10w60 for South Florida?
HDF Community Team
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 7,890
Likes: 4,451
From: Texas
A cautionary note about multi-viscosity oils. The wider the range, the more delicate the oil, as a general rule.
So you could find the oil appreciably degraded by the time you're due for an oil change.
Not saying this absolutely will happen. Just something to consider.
So you could find the oil appreciably degraded by the time you're due for an oil change.
Not saying this absolutely will happen. Just something to consider.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 4,459
Likes: 2,896
From: Oklahoma
Thanks, Brandon Smith, great information for us borderline geeks. Really appreciate the effort. For the OP, nothing to add about oil but I suspect you are overestimating the temperature you are dealing with. At 95 degrees and 90% humidity YOU are miserable. The human cooling system just doesn't work in that condition, your sweat doesn't evaporate. Your engine doesn't care about the humidity, just the actual temperature. Riders in the desert south west have higher actual temps to deal with than you do. There is no ocean moderation to the desert temps. Unless you frequently get above 100 degrees I don't believe you have anything to worry about. Check your owner's manual and I think you will find a table for temperature and oil viscosity. At what temp does Harley recommend 60 wt oil? I doubt you exceed that very often.
I ran Motul 10W 60 for years in my 08 Road King and never had a problem, no change in oil consumption (almost zero). Motul got hard to get and more expensive so back to Mibil V-Twin 20W 50 and noticed no change. Traded that one with 108,000+ miles for a 23 Road King and am staying with Mobil 1. I am in Oklahoma and we get a few hot summer days here also. At my age, the heat is harder on me than on my machine.
I ran Motul 10W 60 for years in my 08 Road King and never had a problem, no change in oil consumption (almost zero). Motul got hard to get and more expensive so back to Mibil V-Twin 20W 50 and noticed no change. Traded that one with 108,000+ miles for a 23 Road King and am staying with Mobil 1. I am in Oklahoma and we get a few hot summer days here also. At my age, the heat is harder on me than on my machine.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17,148
Likes: 6,171
From: SE Michigan
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,895
Likes: 1,908
From: East Coast, USA
I'm in South Florida.
Have any of you Florida folks ever use 10w60 for its better heat protection instead of 20w50?
I've got Amsoil 20w50 in both my 81 shovelhead and my 2010 RK and both have been running just fine.
But seeing as how temps down here can get a bit nuts I'm wondering if I should change.
.
Have any of you Florida folks ever use 10w60 for its better heat protection instead of 20w50?
I've got Amsoil 20w50 in both my 81 shovelhead and my 2010 RK and both have been running just fine.
But seeing as how temps down here can get a bit nuts I'm wondering if I should change.
.
How many miles per year are you putting on these bikes?
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Joe Kucinski
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 2,235
Likes: 1,210
From: AZ
Tempted to try a 60wt of some sort in Phoenix but before you know it we'll be back in December & I don't wanna start it on those high 30s mornings with that thick of an oil. 20W50 should cover pretty much any temps I'm dealing with.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,165
Likes: 11,261
From: San Diego, CA
I ran Motul 10W 60 for years in my 08 Road King and never had a problem, no change in oil consumption (almost zero). Motul got hard to get and more expensive so back to Mobil V-Twin 20W 50 and noticed no change. Traded that one with 108,000+ miles for a 23 Road King and am staying with Mobil 1. I am in Oklahoma and we get a few hot summer days here also. At my age, the heat is harder on me than on my machine.
I've run several flavors of 4T synthetic, regular synthetic, and dino oil at various viscosities over the years...
I have run Motul 300V & 7100, Liqui Moly, Castrol, Spectro Dino oil, Valvoline VRI, Kendall GT-1, and probably a few others..... They all eventually go up in price and/or get harder to find....
Last year I did a cam tensioner upgrade on a friend's 2004 88" bike. He doesn't do his own service, has an Indy shop he frequents. He's always done the service intervals called for with Mobil 1 20W50.
The inside of his engine was immaculate... I saw no signs of wear. When I test rode my work, I noticed how quiet and how well this Stage 1 88" engine ran. I realized, I used Mobil 1 20W50 when I first bought my EVO in '89. I used it on all my bikes until I started Big Bore + mods on my 2003 Heritage, and 2012 Bagger in about 2013. That's when I "decided" I needed the "best" oil I could find...
After working on my friend's 2004 88" bike, I have used up all my "high tech" and/or "boutique" oils, and have nothing in my supply locker for my four HD Twin Cam engines but Mobil 1 V-Twin, 20W50...
Gonna stay that way until what time, if ever (ain't gonna happen), I actually experience an engine failure that I can contribute directly to the brand and/or viscosity of the Mobil 1 V-twin 20W50....
