Technical advice : BMW R1150S oil consumption

MCN expert Chris Dabbs is here to answer any questions you have on anything bike related.

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Q. My new BMW R1150S seems to be using quite a lot of oil. The spark plugs also seem to be getting a little black. Is it because this bike is sportier than previous generations and therefore gets ridden harder?

I haven’t had these problems with other maker’s bikes I’ve owned from new.
Ray Pickering, Ipswich

A. If you’ve stuck to the usual running-in period outlined in your handbook, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.

BMWs, even their latest twins like the 1150S are notorious for taking ages. A lot of fans reckon they don’t start to loosen up until they’ve covered 10,000 miles and they are only at their best over 30,000 miles. It’s why they prove so popular as long-distance touring bikes.

Don’t worry about the oil consumption, as it should settle down once the bike has been run-in.

The sooty plug is a different problem. It sounds like there is a fuel/air mixture problem. The dealer should be able to adjust it.

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