I have a '06 Ultra Classic and I am due an oil change, and I was wondering if there were any pro's/cons to switching to synthetic oil.. sitting at 47K miles right now. any thoughts?

 

Synthetics take heat better than dinos. That's why I use them in my bike and my diesel truck because of the turbo. The turbo is oil cooled and syn. is more resistent to coking from hi temps. It is however a preference call. The syn. is more expensive but worth it in my op.

 

No pro's , no con's, other than the added cost of synthetic oil and or the idea of switching brands of oil that some find a bad thing.

 

Pro's are the syn oil can handle higher temps before breaking down. For a air cooled engine that's a good thing.

 

..the only reason I run syn..is because I don't want to have to change oil for at LEAST 7500 miles...like others said...there is NO NEED to run it...but if you DO run it...don't throw your money away changing it before 7500...the manual says 5000 miles on DINO oil....so you KNOW syn can go longer....it really don't matter in these simple motors...either or...

 

I use synthetic oil for a lot of reasons. Extended service life, improved fuel economy, increased power, reduced friction and wear, resistance to breakdown, better low and high temperature protection, you name it, the documentation is out there.

 

Here we go again. Syn vs Dino!

It's all personal preference.

I use synthetic in my Ultra Limited and have since the very first oil change. I use it in all three holes. I think synthetic works better for heat. Yes, the cost is a little more, but you get what you pay for (just my opinion).

 

I have heard that the Syn3 isnt all that great... but alot of people seem to praise Royal Purple, is one Synthetic better than another?

 

Oh no now you've went and done it. You asked the sacred question. Which oil is better? Let's see how many brands are out there. Anyway I run Amsoil Syn for some of the stated reasons. Just my choice. My mechanic said it really doesn't matter which you run just stick with one and don't jump from one brand to another. It's about the additives.

 

When you compare synthetic v-twin oils they all are very comparable in additives and quality. You do get what you pay for.
Now do you really "need" all that tech in a lubricant that's up to you to decide.
As already stated synthetic resists thermal breakdown for longer as well as tends to shear slower,have stronger additive packages(anti-wear agents,detergents),again,gettingwhat you pay for.
Many people go many many miles on conventional oil with no problems whatsoever. Same goes for synthetic,I'm sure many millions of miles.
You decide on how much you want to wrench on your bike. Syn lasts longer. So run it longer. Amsoil has a very stout add pack,as does red-line. Mobil 1 has a great reputation as well. Any of the above,well,any name brand oil will serve you well. The bike won't notice the difference.
Pick the one with the coolest label. Enjoy the ride.