ok I traded in my roadstar 1700 in for my Harley last year. the Yamaha was due an oil change prior to me trading it in and I have a gallon of oil that I used for that bike. I have a gallon of Spectro synthetic blended oil 10w-40. I am wondering if anyone has used this brand of oil in their Harley before. I was looking at that oil and thinking about going that route for my first oil change.

 

You want to use 20/50

 

I hate to be That Guy, but RTFM.

10W-40 is what's recommended if you're riding below 50 degrees ambient temperature.

 

Ambient riding temperatures dictates what grade of oil you use. I haven't used synthetic in any of the many Harleys I have owned and never an engine problem. Reg oil the proper grade combined with regular oil changes makes for a happy Harley engine. However If I were riding my Harley in below 40' F I would consider synthetic.

 

I hate to be that guy too but everyone gets their knickers all in a twist over oil. Truth is, these HD engines are not particularly high tech and certainly not high reving. They have roller bearings with a few bushings here and there. Heat is probably their biggest boogie man.

If you look at all the bikes out there running whatever oil the owner feels is their "secret to success" and have NO failures, then it is a testament to how the engines could care less...as long as it's slippery. Don't fall into the oil marketing trap, all modern oil is pretty darn good.

Between my 2014 FLHTK and the 2005 FLHRCI, I run Rotella-T 15w40. but they've also had Rotella-T 10w30. They had what came in them from Milwaukee along with some others over the years.

I now have well over 100,000 miles between them with NO ENGINE COMPONENT FAILURES and especially none oil related.

My vote is to make a decision to run a particular oil and stick with it. But it's not live or death either way.

 

I wouldn't if it were mine...

But it is yours.

Do what makes you happy.

The most important thing is that you run oil in it.

 

Go ahead and run it. Please report back every 20,000 miles or whenever you start having trouble. We need more data to accurately answer these kinds of questions every time they arise.

 

Why would he start having trouble? The manual calls for 10W-40 when it's below 50 degrees. He's in St. Louis, and it's below 50 there at the moment.

 

Excellent observation

 

So, you guys that ride during the winter when temperatures get cold enough to require a different viscosity oil than what you use during the warmer/hotter months, do you change the oil, even if it's not time for an oil change?