Did the engine, trans and primary fluids at 3k. Decide to try Redline trans fluid, looked like pepto bismol, almost took a hit to settle down the black coffee. Curious to see how the trans feels, the F+ that had 2k on it was super clean in the trans, the primary at 2k not so much.

 

New bike? Why are you changing trans and primary fluid after only 2,000 miles?

 

Good answer and I learned a new word. TY.

 

Did you adjust the length of the linkage at all? This happened to me when I was playing with the shifter height and lengthening the linkage to bring the shifter lower. If you lengthen it too much the lever will make contact with the inner primary case and prevent full travel. I came to this idea after my test ride around the block that maybe something was getting hung up or I reinstalled the linkage incorrectly and noticed how far the forward lever was going and tried to slide a piece of paper between it and the inner primary case when depressing the shifter down and it was fully touching. Ended up moving the whole shifter a tooth down and then adjusted the shift linkage and checked the gap and now with the shifter at the height I liked I tested that gap and now a business card can fit and slide freely with the level depressed completely downward.

 

I did, but I checked clearances and I'm not even close to contact.

 

Update after a couple more hard rides - neutral is much easier to find. Every. Time. Must have taken a while to work the new oil into all the nooks and crannies to displace the old oil.

So now my experience matches those of earlier posters. HD Heavy Gear Oil 80W-140 works great in the trans. One poster said it shears down with miles (don't remember how soon) and needs to be changed more often than OEM Manual says (20,000 miles). i.e. - finding neutral starts becoming difficult again. But it only takes one quart of oil, so it's not expensive and is easy to change, no filter either. I'm sold.

Still not gonna try it in the primary. That oil is awful thick for a roller chain and clutch plates.

 

Hmmm...I had a similar issue but the other way around, my 1-2 shift would result in falling into N until I adjusted my clutch. I found for my bike 1/2 turn out seems to be the sweet spot with it being easy to find N and positive engagement of all gears and friction zone of the lever.

 

It’s my first new HD. I’ve had a few other new bikes (metric) and a few used HD’s. The 23 FXL has been a peach, no false neutrals, no shifting woes and the motor doesn’t use a drop of oil. No highway miles, all mountain roads and it’s gets run as hard as my skills allow.

I did the first oil change at 260 miles, the second service was at 980, a 1k service with M1 engine and F+ in the primary and trans. Normally, I run an oil change in the early fall (2-3k of hot summer riding) and one around Easter. Two changes a year regardless of miles. The primary and trans get once a year fluid swaps.

Heard about the Redline shock proof stuff and decided to give it a go and found it’s not my cup. Very thin and could feel/hear the downshifts, dropped that pinko stuff out and went with good old F+ in the tranny.

Most of the gents who I listen to recommend F+ in the primary. On the engine oil M1 is fairly cheap, readily available and has lots of zinc and phosphorus. I’m sure there’s a good bit of life left in the oil I drain out but it makes sense to my OCD.

 

Got rid of the mailbox intake and went big sucker. And it’s good to be back home again.

 

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