At The Local Bike Shop Yesterday

[One For The Road]

Hi,

I was talking with the mechanic at a local bike shop yesterday. He told me not to run synthetic oil in a Harley motor. His argument is it is too slippery for roller type bearings. The oil is so slippery that the rolling elements can skid and damage the bearings. He tells me he has repaired many motors where the bearings were damaged by using synthetic oil.

He tells me synthetic is great for babbitt (shell type) type bearings but not for rollers. Is this guy just blowing smoke or does he have a point. I know lots of people use synthetic oil so there should be some evidence for it being good or bad.

I don't want to start any arguments over oil but would like to know what others have heard.

Thanks;

Steve

 

[dbmg]

I hope that you are not letting this guy work on your Steed now are you??????????????

 

[Harttoo]

Nonsense!!

 

[Jack Klarich]

Pure baloney, if that were so many Harleys would have blown up and several oil companies would be bankrupt including the makers of HD Syn 3

 

[Jack Klarich]

http://rmhfaq.com/oilmyths.htm
Read here, remember oil is a religion to some folks

 

[HDDon]

I have to agree with everyone except your mechanic. I guess with his logic all the new cars should not be using it either. You would be doing the dealership a favor if you passed this along to the service manager and the owner.

 

[Jeff Klarich]

If he is your mechanic i'd be looking for a new one.

 

[Breeze3at]

I've always asked the synthetic oil naysayers, if synthetic oil is sooo slippery that bearings skid, how do they get damaged? They will skid until eternity, or until you run out of oil. Never had a good answer.