your engine and fire up the bike for half a minute or so to get the oil flowing through your engine again. You will notice the oil level drop and that’s because the oil is filling all the nooks and crannies in your engine including the brand new empty oil filter you installed. Then shut off your bike and top up your oil again until you see the oil level mark again on your window.

Now that your oil change is done, you need to get yourself a funnel and pour the used oil into the container your new oil came in. Put the cap on the bottle tightly and either take it to your local garage for recycling or you can filter the oil and pour it into your furnace tank and burn it during the winter months. Your local garage will probably charge you a small fee to take the oil but it’s a small price to pay for handling the used oil responsibly.

Only the best synthetic oil for my baby