Harley oils
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 404
Likes: 0
From: L.A. (Lower Alabama)
HD was such a complete butt about warranty work if you werent using their oil, that lots of folks wont use their stuff at all. This of course applies to do it yourselfers. Those that take it in every 5 and dont know where the filler holes are, they use HD oil exclusively. I use Formula + in the primary. Works best of 5 Ive tried.
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Intermediate
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
I hear so much about all the other brands like Amsoil, spectro, Mobile, Is there really that much difference? To me its like all my hunting buddies, They all hunt with bennillis, brownings, me I just shoot my mossberg and kill just as many turkeys. Most of the time more. I am new to this and just curious.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,959
Likes: 1,988
From: CA
I've read lots of "oil threads" on line, and read up on oil reports by the "experts", and seen the results of tests done on heavy equipment oils where I work, and after all that I use whatever brand of 20-50 synthetic I can find when it's oil change time. More often than not it's HD oil, but I have used Mobile 1, Mobile 1 V-Twin, Castrol, Amsoil, and others. As long as you use a decent name brand and change it at least every 5,000 miles, I don't think it matters much.
I use synthetic because it holds up better in high heat conditions, since where I live temps often get above 100 in the summer.
I usually change my oil a little more often than the factory recomends, usually 3-4,000 miles for the motor, and do the trans and primary every other motor oil change.
My '00 SERG has about 108,000 miles on it now, with zero problems, other than the usual cam chain tensioners replaced with S+S gear drive cams at 57,000 mi.
Just my $.02, take it for what you paid for it.
I use synthetic because it holds up better in high heat conditions, since where I live temps often get above 100 in the summer.
I usually change my oil a little more often than the factory recomends, usually 3-4,000 miles for the motor, and do the trans and primary every other motor oil change.
My '00 SERG has about 108,000 miles on it now, with zero problems, other than the usual cam chain tensioners replaced with S+S gear drive cams at 57,000 mi.
Just my $.02, take it for what you paid for it.
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Stage IV
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
I only ever seen failures in transmissions from people using synthetic oil. Its just too thin to properly protect needle bearings and what not. That being said, I prefer HD 20W50. It's formulated to be....tacky. It sticks to things (rollers, rockers, lifters, bearings) ect ect. And, it's made to a certain spec. If it doesn't pass the test with the MoCo, it doesn't reach your bike. Period.
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