Seems like a lot of wasted oil to me....

 

Wouldn't recommend synthetic oil in primary...can cause slipping w/wet clutch. Best to use primary fluid, or HD Formula+... I did the new engine break-in (30-60 x10 in 3rd) and changed oil @ 100miles to M1 synth...been running it ever synth & change according to sched. No need to swap any differently - just dumping $$$ down the oil recycle drain.

So...for your original question...change whenever you want.

 

Agree

 

The only reason to do use fossil oil during break-in is to make sure the rings seat quickly, and this should occur in the first 50 miles. I usually give it 2000 miles, and some synthetic makers recommend as high as 3500 before changing to synthetic. Road & Track magazine addressed this question in their Technical Correspondence section some years back, and after contacting many experts in the field said that although it might not be necessary it wouldn't hurt to run fossil oil for a short time to speed the rate of ring seating and/or reduce the chance of glazing. How long? They didn't say.

All HD's except CVOs have HD 360 fossil oil installed from the factory, unless that policy has changed recently, so if you leave it in there for 500 or the prescribed 1000 miles you should be fine. I usually change at 500 miles, install some Castrol GTX 20w50 for another 1500 miles, then start in with my synthetic regimen at 2000--but that's just my ritual and everyone has their own. CVO engines may be assembled to more strict tolerances and may undergo a more involved initial break-in process at the factory before the first fill of synthetic is installed, but I can't say.

Regardless, synthetic is best left out of the primary unless it is a MC-specific product with a reduction of friction modifiers, but IMO anything beyond a 10w40 or 20w50 fossil engine oil is unnecessary. I ran cheap $1/qt. 10w40 fossil oil in my old RK and had no problems in the primary for >100k miles, although I did change the stator, chain, and clutch disks at 88k as a precaution.

 

If you ever hang around the CVO group much, the subject of engines burning oil comes up often. Of course it also has a lot to do with how it's broke in, but still. One thing that is for sure, there is no harm caused by using Dino oil. I changed at 3000 miles.

Beary

 

Don't stress over this. Break it in by running the **** out of it with what comes in it. Just never keep it at a constant throttle position i.e. don't use cruise. Never lug the motor. At your first oil change (1000 miles? I don't remember) switch to synthetic if you want to or use dino. Your choice. I like Redline in all three holes. My dad like royal purple in the motor. Lots of guys like Amsoil, others syn 3. It doesn't really matter as long as you change your oil at the right intervals and run the right weights in the motor, trans, and primary.

 

On my last 2 SG's, '07 and now an '11, I ran what it came with until the 1K service. Then I bought Mobil 1 VT 20x50 for the engine, Red Line Severe for the tranny and HD Performance + for the primary and took it in when I had the service done and told them to put it in. Never have had a problem with either bike. Put almost 50K miles on the 07. Ride safe.

 

I'm sure you believe everything that your dealer tells you too.

 

I ran the factory dino oil for 500 miles and dumped it and filled it back up with new dino oil and filter. Ran it another 500 miles, switched to full synthetic and installed new filter.

I read on one of the major oil web sites that the the rings would seat easily during the first 1000 miles. Others say you can change to synthetic any time with no issues. I decided to not take any chances and did the dino break in before switching.

 

I didn't do **** to my new motor until the 1000 mile service, at which time I changed the crankcase oil to Amsoil 20-50, the tranny to Redline Heavy Shockproof, and the Primary to Redline Primary Chaincase oil.

I can't believe it, but my bike is still actually running great, and I didn't have to change the oil at 35, 50, 100, and 500 miles intervals, or every time I took it around the block for a ride. Will the MoCo still honor my warranty?