Synthetic or not?
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,212
Likes: 3
From: DFW Metroplex
Nothing but the best for my investment. Using synthetic should be a no-brainer. Rather than ask if you should, perhaps a better question should be "why should I not go synthetic?".
I realize dino is just fine and if changed regularly will be fine just as it's been for years....but synth is better so why not use it?
The real debate seems to be "when" to change to it, rather than "if".....
I realize dino is just fine and if changed regularly will be fine just as it's been for years....but synth is better so why not use it?
The real debate seems to be "when" to change to it, rather than "if".....
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 861
Likes: 1
From: NW Louisiana
Changed to Royal Purple just before my trip to the 105th and noticed right away the ease of shifting from gear to gear. No more clunk, butter smooth shifts. My mileage went up to 52-53 mpg. What more can I say. (2,392 mile trip - 04 Deuce with over 21,000 miles).
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Advanced
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
Ok guys thanks, i thought it was the way to go, but a friend of mine who i tried to convince to go this route was telling me that i should do research, but i told him no trust me synthetic is the way to go, mine will be all synthentic, now i will try to convince him as well, he has an 09 FATBOY, again thanks guys and next week it will be all synthentic AMSOIL on my FATTY!
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 10,033
Likes: 29
Because I'm cheap and don't feel the need.....72k on 2 buck a quart dino and she still runs like new, doesn't smoke, and doesn't need oil added between changes.
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Road Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,133
Likes: 6
From: Londonderry, NH
i'm no mechanic, but I have access to some of the best around where i live. There is a school of thought around here that says, until they come up with a straight weight synthetic, a good conventional oil is the way to go.
R&R cycles in manchester swears by torco oil mpz. I called them to inquire on the whole synth vs dino dilemma and he gave me a very long and way over my head answer. He explained that while synthetic is a better lubricant, conventional is better for hydrology. Apparently he had the amsoil people and royal purple folks at his facility and he showed them tests that he performed. From what I can remember, he took the chrome oil lines of the softail engines and replaced them with clear lines. He showed how much air the synthetic oils whip up and what kind of issues that can pose for the valve train. apparently they understood why a straight weight synthetic needs to be made.
now, he doesn't advocate just any convention oil. He said to stay far away from anything with stp in it, but rather he likes the mpz additives. He also said that once the companies come out with straight weight synthetics he will absolutely recommend those as they will be the best of both worlds.
anyone that's not familiar with r&r cycles, go to their website. They were rated the number one performance shop in the country last year and are the manufacturers of the borguet bikes. and no, i don't work for them. i don't even take my bike to them.... very expensive. but one of the owners of the shop i do go to used to work for them and shares the same opinions.
I do have redline synthetic oil in my tranny though.
Rob
R&R cycles in manchester swears by torco oil mpz. I called them to inquire on the whole synth vs dino dilemma and he gave me a very long and way over my head answer. He explained that while synthetic is a better lubricant, conventional is better for hydrology. Apparently he had the amsoil people and royal purple folks at his facility and he showed them tests that he performed. From what I can remember, he took the chrome oil lines of the softail engines and replaced them with clear lines. He showed how much air the synthetic oils whip up and what kind of issues that can pose for the valve train. apparently they understood why a straight weight synthetic needs to be made.
now, he doesn't advocate just any convention oil. He said to stay far away from anything with stp in it, but rather he likes the mpz additives. He also said that once the companies come out with straight weight synthetics he will absolutely recommend those as they will be the best of both worlds.
anyone that's not familiar with r&r cycles, go to their website. They were rated the number one performance shop in the country last year and are the manufacturers of the borguet bikes. and no, i don't work for them. i don't even take my bike to them.... very expensive. but one of the owners of the shop i do go to used to work for them and shares the same opinions.
I do have redline synthetic oil in my tranny though.
Rob
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 5,578
Likes: 4
From: Northern California
There is a major thread on this discussion. Generally, a good synthetic will stand up better in a hot engine and has some useful additives. That said, changing your oil and filter at the proper intervals is your best protection. Check out the thread.
