If HD will not publish the ratings that is a good enough reason to go with a company that does. If you buy without knowledge about something I have a bridge to sell, real cheap.

 

Main thing, buy the correct viscosity to put in the Harley and changed it when needed. Just because it is black, it does not mean it is worn out either.

Some people worry about a problem that doesn't even exist. Just like some will badmouth a certain oil, even though there is no record of engine failure due to using that particular oil.

 

First Harley Davidson does NOT make oil. They sell an oil with thier name and make a profit from it. Does any of the old timers remember when they started to sellH-D brand oil??

Who told you that H-D lab tested and durability tested the oil on thier engines?????? I remember when H-D claimed that Syn oil was bad for thier engines (they didn't sell it at that time). Now that they sell a Syn its not only good but you can use it in all three holes......

You say "I don't think that H-D would skimp on quality knowing that OIL could make or break their engines." I see you don't have any shovels or older listed on you signature. You might want to talk to some old timers about the history of H-D.


Buy the way you can still find old snowmobiles, golfcarts, minibikes, etc. with the H-D name on them.

 

All of those are previously owned motors....averaged 40K in 11 months on each of them during my previous employment until retirement. Always traded andand stayed onnewer equipment because of the warranty and it was a toolof my employment.Nothing wrong with any of them.
I guess we might have gotten off on the wrong track and a bad start, but I do object to statements about "Harley" mentality. It sounds condescending and makes one look like they can't make an informed decision or have a choice.

 

[quote]ORIGINAL: DirtyDave

First Harley Davidson does NOT make oil. They sell an oil with thier name and make a profit from it. Does any of the old timers remember when they started to sellH-D brand oil??

Who told you that H-D lab tested and durability tested the oil on thier engines??????
There are TEST facilities in Talledega,AL / Mesa, AZ and in Florida. These tests were for the formulation of H-D oil not other oils in an H-D engine.



I remember when H-D claimed that Syn oil was bad for thier engines (they didn't sell it at that time). Now that they sell a Syn its not only good but you can use it in all three holes......
Well maybe there were changes in H-D engine engineering, advances in metalurgy and oil technology that now supports the use of Syn oil.

You say "I don't think that H-D would skimp on quality knowing that OIL could make or break their engines." I see you don't have any shovels or older listed on you signature. You might want to talk to some old timers about the history of H-D.
Now that is funny....I had some older chevy's that drank oil too. Cylinder walls wore out at 50k miles...the oil that was available at the timewas the oil that was available at that time. Ask if any manufacturer what they would say to dropping 4-5 quarts of 1960 era Amalie into newer engines.


Buy the way you can still find old snowmobiles, golfcarts, minibikes, etc. with the H-D name on them.
You missed the point completely.....H-D is not comptetive in the oil market outside of H-D. H-D does not try to market their oil for any other type of equipment or vehicles outside of what they manufacture. Other oil companies are competing in all kinds of markets. H-D is not trying to market their oil for trucks, cars or anything else other than H-D.


Lastly, I did not initiate this post to start a fight or arguement. Icreated this post to stir thinking. I did not mean to offend anyone and I don't care what oil you use. I just posted food for thought. And the question still is "Do you Really Know?"

 

I believe that if I were to walk into any store that sells oil and I picked whatevermajorbrandwas the least expensive that day, as long as it met the mininum API ratings and viscosityrecommendations for whatever engine I have, there would be no difference in the longevity of my engine. Today competition is so feirce thatany majorbrand of oil is more thenup to the task providing the specs are met. How many posts do we see that, "my engine wore out due tothe wrongbrand of oil"? Can anyone prove that I am wrong?

 

A large majority of the guys I know with 'high mileage' bikes (over 80,000 miles), are running regular Mobil 1 15W50, which runs what, around $3.00 a quart in bulk....

Other guys run whatever 15W-50 or 20W-50 that happens to be available at a good price when they decide to change oil and filter, and I've never heard of an engine failure in which the type of oil being used was to blame, and that's here in the lower midwest where temperatures range from well over 100 in the summer, and can dip to minus 15 in the winter...

The V-Twins aren't high RPM engines, and if you change the oil and filter at reasonable intervals they could care less what you 'feed them'.

It's the bike owners, not the bikes themselves, that worry and fret so much about the type of oil being used.

The oil companies 'brain washing' and 'marketing' are doing a great jobin making some believe that nothing but the latest and greatest $9.00+ a quart 'motorcycle specific' oil is worth consideration.

 

Was there a point to the original post? I must have missed it after reading it twice

If the harley oil is so good and has been tested over many many miles as mentioned above, why is it then that formula+ is recommended in the transmissions and primary now instead and also now the synthetic oil is alright for the harley engines, must be the new bearings that don't skate any more that did this?

 

I just wanted to pose the question...If H-D has no API ratings of their oil...how in the world does a person determine if their particular brand is any better or any worse. H-D has their oil blended to meet their standardsfor the engineoilto properly perform and tests it in runniing engines for durability to ensure it is gonna do what they want it to do.

Formula plus. I guess they wanted to save you a couple of bucks.....I have not said anything about primary or transmission inany of myposts. H-D Syn oil is alright for H-D engines...H-D does not endorse other Syn oils.....maybe they make the bearings skate, I don't know.

If it costs too much..."they are making a killin" and if H-D sold their oil for 50 cents a quart it would be "I wouldn't run that cheap stuff in my scoot".

 

I use to agree but, I have heard of old american v-8's with flat tappets that are having trouble because of the formulation of today's oils. I can't remember exactly what but I have the info at home. I own a 67 Mercury Cougar and a 73 Chevy pickup so it got my attention. I had a good friend who use to run nothing but 20W-50 Penzoil in his 1984 Evo Softail (motor & Primary), all the way uptil 1990 when he lost the bike in a devorce.

Syn work great in old Shovels, I have two brothers running Amsoil in thiers and they are really happy with it. One is rebuilding an old Pan and if he plans on uses Syn.

As far as H-D oil being the best oil for a Harley... if you believe that then I have some beach front property here in AZ you might be interested in!