Oil operating temperature

[Jin]

Been thinking about how long it takes for the oil to reach operating temperature on the bike and to keep it gentle until shes warmed up properly. I have for a long time started up and let it run until temp is around 50-60 and then take off. But that indicated temperature is the coolant not the oil which reaches operating temperature much more quickly. On my car it has an oil temp gauge and it takes ages for it to reach operating temp 10+ minutes of driving normally. For comparison the bike has 5 litres of oil and the car 6.5.

[Racing Dave]

Why would you let the engine 'warm up' at idle; that's the absolutely worst way to prepare for riding. Cold oil moving sluggishly through the engine's bearings, cams wiping (relatively) slowly across rockers or buckets - it's just asking for wear to appear. Start the engine, get on your bike, and ride. Sure, keep the revs 'low' but not idle low. Oil temp takes ages to come up to the normal range, but if the revs are moderate when the oil's cold, at least the pressure is up to normal.

[AllanB]

I think you are referencing way back in the old days where it was common practice to warm up a engine for a relative period.

Modern engines - how long does it take to put on your helmet and gloves and close the garage door? Then ride until up to temp before thrashing it. Good to take it easy anyway to get some warmth in the tyres.

But you are right - oil can take a bit to get up to optimum operating speed.

[Ocean1]

One of the improvements in oils over the last few years is the viscosity/temp range, they don't get anywhere near as heavy at ambient temps. So the need to warm the engine up is mostly about establishing design clearance tolerances across any bearing surfaces.

In a modern ,(alloy block) engine coolant temp's are just about directly related to engine core temp's, once you see coolant temp up you're good to go hard.

[caspernz]

Thinking too hard, start up and ride, gentle throttle for first few minutes and then go for it. Good quality oil helps of course, but warming up at idle is not a good idea...

[Motu]

In a plain bearing engine heat is put into the oil from shear across the bearing, and is rpm dependent. So moderate rpm will get the oil warm....don't idle the thing. Going down the road at 4,000rpm is going to warm the oil faster than 2,000rpm.