When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I changed the primary oil from Formula+ to HD Syn 80W-140 gear oil on my wife's Heritage this morning to see how well it works in it. With the Formula+, whenever she tried to find neutral at a stop light she looked like Michael Jackson dancing to Thriller. After I finished we went for a quick 100 mile ride for lunch and she never, not once, had any trouble finding neutral. She's also super happy with how much smoother it shifts.
I should have done this a year and a half ago when it was new. If you're having trouble like she did, don't be stubborn like me and give it a try.
I've been running the HD Syn now in my Sport Glide for about 3000 miles now. 1st gear was clunky this winter, right after start up, but now that it's getting warmer and in the 70's and 80's, I've had a remarkable number of absolute smooth "snicks" into first gear for first shift of the day, instead of huge "clunks". I think it's temperature related. It still clunks all the time going 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd, with 4th 5th and 6th being much quieter.
I very rarely have any problem finding neutral from 1st gear at a stop, or from 2nd on a roll to a complete stop. Whatever it is, it's working well for me.
Last edited by Astro Glide; May 15, 2023 at 09:34 PM.
My ‘17 never had an issue finding neutral, and it shifted silky smooth, I ran Formula + in the primary, and BelRay in the tranny. The biggest issue in inability to find neutral is mis adjusted clutch, and over filled primary.
My 17 never had an issue finding neutral, and it shifted silky smooth, I ran Formula + in the primary, and BelRay in the tranny. The biggest issue in inability to find neutral is mis adjusted clutch, and over filled primary.
And Syn3 ruined my clutch by causing slipping.
My 19 SGS has never been an issue either, but this 22 Heritage has.
The clutch in the Heritage is not and was not improperly adjusted. I did not adjust it when I changed the oil yesterday, and now it's operating perfectly trouble free. Draw your own conclusion, but it's pretty clear to me that oil does make a difference and it's not always a misadjusted clutch.
Unless I'm missing something, the HD 80W-140 gear oil is not Syn3.
Lastly, I use Redline Shockproof in the trannys of both bikes.
And here's a mind blower for you guys, I don't use HD engine oil or HD filters.
I changed the primary oil from Formula+ to HD Syn 80W-140 gear oil on my wife's Heritage this morning to see how well it works in it. With the Formula+, whenever she tried to find neutral at a stop light she looked like Michael Jackson dancing to Thriller. After I finished we went for a quick 100 mile ride for lunch and she never, not once, had any trouble finding neutral. She's also super happy with how much smoother it shifts.
I should have done this a year and a half ago when it was new. If you're having trouble like she did, don't be stubborn like me and give it a try.
Excellent information and something I will keep in mind since my wife also has difficulty finding neutral on her Heritage. I'm hoping that between the SYN3 I put in the primary at the 1,000 mile service, a couple more thousand miles of break-in, and her getting used to finessing the shifter it'll get better. If it doesn't, I'll definitely consider the Syn 80W-140.
The product description on the H-D website says it can be used in all H-D transmissions and certain primary chaincases including '84 and later "Big Twin" models. I wonder why it's not listed in the Heritage owner's manual as an acceptable option. Syn3 isn't listed for the Heritage either even though it's listed in my '21 Ultra-Limited manual
BTW .you shouldnt be putting the bike in neutral at a stop light. It reduced your escape from out of control idiot ability. When fractions of a second count, you dont want to have to live your left foot off the ground, while shifting weight to the right, to jam down the shifter pm before accelerating out of harms way.
Last edited by TriGeezer; May 20, 2023 at 06:05 PM.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
Finding Neutral
