There’s been an ongoing debate for decades over what
oil is best for your machine and my thinking tells me there’s no standard answer to that question. That’s because there are too many variables — the climate you live in, the amount of time you spend on the road, the type of bike you ride. A lot of folks will tell you that synthetic is the way to go, but that’s not always the case.
Where you live is an important consideration in your choice of oil because of climate considerations and oil flow rates. And synthetic oils definitely hold an advantage in the cold-weather department. High-viscosity conventional oils simply don’t flow in cold temperatures, and even low-weight conventional oils stop flowing at around 34 degrees Fahrenheit.
Synthetic oil will flow at minus-50 degrees Fahrenheit, a serious advantage if you live in a cold climate. Almost all of the wear in your engine occurs during start-up. If you live in a cold climate and you fire up your bike from time to time during the winter months, you could be doing some serious damage to your engine. Synthetic oils also perform well in high temperatures. Some synthetic oils can offer protection at temperatures up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Conventional oils tend to fail at around 270 degrees, although this is seldom an issue since bikes normally run under the 270 mark. But if you have a bike that runs low oil pressure, and could touch the 270 mark on occasion, you should definitely consider using synthetic oil.
The type of bike you ride is also a major consideration when choosing oil. For instance, if you ride a motorcycle that uses the same oil for the clutch as it does for the engine, conventional oil is the way to go. That’s because synthetic oils are “slippery,” for lack of a better word. This can cause major problems with a clutch, because clutches need some friction in order to work properly.
When it comes to the pocketbook, of course, synthetic oils are more expensive. A lot more! There are many benefits to using synthetic oil, but saving money is definitely not one of them. It costs money to develop these highly efficient oils and the end user pays for it. In some cases, you are paying much more than what is considered reasonable, and that may be due to the name of the product. As a rule, synthetic is about 50 percent higher in price than its conventional counterpart.
One thing that conventional oils and synthetic oils both have in common is their ability to get dirty. There are synthetic brands out there that claim you can run their oil for 20,000 miles or more without an oil change. But having that dirt run through your engine for 20,000 miles or more is not a good thing. Your oil should be changed at regular intervals (usually 3,500-5,000 miles) whether you run synthetic oil or conventional oil.
In most cases synthetic oil is the best choice. Conventional oil is fine for those riders who live in a mild climate, change their oil like clockwork, and ride a bike that uses the motor oil to bathe the clutch. For the rest of us, our bike is best served by spending the extra on the synthetic oils.
I am wondering if a good quality engine oil, designed for use in 18 wheel truck diesel engines with the same weight grade recommended by Harley Davidson, would be beneficial in a 2007 twin cam engine. Those oils have a lot of engine life extending additives and are designed for high-temperature operation.
We would not advise using a diesel oil in your twin cam. The wear additives in that oil are not the same as what is designed specifically for motorcycle engines. The additives and the amount of additives used in motorcycle oils are specific to the temperature ranges and friction needs.
I use Lucas Synthetic 20/50 in my 2003 CVO Road King. I have updated to S&S Gear Drive with Feuling oiling system. Have no negative issues with Lucas products !
LOL- extended? OK ya Moran’s….I quess your engine doesn’t make any ACIDS or other metal destroying FLUIDS ….Oh yeah , you have an Acme acid removing filter!!!! Syns are fine, but Fossils or Syns need changed regularly to remove liquid contaminates. Except yours. I’ll see ya when your scratching your ass and bringing it to my shop for repairs.
I’m running Amsoil with the Amsoil Filter and am completely sold on it. Using the Amsoil Filter is what gives Amsoil superiority. One year oil changes now.
I use to use HD Syn3 on every change for my 94 Lo Rider and 05 Ultra. Then after I had installed an oil sump temp guage on my Ultra I tried AMSOIL 20w-50 with their high mileage oil filter (comes in chrome too). I am totaly sold! That TC88 runs 15-18 deg cooler, no bull.
Yes the upfront price is more but with the longer oil change intervals I save $$’s. I now use it in every engine I own including my lawnmower and snow blower.
