owners manual calling for obsolete oil (SG,SH)

[XS650]

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Read the real thing here:

http://www.api.org/certifications/engineoil/pubs/upload/1509_16thedition042007.pdf

I'm not trying to argue semantics, but using a well constructed SJ XW-40 oil will not cause problems. BMW is doing their owners a disservice by trying to dumb down the message. And API did not limit Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, etc. Yes they did limit P to 1000 ppm for XW-30 and XW-20, but even that does not mean death to engines. It's just not that simple.

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I basically agree with you, the qualifying phrase being "a well constructed SJ xW-40 oil".

I think BMWs claims were
1. To keep people away from poorly constructed xW-40 oils
and
2. To sell more of their own "SG" rated oil.


Feel free to make you own estimate of which reason was the main reason

Motorcycle Consumer News ( a decent MC publication) did an oil comparo with some testing back then. Their conclusion was that based on ingredients, BMW's xW-40 "SG" most likely would have qualified as an SJ oil if they submitted it for testing. So would have some of the other boutique "SG" MC oils. The SG thing was mostly to sell botique oils, but not 100%.

 

[Jaybird]

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Mfg recs. , are simply practicing CYA and nothing more.
These mfgs do NOT have a team of tribology engineers testing and sampling all of the available fluids to find the optimum performer.

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