Engine Life and Another Oil Thread
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Club Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,320
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From: Boynton Beach, FloriDuh
Engine Life and Another Oil Thread
After seeing another thread on here today about Sporty engine life expectancy, I though I'd share a recent oil analysis I had done by Blackstone Labs on my 04 Sporty. I took the oil sample last month when doing an oil change.
Miles on the bike - 78,675
Miles on the oil - 4,575
The motor has been run exclusively on Mobil-1 15w-50 (silver cap) synthetic "automotive" motor oil since new, not the $$$$ V-Twin labeled oil.
Even if you don't understand all of the data in the report, the Comments section of the report is easy to understand.
You can't convince me that spending big $$$ on the "boutique" V-Twin labeled stuff is anything more than money down the drain.
FYI - This motor has never even had a rocker cover off, let alone engine work.
Miles on the bike - 78,675
Miles on the oil - 4,575
The motor has been run exclusively on Mobil-1 15w-50 (silver cap) synthetic "automotive" motor oil since new, not the $$$$ V-Twin labeled oil.
Even if you don't understand all of the data in the report, the Comments section of the report is easy to understand.
You can't convince me that spending big $$$ on the "boutique" V-Twin labeled stuff is anything more than money down the drain.
FYI - This motor has never even had a rocker cover off, let alone engine work.
Those v-twin oils are expensive because they meet a JASO spec.....for shared sumps. We don't have that problem. Even when I had my yamaha I used rotella t-6. It's JASO approved too. All this oil talk is such bullshit. Use synthetic,go 5000 miles or so and change it. Done deal. On Dino go 3000 miles. It gets cooked quicker with the high temps our bikes see.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,932
Likes: 45
From: Stockbridge GA
The ONLY way to know what your oil is doing is to have it tested like you did. People can spout all the claims they want, they mean nothing unless they back it up with an analysis. Ill take your statement a step further when you say the V Twin oil is money down the drain. I say the mobile 1 synthetic you used is also money down the drain. A modern dino oil in the viscosity recommended by the manufacture would do just as well. Though I havent done it on my bike, I have on several cars and my diesel excursion. They always recommend longer change intervals because the dino oil is doing its job. They wont come out and recomend an oil but they do say dino oils work just fine. And they have tested MILLIONS of oil samples.
Heres a qoute on their FAQs
Heres a qoute on their FAQs
What's the best oil to use?
Ah, the million dollar question. We are an independent lab, so we don't make recommendations. It has been our experience that oil is oil, and either petroleum or synthetic-based oil will work well for just about any engine.
Ah, the million dollar question. We are an independent lab, so we don't make recommendations. It has been our experience that oil is oil, and either petroleum or synthetic-based oil will work well for just about any engine.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,604
Likes: 38
From: Landrum, SC , elevation 986'
After seeing another thread on here today about Sporty engine life expectancy, I though I'd share a recent oil analysis I had done by Blackstone Labs on my 04 Sporty. I took the oil sample last month when doing an oil change.
Miles on the bike - 78,675
Miles on the oil - 4,575
The motor has been run exclusively on Mobil-1 15w-50 (silver cap) synthetic "automotive" motor oil since new, not the $$$$ V-Twin labeled oil.
Even if you don't understand all of the data in the report, the Comments section of the report is easy to understand.
You can't convince me that spending big $$$ on the "boutique" V-Twin labeled stuff is anything more than money down the drain.
FYI - This motor has never even had a rocker cover off, let alone engine work.
Miles on the bike - 78,675
Miles on the oil - 4,575
The motor has been run exclusively on Mobil-1 15w-50 (silver cap) synthetic "automotive" motor oil since new, not the $$$$ V-Twin labeled oil.
Even if you don't understand all of the data in the report, the Comments section of the report is easy to understand.
You can't convince me that spending big $$$ on the "boutique" V-Twin labeled stuff is anything more than money down the drain.
FYI - This motor has never even had a rocker cover off, let alone engine work.
Looks like a clean bill of health.
Thread Starter
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Club Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,320
Likes: 306
From: Boynton Beach, FloriDuh
The ONLY way to know what your oil is doing is to have it tested like you did. People can spout all the claims they want, they mean nothing unless they back it up with an analysis. Ill take your statement a step further when you say the V Twin oil is money down the drain. I say the mobile 1 synthetic you used is also money down the drain. A modern dino oil in the viscosity recommended by the manufacture would do just as well. Though I havent done it on my bike, I have on several cars and my diesel excursion. They always recommend longer change intervals because the dino oil is doing its job. They wont come out and recomend an oil but they do say dino oils work just fine. And they have tested MILLIONS of oil samples.
At less than $5.00 per quart, the Mobil-1 15w-50 is a bargain in my book.
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Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 711
Likes: 0
From: Eastern Shore, MD
Actually, my reason for using synthetic is quite simple and again based on "testing". With synthetic oil, the motor runs "measurably" ~20* cooler, and for an air cooled motor in the hotter climate here, that's a noticeable benefit.
At less than $5.00 per quart, the Mobil-1 15w-50 is a bargain in my book.
At less than $5.00 per quart, the Mobil-1 15w-50 is a bargain in my book.
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,932
Likes: 45
From: Stockbridge GA
Actually, my reason for using synthetic is quite simple and again based on "testing". With synthetic oil, the motor runs "measurably" ~20* cooler, and for an air cooled motor in the hotter climate here, that's a noticeable benefit.
At less than $5.00 per quart, the Mobil-1 15w-50 is a bargain in my book.
At less than $5.00 per quart, the Mobil-1 15w-50 is a bargain in my book.