Macdad
owned many of harleys close to forty years,being a machinist/machanic ive built countless harley motors my pan ran better and cooler with 20/50 conven oil than stright wt.oil the name of the game is to get oil through motor, filter,cooler(yes every bike should run a cooler)as fast as you can back to tank stright weight seems to hit filter and slower to get through it,oil pump doesnt stop pushing more oil in keeping oil in your motor longer runs hotter starts looking for a way out (leaks) as far as synthetic vs conven rebuilt 2 s&s motors that switched to synthetic both rod bearings both under 40 thou miles then there are bikes(tc) running synthetic with 100 thou miles and never done a topend amazing!so i dont know but the one thing i do know is that OIL IS CHEAP comparied to a rebuild keeping your oil & filter changed every 3500 mi and many years of enjoyment but you can do what abuse your motor and you will be seeing me !but that is ok because i like to eat!
No synthetic oil in 60 wt available so my Pan Head will stay with Valvalene Racing 60 wt.
I use Amzoil 20w50 in my 89 HD bagger, I seem to have more upper end noise but motor stays cooler. Im not sure if I want to change back or not. I don’t like the noise.
I use synthetic oil in my 2009 Yamaha V-Star 1300 ( and also in my 2001 Isuzu Rodeo and 2006 Chrysler Sebring conv.) I use AMSOIL in them all! Of course the oil for the motorcycle is different than the AMSOIL for the automobiles. I am pleased with the results in all of my vehicles. If you go to the AMSOIL web-site and inspect and study the comparison tests concerning AMSOIL’S motorcycle oil, all of you will switch to AMSOIL. It is a great product!
i use harley 20-50 in my 103 trust it and keep it changed every 3500.Tried syn in my 86 evo and i thought it got a bit noisyso i switched back H D 20-50 ,i’m thinken i might try 20-50 syn in it this year
AL from ont.
Syn vs conv, well whatever you use the thing is, change your oil often. In the long run you’ll be glad you did.
On the discusion of oil. I was told that the older Harley’s, shovelheads and early evo’s, that synthetic oil would have more of a leaking issue, than regular oil. Any truth to this rumor?
Hey John..Ya make a good point there about the Slippery comment…but the additives are already in the oil..Can you buy oil without the additives??
Google API Ratings for motorcycle Oil’s. Synthetic oils ARE NOT BY THEM SELVES “SLIPPERY”. It’s the additives in both the regular and Syn. oils that make them “slippery” Do your homework………..
Synthetic oils are superior to dino oils for a host of reasons. One is the carbon chains are of equal legnth and the impurities of dino oils are absent. ( parafins, shelac type compounds and others.)
The ‘energy savings’ rating on the container is the give away. Also some use automotive oils in their bikes. NOT RECOMMENDED…..Read the article’s on the Google search…… most will be supprised on just how a good and untrue rumor keeps going.
In the Top End of Australia it is pretty hot most of the year. Mobil 1 is the oil of choice for a lot of Harley riders up here. Most use it in the engine, primary and gearbox. Pretty cheap insurance
’88 Heritage Softail, bought new, always got 40-42 mpg. After 21 years, switched to Amsoil – have not gotten less than 51 mpg since.
I now have Amsoil in my Shovel, Evo & 103 TwinCam. Love it!
Changing oil and filter (between 3 to 5,000 miles) is
most important. Oil does not wear out……it just gets
dirty with contaminating elements which cause wear.
For my 2003 Honda VTX 1800 C, I’ve used nothing but the Mobil 1 Racing 4T 4 Cycle Synthetic 10W-40 Motorcycle Oil since DAY 1! Use the M1-110 Mobil 1 Oil Filter as well. I’m not a hot rod rider by any means. I change oil 1 time a year as this is usually less than 5K miles. Back in the day, I rode my 1981 Honda Goldwing to just a tad over 123,000 miles using Mobil 1 oil. Motor was still as tight as a bulls but at fly time.
I’m sold on the synthetics as well as the Mobil1 Synthetic rear drive housing lube. No clutch problems with either bike!
