BMW prohibits the use of SL rated oils in my water cooled, dry clutch K1200GT motorcycle. As a matter of fact, they state that warranty claims related to engine failures will not be honored if SL oil is used. I recently read an article in Tribology and Lubrication Technology about how proud the oil industry is to be able to charge premium prices for SG rated motorcylce specific synthetic oil. It's time to start using a synthetic so my question is regarding the use of an SL rated automotive oil vs SG rated motorcycle oil. I seem to remember that for environmental reasons the SL oils don't have some of the wear additives, such as moly. Is that correct? What do I gain by using the more expensive motorcycle oil?
Original Post