A big THANKS to Bonz-and I need help resolving a starter problem :)

[jetmechmarty]

The problem with the Harley oil? It DOES NOT SAY ( and the salesman had no idea :-/ , ANYWHERE ON THE BOTTLES whether it's full syn, semi-syn or conventional-just that it's designed and engineered for HD's. Aholes! >:-/
I had a bunch of reward cards from a CC to spend at HARDLY-Davidson which is the reason I used it in the first place. *sigh*
Learn sumpin new every day. ( Now if I could only remember...

A Harley-Davidson clutch is not operating in the engine oil. Or... what Bax just said. Most any regular motorcycle specific oil is fine. Yamalube is a safe bet. 20W50 from Walmart is fine. Yada Yada YMMV

[Bonz]

2011 was my first rally in Durango that I attended. I believe it was hosted by Motoman, DiverRay and Jerry. Hot as the devil's crotch over the 4th of July weekend, the group was in a conga line of cars at a crawl going up Red Mountain pass. Pulled out at a scenic stop and the top end of my 80 SG was making all kinds of clatter. It was obvious the 15W40 Rotella T4 conventional had thinned down because of the insane heat. Fired up readily as we left the stop, still sounding like a cacophony of mechanical things that were not happy being asked to work in harmony. By the time we reached the campground in Durango it was purring like a kitten again. I don't believe the oil sheared down at all, it was the incredible heat that actually affected the viscosity. Rode home when the rally ended and changed the oil the next weekend. Went with 20w50 forever and always moving forward.

With that said, it was that rally that got me started hosting the Colorado Rally in 2014 and hosted the sixth rally last summer. Interest wasn't there in 2015 but from 2016 on we've had 15 to 20 bikes at one point or another during each rally. Sometimes guys that live in Colorado will come for a day and join us while the regulars from in state and out of state typically total 10-15 bikes. Good times! .

[MaximPhil]

That was quick!! :-D
Thanks guys! The consensus was correct. I changed the oil to the Motul in the pic and first cold start this AM she turned right over! YAY! Cheap fix.
On a side note ( that should get some good laughs ) I was a cussin' and a fumin'!!! -as the first plug I removed was the middle-drive drain plug! What a f'n idiot! OF COURSE then I had to top that back up...AND OVER-FILLED IT ...and then had to get a little out. :-D Serious idiocy on display yesterday. It's hell gettin' old.
lmao.
The problem with the Harley oil? It DOES NOT SAY ( and the salesman had no idea :-/ , ANYWHERE ON THE BOTTLES whether it's full syn, semi-syn or conventional-just that it's designed and engineered for HD's. Aholes! >:-/
I had a bunch of reward cards from a CC to spend at HARDLY-Davidson which is the reason I used it in the first place. *sigh*
Learn sumpin new every day. ( Now if I could only remember...
ANYWAY...thanks again!

Hi JonnyO,
I enjoyed reading your post about the adventure of an oil change. a good chuckle. Glad your starter issue is resolved.
Phil

[JonnyO]

So...the Motul and then Castrol 4G 20-50 turned out to still be problematic. As it is getting colder I switched to Yamalube 10-40 and now she seems to be free of the starter issue.
Many thanks to all of you!

[DiverRay]

Nice looking bike! What part of skyline are you on?
Yeah, 10-40 winter, 20-50 summer in the bay area. I also used the 15-40 diesel oil in the XS's all year. They have a heavy zinc and seem to work well.

[cajun31]

I see why folks think that bike is new. It looks awesome. Oil threads are fun. I use the Walmart supertech 20w50 conventional in all of mine. Of course here in the deep south that works well. If it got colder or if I rode in cold weather I would probably switch to the 10w40.

[motoman]

Johnny O, myself, used Valvolene 20-40w year-round when I bought the Venturer new in 1981 in Durango,Colo., riding in winter-time with temps at -30 degrees below zero. Many later years, Valvolene had their oil available in 20-50w, which I still use to this day in the Venturer, here in Grand Junction,Colo. Just a thought to consider.

[3Phase]

I use whatever's on sale at WallyWorld, usually the diesel oil except synthetic/semisynthetic-anything because synth is rarely less expensive than dino oil.

I've never had a problem with any kind of synthetic, not even Redline pure synthetic but it just costs too much for the oil change interval.
Yeah, Redline ran great but ~2,000 miles before dumping a $60 fill is not happening and the lesser synthetics aren't worth the hydrocracking to blow them the heck.

The only exception I've found was a 500 mile high speed run through the desert at over 110 degrees F that demolished a new dino fill so I went with syth for that trip and only that trip.

My clutch never slipped once using synth but if yours does -- change the frictions and possibly the springs because your clutch is going out.

Yes, that's right, it's going out. You may not feel it but it is slipping.

Fix the clutch you cheap &#$%& and save the synth for something with a longer oil change interval.


Today, 28 Nov 2020: WallyWorld Super Tech 10W40 and 20W50 is ~13.50 for a 5qt jug.