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Hi guys. First post and new HD owner here. Its an 09 1200xln
i just rolled 15k miles and am gathering everything to do the service. Im just confused since i read something about the motor oil is shared with transmission fluid on this bike.
i just want to make sure i get the right stuff.
dont wanna make this a dino vs. Syn or motorcycle oil vs motor oil
Hi from the UK and welcome to HDF. Please buy yourself the FSM, there's a good chap! It will answer your questions and tell you what you need to know to service your bike. Your engine has primary and transmission fluid combined, engine oil is separate. The big twins have separate primary, transmission and engine oils.
the "buy a service manual" thing is cool but, at least answer the questions.
"i just rolled 15k miles and am gathering everything to do the service. Im just confused since i read something about the motor oil is shared with transmission fluid on this bike."
motor oil is not shared. there is oil for the engine and fluid for the primary. the primary and transmission share fluid since they are combined on the sportsters.
engine
you can put whatever oil brand you want in the engine hd reccos:
dino or synthetic- again whatever you want..
some folk put car oil in, i don't but i'm not saying it's wrong... there are ton of oil threads out there ... lets not turn this into one
primary
Hd says formula+ or syn3... i've ran both and am happier with mobil1 75w90
again totally your call. none will cause a failure
filter
same story.. you can buy hd's or grab whatever pops up on the cross reference at your local auto parts store like the kn-170 and kn-170c
as shanneba said above, visit this link for the owner manual. it covers basic lubication and maintenence:
your vin is on the neck of the bike and you can just grab a vin of a bike on ebay that i the same year as yours they are all the same for the xl line across the year.
here's the maintenance schedule:
have fun... get a service manual when you get around to it.
I know i should get the service manual but dang 60 is a lot for a book lol
It's small change, compared with what is in it! You'll be charged more than that for an hour's labour at a dealer, so you get your money back with this oil change service.
I should have added that you can download your owners manual, if you don't have one, via the H-D website and the Owners tab. There is useful stuff in there too.
Hi from the UK and welcome to HDF. Please buy yourself the FSM, there's a good chap! It will answer your questions and tell you what you need to know to service your bike. Your engine has primary and transmission fluid combined, engine oil is separate. The big twins have separate primary, transmission and engine oils.
Just to confirm the tank on the right side of the bike is just engine oil? If so i may replace it today.
I know i should get the service manual but dang 60 is a lot for a book lol
yes the hole on the right side of your seat.... read the owners manual in the link or the attached snippet from the owners manual... DO NOT OVERFILL!!!! you don't need to have the oil level at "full".
Hi from the UK and welcome to HDF. Please buy yourself the FSM, there's a good chap! It will answer your questions and tell you what you need to know to service your bike. Your engine has primary and transmission fluid combined, engine oil is separate. The big twins have separate primary, transmission and engine oils.
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Fluid question
