One central argument between Harley Davidson enthusiasts (and all other bike owners as well)  is what oil is better for your bike, synthetic or conventional.  Before synthetic oils became available for regular motorcycles, the argument was based solely on brand types and weight.  But now, with the advent of these synthetics all over the market, what is truly the best choice for your engine?  Here is the differences we found.

Conventional oil is rated according to a SAE system.  This scale is used so that you know what type of oil is best for your bike given the environmental conditions (temperature, city driving, etc.) of where you live.  The first number, for example on 10W30 motor oil, is 10 followed by a “W".  This “W" indicates that the number before it is the viscosity rating of the oil.  The lower this number, the better the oil is for colder climates.  The higher the number, the better it is for hotter driving conditions.

For most Harley Davidson engines it is recommended that you use Harley’s own oil, but in an emergency a 40w Diesel oil for older Harley Davidson’s or a multi-grade oil of 10w40, 20w50, SAE 50, or SAE 60 will get you home safely (the types of detergents and additives vary with types of oils, hence the diesel engine oil).

Investigate your engine before dumping any old oil into your crankcase!  Change your oil as soon as possible to prevent any long term damage to seals or components in your engine.

Synthetic oils, on the other hand (before their commercial release) were used in many military vehicles and fighter jets.  Airlines also use synthetics in their engines.  The synthetic oil has been designed not to break down as quickly and can tolerate extremities in temperature and weather (hot to cold).

One of the major differences between conventional and synthetic oils is that synthetics are treated with more additives that protect your engine for a longer amount of time before you have to change it.  And while we don’t want to get into all the molecular chemistry involved in the making of these oils, we should mention that they also last longer in hotter conditions and won’t “gel" in colder ones, like conventional oil.  In other words, synthetics have more additives, which greatly protect the bike from viscosity breakdown. They are designed to withstand temperature extremes.  It may be safe to say that extreme driving conditions call for the use of synthetics.

On the financial side of the matter, synthetics cost a whole lot more up to three or four times as much as regular conventional oil.  But, the wonderful thing is that you don’t have to change your oil every 3,000 miles (5000km) recommended with conventional oil use.  In fact, you may not have to change it until well after 25,000 and up to 50,000 miles (40,000-80,000 km) as long as the oil filter is changed every 10,000 miles (16000 km).  So the cost at first might scare consumers away but the long-term benefits of synthetic oil use are substantial.

However, you will still have to be responsible for your bike’s maintenance check-up every 3,000 - 5000 miles (5000-8000 km) or so.  With regular oil-changes, you are automatically checking over the bike for other problems (or if you don’t an inspection mechanic does).  It might help you find a problem that could be dealt with, that could’ve gone unchecked.  Also, you’ll want to check the synthetic oil every now and then to be sure that it isn’t contaminated and/or that there isn’t any moisture build-up.

With normal everyday driving, perhaps conventional oils work best for you.  You aren’t driving in extreme conditions and you swear allegiance to regular oil.  That may be fine.  Synthetic oil cannot really offer you anything that conventional oil cannot under normal operating conditions.  However, the definition of extreme driving states that if you do a lot of short driving (two to twenty miles) daily, it’s hard on your bike.  And, specialists agree that this constitutes extreme driving due to the faster breakdown of the structure of conventional oil.

Another major reason that many are choosing the synthetic route is that it contains fewer impurities that can cause your engine harm, perhaps to the point of premature engine wear.  With conventional oil, there’s no way to totally rid, filter or clean the impurities from the natural elements.  That’s another reason why synthetic oils do not have to be changed as much even in extreme driving conditions.

You’ll want to be careful however, if you do decide that you want to give synthetic oils a try.  If you’ve been driving your 1943 Harley Davidson for years using 40W conventional oil, you may not want to switch to synthetic oil.

Conventional oils have solvents that stick to gaskets and seals and often cause them to swell a certain way.  These gaskets and seals have been used to the same oil for years and the switch to any other type of oil (whether it is to a different conventional oil brand, or an upgrade to a synthetic) may be harmful.  The oil you change (or upgrade to) will also have solvents and additives, different from the original.  So in other terms, the changing of oils could result in oil leaks and/or a once small oil leak becoming bigger due to the reaction the seals and gaskets will have to the change (not because of the oil itself).  If you think that this might be the case for you (i.e. if you have an older bike using conventional oil), it’s recommended that you not try synthetic oil until you have an engine (or new bike) with relatively virgin gaskets and seals that will be able to acclimate much more easily to the chemical changes of the newer type of oil.

It’s easy to see that that fanfare for one or the other is an argument that has really been explored. It’s best for you to decide what will fit your personal needs.  If you have an older bike, you may want to wait until you upgrade.  However, if you have a newer bike, the benefits of synthetic oils are easily seen.  Again, it’s solely dependent upon you and the conditions where you drive.  Synthetics are shown to provide their best protection above 250 degrees Fahrenheit.  Most people do not know how hot there engine is running.  Being air-cooled, Harley-Davidson engines get especially hot while idling in traffic, commonly reaching temperatures of 240 degrees Fahrenheit.

Driving in cities, where driving times are considered to be more of a “stop-and-go" nature, are considered “extreme" in many circumstances. When the time comes for you to make a decision, at least you’ll be informed of the differences of each.

More information at www.sabrewindrider.com

SABRE

Ah, the great oil debate. It is much like tire preference. Everybody has their opinion. I'm not trying to spark an argument here, but as long as you use oil made for motorcycles, you will get the proper protection for your engine. I ride an early honda v-4, an engine notorious for running hot. I have researched my bike and I find 1 common piece of advice: use a high quality synthetic oil for maximum engine protection. Anything with "friction modifiers" should be avoided because of wet clutches used in bikes.  I use Motul 5100 in my quads and Motul 7100 in my v-4. It carries a Jaso T 903 rating, which is specific for motorcycles. There is nothing wrong with dinosaur juice, as long as it is meant for motorcycles. Rding style/conditiions and financial considerations all play a role in determining which oil to use. Stick to the viscosity stated by the manufacturers, after all, they built and designed the motors, so they have an insight on what's best for them. The amount of km's driven, service frequency and riding style, as stated above should dictate type of oil and service intervals. Lots of wheelies and high speed banzai runs are hard on the clutch, and thus break down oil faster. Off roading is hard on oil too, especially with the new generation 4-stroke thumpers. Keep your bike in good tune, running rich because of a dirty carb or air filterr will dilute your oil.(fuel injection has eliminated a lot of this). So Figure out what your riding style is, and gear your oil and service intervals appropriately. (and pay atttention to the manufacturer's recommendations) Oil changes are one of the most simple and beneficial maintenance procedures to do, and it can add years to your bike's life(less time fixing,less money, more time riding) And that's what it's all about. More riding, less wrenching!!!!

This is just my opinion, some will agree, some will disagree.

I have been using synthetic in all my vehicles for years, would never go back to conventional oil