I went for my 1000 mile inspection yesterday and asked about the synthetic lubriant verses Harley-Davidson® Genuine H-D® 360 Motorcycle Oil 20W50, believe it or not the dealer did not recommend synthetic lubricants for the sportsters, something about too many bikes coming back with oil leaks after changing to synthetic. I was somewhat surprised by this after reading all the threads about how great synthetic is and how so many dealers are recommending synthetic.

Any comments?

 

Interesting.....I've been running syn3 in my 05 1200C for about 25k,without leak problems.

 

I have been running syn in my 05 sporty since the 1000 mi service .Dealer recommended and not a single problem

 

And I've been running syn in mine for about 4K with no isses.

 

Run synthetic in our '02 since 1st service with no leaks....The only time I've heard of issues are on high mileage motors when it's possible for the synthetic to clean out built up deposits on old seals and gaskets...then they they start to weep or drip..... The MOCO uses their own syn as factory fill in the CVO bikes..... I doubt they'd do that if they expected oil leaks......Every service manager is different and has his/her own opinion ...... When I took my RK in for it's 1000 mile service I told the Service Manager that I wanted them to put Mobil 1 in it.....His response was "I wouldn't put that $*@% in anything"....I told him to do it anyway.....

 

thats the same thing the guy i took my bike to said (he was a independant harley shop)best to use dino but if you want synthetic he sells harley and amsoil youre choice i left it to him and he used harley 20-50w petroleum ??? go figure

 

Some of the advice coming from various Harley Service Personnel never ceases to amaze me...

 

Synthetic oil can start leaking way easyer than reg dino oil. I have a '05 sportster and went to synthetic after about 2000 miles and it started leaking where the oil lines go into my oil cooler. It's just a rubber hose with a stainless steel worm drive clamp on it and i could'nt tighten it up enough to stop the leak. So i changed everything out, new hoses, clamps and it started leaking again. Anyway i went to a synthetic blend and no more leaking, a syntheic blend has about 10 percent synthetic the rest dino. A freind changed to synthetic and had a gasket on his motor start leaking, changed back to dino it stopped! So that dealer has seen it happen like i have and steers people away from it. It is real good oil and slick as hell and can find a leak like no other but i would'nt let that stop me from trying it, the odds are slim it will happen to you on a new motor, but it can!

 

If a person can't run synthetic oil without "leaks" there are problems with the gaskets or other components that need to be corrected.

Finding it necessary to run a 'thicker oil or dino fluid' is not solving the problem, it's just a temporary fix and a way of hiding the problem.

 

Actually, my dealer mentioned this same exact thing to me. The gentleman said synthetic is recommended but sometimes they see some bikes come back with a very slight leak between the casing gaskets. He said this is because synthetic is just so much more slippery than conventional and it seems to find it's way through the gaskets. He said it's not a huge problem but they've seen it on some bikes. He did not say NOT to use synthetic however. He also claims the engine would be a little smoother with synthetic and recommended going to it after the first 1000 mile break-in.