Just switched to Amsoil

[mrsilv04]

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Everytime I read a post like this I'm so thankful that the transmission in my Harley has its own sump and doesn't share the engine oil for lubrication.

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Actually, there is an upside to the design. I let my big toe tell me when it is time to change the oil. When it starts shifting funky...it is time to change the oil!

Problem (?) is, the Amsoil has been in there for 4,500+ miles, and it still shifts fine.

You know, I'd ride a Harley instead of a Wing...it is just that I like riding something that LOOKS like it is actually from THIS century, and not from half way through the last one.

 

[mettech]

G-Man:

I had a HD XL CR1000 in the late '70s. I have rode a HD since.

With todays EPA standards, the bikes have to run very lean and that makes them very hot. As such, I just don't know how much longer HD (and Victory) can go before they make all of their bikes water cooled.

I have read a few reports that the new engine may have a few issues because of the high running temps. It does appear that HD has fixed the 6-speed trans issue.

 

[Gilitar]

Wow this topic has derailed.

 

[G-MAN]

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With todays EPA standards, the bikes have to run very lean and that makes them very hot.

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I think Harley is in the process of correcting this with their new closed-loop EFI, introduced on the 07 XL models. My XL883 shows no evidence of running lean, and it certainly isn't running hot. My oil temp typically runs around 175F.

 

[wileyE]

Metallurgy is something that can allow HD to continue being air-cooled and still make the incremental increases in power that they need and meet emissions. Case in point BMW boxers and Porche air cools. They have achieved high specific outputs and dealt with the heat without water jackets, mostly due to the advanced use of alloys. Not sure HD will go that route but it is plausible.

 

[G-MAN]

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Metallurgy is something that can allow HD to continue being air-cooled and still make the incremental increases in power that they need and meet emissions. Case in point BMW boxers and Porche air cools. They have achieved high specific outputs and dealt with the heat without water jackets, mostly due to the advanced use of alloys. Not sure HD will go that route but it is plausible.

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Is Porsche still making air cooled engines? I thought they'd gone totally to water cooling.

 

[wileyE]

Think 98 was the last one in the US? my point was the little aircooled 6's and even 8's in street and race application made some pretty impressive hp per cc, and still do. Not a bash on HD, just saying there is more for them to exploit if they want to evolve the aircooled engines to run hotter. For the application, run quality and having the "right" kind of power is just as important as how "much" power. Their target demographic doesn't really care about speed and acceleration anyway, they build the v rod for that, which if you've ever ridden on is about as far from a harley engine as you could imagine.

 

[thwwx]

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What I'd like to see discussed is what's in an oil that makes it shift better than the next brand? If it's viscosity then a bike should shift better/worse when hot/cold? If it's coefficient of friction than a sm gf4 oil should be better or worse? Synthetic (pao, ester, poly etc) are they better than mineral? and which basetock? Can say from experience in many different bikes of different design that mostly, with rare exception is, they shift better with new oil, and get worse as the miles (or abuse) goes on. Regardless of brand or price.

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I have done alot of thinking coupled with experimenting on this. I think the major factor boils down to viscosity, but the problem is that each bike design will have a specific 'sweetspot'.

The reason I say this is that the motorcycle shifting system needs some torque to get the dogs to engage fully. Even when clutched in, the clutch transmit torque from viscous drag. Too little drag and you don't have the torque to click things into place. Letting out the clutch alittle works because it is actually transmitting more torque to the gears. Too much torque and you lock the dogs in place. The viscosity of the oil directly determines the viscous drag.

More than once I have experience that 2 viscosity grades of the same oil will give totally different shifting characterisitcs. So I just experiment and find out what is good then put in the most shear resistant oil of that grade. Erring on the thicker end usually works better and you get added shear resistance, but some of the newer #@$%! bikes with slipper clutches are unusually stiff shifting with thicker viscosity grades.