Started using Syn 3 in late 2003. Been looking into Mobil 1 but itis hard to find 20-50 here. In the desert I want the 20-50.The price is within $.25 cents, so one buck to oggle the hoochies in motor clothes,per oil change,priceless. I'll stick with Syn 3 for now.

 

Yeah, and your bearings will skate & get flat spots too!

RR

 

Jeepster, hate to tell you this but there IS a difference in some oils these days. More and more auto oils are coming with more friction reducing additives(usually molybdenum) that meet "ENERGY CONSERVING" API specs. These oils have caused many clutch packs to slip badly in many different bikes. Yes, a few years ago, the car oil was fine in a bike and there are still some oils for cars that would be OK. What you need to look for is that term "ENERGY CONSERVING". If you find it on a bottle, specifically in the API circle stamp on the back of the bottle, do NOT use that oil.

 

My Walmart puts the Mobil 1 V-twin 20/50w in a special shelf for motorcycle stuff. Look for it there. Put some in my bike today, I will be looking for improvement over syn 3, if there is any.

 

Mobil 1 15-50 in my hopped up 95"er for about 40,000 miles. Only the crankcase though. A major benefit of owning a harley is being able to use the three best oils, for each application, because of their seperate compartments.

There was a five part article in Quick Throttle magazine called "To syn or not to syn", that I had a link for; but it doesn't work now, so maybe the page was removed. Too bad, because they specifically tested the mobil 1 15-50 against the mobil 1 V-twin 20-50 and about six other oils and the testers came to the conclusion that the 15-50 mobil 1 was the "best value". Its additive package was nearly identicle to the V-twin formulation that the oil engineer even stated the V-twin would have virtually no added benefit; yet it costs twice as much.

BTW: the test mule for this study was a brand new late model [2002?] Ultra Classic electra glide in Pheonix Arizona...and I think testing lasted about 10 months so it was ridden in temps of 116* down to near freezing. Oil samples anylized every 1000 miles by independant labs.

 

Amen on the Mobil I 15W/50, I've been using it andtrust it forouroil cooled Garrett turbo application.

 

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I've used it for about 10 years in my cars and motorcycles. My last RK logged 106k miles, showed no signs of wear, and never had the valve covers or heads off. Compression was 158/158 the last time I checked it, the same as the first check in 1998. Oil temps rarely exceeded 180° on that bike, even in heavy traffic.

I use it for several reasons: (1) It is an excellent oil and I get it from a distributor at dealer cost (by the case or pail), (2) it is a favorite of racers, (3) has been proven to increase HP and decrease heat, and (4) is available at most Pep Boys and Napa outlets. I can get it for anyone at my cost if you'll pick up here in Baton Rouge, but I won't ship it. Two labs tests (one in summer, one in winter) revealed TBN (Total Base Number) to be good after 5k miles, and wear metals were always very low, showing little wear was taking place in the engine.

Most high-quality synthetics will perform well, but this oil may be the best of the lot, which is why most racers prefer it. When I installed it in my new SG oil temps decreased 10°, just as they did in my last two turbocharged cars. FWIW, I'm running RP 20w50 now, but after I hit 5k on this SG I'll be mixing the 20w50 3:1 with RP Nitro 50 racing oil. The later, designed for nitro-methane-burning dragsters, maintains excellent anti-dilution properties and boosts important additives (moly, zinc, and phosphorus). This is the mix I used in my RK, but the straight RP 20w50 will do fine if you're less **** about lubrication. FWIW, the Nitro 50 is about $180/pail (5 gal.) wholesale, which isn't cheap, and is not available by the quart or at most retailers. This is the "trick" mix used by RP's chief chemical guru for his motorcycles. He told me it would increase lubricity 200% and decrease heat even more than the 20w50 alone. The MaxCycle is an excellent product, but I don't feel it is worth 50% more than the regular 20w50, so I wouldn't go there if cost is important. I don't believe in skimping on oil, but this may not be worth the money, as is the case with M1's VT.

If you want to save some money, RP is available by the 5-gal. pail, which is the way I buy it. I'm paying about $5/qt. for the 20w50 and $10/qt. for the Nitro 50 by the pail. I think the former is around $6-7/qt. at Napa and Pep Boys, but I haven't checked lately.

All that said, I would buy from among the usual suspects (RP, M1, Amsoil, Redline, etc.) based on availability and price, as they are all good. For most, M1 15w50 is the best choice, as it's available anywhere and at 2/3 the cost of the V-Twin variant. Motorcycle Consumer News and American Iron tested oil and found the 15w50 to be the equal of the V-Twin variant. There's no reason not to run it in your Harley.

 

That just substantiates everything I've read about the two oils. American Iron and Motorcycle Consumer News came to similar conclusions. If I was using M1, I'd use the 15w50.

 

I have been using the HD 20-50 in my ride. When I got it it had ~56k on it I now have ~78k on it. I was thinking about going to Syn but then I realized that I didn't know what the previous owner used to run and I have heard that when you are getting into high mileage that there is a good chance you will spring a few leaks because of how well the syn cleans. I already have a couple leaks as it is I would hate to just poor the stuff on the ground using my engine as an in between.