Iron Horse,
Need to lighten up a bit. I didn't read it as attacking you either, since I, too, was wondering the same thing.

 

I rode it same as I did every day this week. Been on vacation this week, and today is the first day it hasn't been hotter than Hades and the humidity isn't so high it's almost hard to breath.

Rode south to Bloomington HD and poked around for a while among other places. Not alot of 'social distancing' going on there...

 

Same here. Seems like a legitimate question. Not to downgrade VR1 dino oil because I know it's good but everything I've ever read regarding dino vs synthetic motor oil shows synthetic to run cooler in many verified tests.
I would also like to know how VR1 dino compares to VR1 synthetic oil in heat tests.

 

sorry buddy,i guess society is getting to me some with all the BS....running temp is anywhere from 365 to 382 depending on speed and terrain and ambient temp....i .average mostly around 370 with 70-72 mph cruising.thats what my power vision shows.if i cruise slower,the temp goes down....when i was using mobil1 syn,the engine temp went to 400....and according to my oil stick temp gauge,i havnt seen my oil temp go past 225 cruising at 70 mph.

 

Your oil is below the normal operating temperature of 230°F which probably means your engine temperature is at or around "normal" as well. I think you are doing a dis-service thinking the oil is only good for 2100 miles especially as you are seeing the engine run cooler with it.

Obviously it would require a lab test to confirm that fact.

If you do lots of short journeys with many stops and starts then the oil will need to be changed sooner or you are not doing the service interval mileage in a year.

I am certainly not telling you how you should look after your bike though, you do what you think is right.

 

Honestly, I enjoy wrenching almost as much as I enjoy riding. Today I replaced the stock suspension with Progressive’s cartridge kit up front and 13” 412s in the back. Cleaned up and getting a few chores done to get out for a test ride after dinner.

 

No new tinkering, but a couple of nice 3+ hour rides both yesterday and on the 4th.

I am happy to report that most of my changes have made this thing a lot more enjoyable to ride. Between the new grips and poly riser bushings, my hands no longer hurt after a ride. The newer footpegs are less fatiguing on my feet. Switching back to the Saddlemen Explorer keeps my *** properly in place with no real discomfort (I'm STILL trying to see the remaining rain water out of the damn thing months later though). And those Street Glide Air Shocks really did make a world of difference on improving the comfort of the ride.

I have noticed, however, that there's still a fair bit of oil seepage around the banjo bolts for my external breathers. Sometimes when I hit the kill switch, the engine stutters a bit, and a puff of smoke emanates up. I haven't checked my catch can for blow by since the first time I rode with it, but it's definitely a little alarming. There's also clearly dirty oil around the banjo bolts and dripped on the exhaust cross bar. I'm a little disappointed that this doesn't route more cleanly down to the catch can, as that was kind of the point of the extra cost over regular breather bolts. If it was going to be the same level of mess anyway, I probably should have saved the money. :/ FWIW, I also have one of those Flo reusable oil filters, so I don't know of that is a factor in causing that chugging on shut off, or if that's just one of those Harley Features.

 

I kept my stock air filter and housing and did the conversion in this link. Total parts were less than $10 and total time was a leisurely couple of hours. Everything looks stock except for a short piece of black hose exiting the black part of the air filter housing at the 8:00 o'clock position for a few inches before it disappears down the swingarm. The vent exits about 1" below the frame with no filter attached. When I park the bike, I place a piece of folded paper towel underneath the hose end to catch any following drips (about one or two teardrop-size drips) during the next couple hours. I have no leakage at all around the spark plug boots which are attached to the breather bolts.
However, if you have already switched to a non-stock breather you may not be interested in this.
http://sportsterpedia.com/doku.php/t...ref:engmech05a

 

Pulled off a Memphis Shades Rio Grande windshield and replaced it with a Memphis Shades 14" Fat. Got the Fat and the mounting hardware with HD quick release fittings for $20 from the same place I bought the bike last year. It came off a larger bike (wider fork spread) than a Sportster but some longer bolts and some custom fitted spacers and it fits good and works even better. No more head buffeting over 60......I like the looks better also.

 

This is the best windshield I've ever owned on any bike. It fits my Sportster and my short height (5'6") perfectly, so the top of it is the same height as my chin. It deflects the wind over top of my helmet with no buffeting at all. I look over top and have no visual obstruction at all. Yet, in heavy rain I am able to hunker down and not take a beating. It only takes a couple minutes to remove it for bike maintenance or cleaning and a couple minutes to put it back on -- WITHOUT TOOLS. Love it!

I've tried taller, shorter, wider and narrower windshields. This is the Goldilocks of them all for me, maybe not for everybody.

https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/e...eld/p/58602-04