And………….. the beat goes on!
I did the research last summer on Amsoil and am now a believer!! I put it in my 2005 HD Sportster 1200 with 32,000 miles and I ride really hard, I put 300 miles on it and I noticed a difference right away with heat, quieted down the top end and smooth shifting. I live in Oklahoma and ride when I can so I depend on it to start everytime. 1 yr or 6,000 miles is the way I roll now, go to the Amsoil website and do the research, you’ll be pleasantly surprised and you wallet will too with less oil changes the big companies have drilled into our heads.
I have been building Hot Cars and Riding Bikes since the 70′s. Back then I used Castrol GTX 20w50 in everything. Today I use synthetic.
The High Perfomance Bikes and Cars I build today last longer because I change my oil frequently and don’t mind spending the ca$h to protect them.
Everyone will have there own preference. But if your new to Bikes or High Performance. Use a good quality oil synthetic or conventional and change it often 3,000 – 7,000 max.
I PUT THE BEST SYNTHETIC IN MY V STAR 1100, AND I NOTICED MY CLUTCH DOES DRAG SOME , @ 15.00 A QUART ITS GREAT LUBE , BUT I WILL BE SWITCHING TO A BLEND , HOPEFULLY THE BIKE WILL NOT DRAG ANYMORE
There’s always a gimmick and synthetic oil is one of them. I have owned many bikes and cars and NEVER touched synthetic. I bought my 60 Pan from a friend that owned it for 8 yrs and I bought it from him and have owned it for 26. Hell the bike is 51 yrs old and you know they didn’t have synthetic back then. I use straight 50 in the winter and 70 when it hits high 90′s in Fl. and never had a problem relating to OIL. If you want to be a Knucklehead (Not H.D related) and spend the Cash, then synthetic is your oil. If you use it just so you can add miles before an oil change, I’ll be passing you while your smoking on the side of the road….THE END
I switched to Golden Spectra 4 since the late 80s (or early 90s) and ride from the east coast to the west coast at least once a year, averaging 800 to 900 miles per day. Sometimes in 40 degree weather and sometimes in 110 degrees, and I’ve never had a problem with any of my bikes overheating or having a problem starting. Which I occasionally did when I ran conventional oils. I now run Amsoil, cause I can’t find Spectra around here half the time, but my bikes run cooler, quieter and so it’s worth the extra cost. And yes I do wait to change the oil until 6K to 7K.
Enjoy…
I switched from dino to Royal Purple in my bike (with a wet clutch) and it shifts much better now than it used to.
Synthetic is in many ways superior to traditional oil.
Depending on the application, hoses, seals etc. not withstanding. If its not on the ground after its been in the system awhile, then you are probably alright.
As far as extended oil changes, think about this: the filtrations system will accumulate more contaminants and possibly even restrict the flow at this juncture, some contaminants that are caused by chemical change brought about by heat will still be in your oil, and during cold weather operation excess fuel will dilute your oil depending on the age of the bike and the carburation/fuel injection system.
Go with the manufacturers recommendations for lubricants and you can’t go wrong, they have put time and money into research and development and engineering.
My HD dealer tells me that for our Canadian climate, synthetic oil is the way to go. And I trust my HD dealer!
i started useing synthetic oil in the 90s on my 1990 flhs harley,moblie one , and mixing it with durelube my bike never over heated in daytona ever one i rode with wouled ask me about it why my temp was so low on the bike so id tell them, saw the testing they did on durelube and i was sold never had one problem with the bike in any way,after useing synthetic oil.
I’m with Herg, I use synthetics in everything in everything. I have a wet clutch and have never had a problem with it due to the synthetic oil. I also practice extended drain intervals because synthetics don’t break down like conventional oil does.
My name is Greg Riddle of VTXOA and I am a know it all. All, I will use is AMSOIL because their alleged “Independent Tests” tell me that they are the best out there, so it doesn’t matter what you all have to say.
I won’t use nothing but Synthetics, use it in everything I own, and also practice extended oil drains.