Gear box and final drive oil...

Best tyres and oil for your R1200RT/R1250RT get other users opinions here.
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SD1
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Gear box and final drive oil...

Post by SD1 »

Looks like the dominant recommendation is to use two different oils in the cases. BUT, not sure why, if they specify the same weight why not use the same oil? I have a 1L of Castrol Syntrax (with LS modifier) in 80-95 is there ANY issue with using it in both cases? Thanks!

I have 1L of Valvoline Synthetic 75-90w as well, also as LS modifier. Apparently not that easy to find non LS fluids in the states?

Will be going into the 8k miles 09' RTP
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David.
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Re: Gear box and final drive oil...

Post by David. »

IIRC, for my 2007 Hexhead, the original gearbox oil was 80W-90 and the final drive was the fancy 75W-90 Syntrax Longlife. The latter being changed at the running-in check and then in for life.

AFAIK, the spec. now is to use 75W-90 in both gearbox and final drive, 1L should do both.

Not sure whether oil with LS modifier should be used.

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David.
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Re: Gear box and final drive oil...

Post by David. »

SD1 wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 12:19 amI have 1L of Valvoline Synthetic 75-90w as well, also as LS modifier. Apparently not that easy to find non LS fluids in the states.
I think this is the BMW OEM stuff, https://www.bobsbmw.com/store/product/b ... -one-quart

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"I believe this oil is made by Castrol but I can never find it in local stores.
This is a special lubricant, so why mess around with anything other than OEM."
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Doctor T
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Re: Gear box and final drive oil...

Post by Doctor T »

I use 75-90w in both. 99% of car gearbox oil will do. I use Smith and Allen Fully Synthetic oil.
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SD1
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Re: Gear box and final drive oil...

Post by SD1 »

I found some Bel-Ray synthetic that did not have the limited slip friction modifiers and used that in both holes. I will say the first ride I took on the bike yesterday was about 40 miles and about 3/4 of the way through it, the gearbox decided that Neutral was an optional selection. I was a bit concerned as it was my first outing on the bike, but it was intermittent and when I got back home I could not replicate it.

Today when I swapped out the fluids, the gearbox fluid was IMO significantly polluted and as soon as I saw it thought my no Neutral was going to be a short lived problem and sure enough, the bike is MUCH happier with the fresh gear and final drive juices.

I was also tempted to do the service with the tire on but I did not have a T25 that I could squeeze in to remove the sensor/fill hole. I used 180ml of fluid in the final drive.

Due to the condition of the fluids, I am going to do a second swap at a fairly short interval, maybe in 1k miles +/-
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