After using up the last of my Mobil 1 V-twin synthetic oil I went down to the local auto parts store to find the same darn stuff has jumped a lot in price. I think my last case was something around $50-$55 and now the stuff is $9.25 a quart. WTF..I know oil/gas prices are the cause but man this is getting crazy. Not wanting to start a "what kind of oil" war thread\\; is there that big of difference in the V-twin oil vs the regular Mobil 1 synthetic car oil which is quite a bit cheaper? I was sold on the Mobil 1 after much reading on this forum, but now I would even consider changing brands if I was sure I would not be sacraficing quality.

 

15w 50 in my SG walmart $22.80

 

TRY&nbsp\\;&nbsp\\; SAMS&nbsp\\; CLUB&nbsp\\; OR&nbsp\\; COSTCO...&nbsp\\; OR WAL MART
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&nbsp\\;"CAR&nbsp\\; OIL"&nbsp\\; SAME&nbsp\\; STUFF.. USING IT&nbsp\\; FOR MANY&nbsp\\; YEARS..
NEVER AN ISSUE...
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I recommend using only "motorcycle oil" in your bike.&nbsp\\; You could use non-motorcycle oil but would need to change it more often as it would break down sooner. &nbsp\\;Motorcycle oil has different additives to fight heat and protect an air cooled motor.&nbsp\\;&nbsp\\;&nbsp\\;
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You could purchase AMSOIL synthetic motorcycle oil online at http://www.amsoil.com/catalog.aspx?subcategory=42&nbsp\\; it cost&nbsp\\;around $9.75 a quart but if you become a distributor for $10 (6-months membership) you get all items at whole sale price.&nbsp\\; A quart of motorcycle oil at whole sale price is about $7.50.&nbsp\\; Not a bad idea if you stock-up to make up the membership cost.&nbsp\\; Do the math and see if it works for you.&nbsp\\; &nbsp\\;&nbsp\\;&nbsp\\;
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No matter what motorcycle oil you use\\; don't put car oil in your bike.&nbsp\\; Just my thoughts\\; to each their own.&nbsp\\;&nbsp\\;
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Ride-on &nbsp\\;&nbsp\\;&nbsp\\;&nbsp\\;&nbsp\\;&nbsp\\ ;
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Your HD engine&nbsp\\;air cooled, your auto engine isn't. I'd stick with oil designed for air cooled engines.

 

How is the price of oil affecting "synthetic" oil???

 

you can buy amsoil from a local distributor with no freight charge i would not use
regular car oil it is not the same as bike oil

 

Suggestions that "car oil" or any oil not specifically labeled as "motorcycle oil" is in any way inappropriate for your bike are not rooted in reality. There are numerous oil tests that have been conducted by motorcycle mags (American Iron, Motorcycle Consumer News, and Quick Throttle), all coming to the same conclusion after testing both M1 15w50 and 20w50, that being that the two are very similar in composition. A friend has run M1 15w50 in his 2000 EGC and recently performed a big-bore upgrade (new jugs and pistons, etc.), and after 60k miles the original jugs and pistons showed no visible wear. Even the coating on the pistons was intact.

Another example is my old RK Evo, which I rode for 106k miles using only 20w50 synthetic "car oil" (not M1), and that bike's heads have never been removed, not even for base or head gaskets. Static compression in 1998 was 155/160 and in 2006 (last test) it was 160/160. At last check last winter the bike had 115k miles on the clock. If "car oil" will destroy this engine, will someone tell me when the hell it's going to happen?

The reality of motorcycle-specific oil is that it is basically a marketing gimmick, and priced to take advantage of mistakened notions that it is somehow better. Tests show different, and my money goes where I can realize some advantage, not on marketing hype. Somewhere on this forum is a lab test showing the results from both M1 products, and the differences are miniscule, the cheaper product actually having more of some anti-friction additives than its motorcycle-specific counterpart.

Any high-quality synthetic oil, whether labeled for motorcycles or not, is a good choice for a Harley. There is much hype on the 'Net and elsewhere for brands that make extravagant claims of superiority without truly independent scrutiny, and my advise to all of it would be caveat emptor.

 

There are a LOT of folks running plain old Mobil 1 in their bikes with no ill effects.&nbsp\\; I plan on doing it t the next fluid change.
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It's my understanding that oil without the energy conserving label is OK....
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I know a lot of people using Shell Rotella T Synthetic and having good results, get it a Wally World.
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I'm no oil expert, just what I've been told or understand.