Can you do your first service TOO early?

[IslaVistaMan]

The MCV 20W-50 will be an excellent choice. Since your bike is air-cooled, I'd stick with 3,000 mile change intervals to start (especially during summer), and then run UOAs to see if you can extend this. Run the Harley oil filter, both for warranty and performance.

The MCV should stay in grade much better than Amsoil's older AMV 20W-50, plus provide storage protection from corrosion. Amsoil recommends you run the MCV in all three holes of late-model Harleys, btw. Go here to see for yourself:

http://www.amsoil.com/lit/harley_davidson_TSB.pdf

I have no idea if Harley uses a special break-in oil, but Honda does not. The high moly content that you'll find in UOAs at first changes of Honda oils is due to a "moly-oil" assembly lube used during engine manufacture. Honda service manuals for bikes specify that moly-oil be used during various maintenance procedures to prevent scoring, and it wouldn't surprise me if Harley does the same thing.

Post your UOAs so we can see how your engine is wearing. Blackstone (a BITOG sponsor) will mail you a free kit if you contact them.

 

[sjlee]

I haven't heard. In any case, I would just follow whatever the manufacturer recommends.

 

[Bagger_Matt]

thanks I,ll order a kit.

 

[rokky]

You should always drop the oil in a new engine within a couple hundred miles. If you have ever done it yourself you would be surprized at how much metal comes out and how sh*tty the oil looks.

 

[penzdude]

super, if i'm not mistaken, the new hd's w/ the tc88's come w/ the screaming eagle 20-50 in the motor when new? might be wrong, but i don't think they have a special break in oil in the hd's. 20-50 petro "360" oil at the least.

 

[Bagger_Matt]

Only screaming eagle engines come with the syn3 oil. Stock TC88 motors use 360 20w50.

 

[penzdude]

seems reasonable enough, lol. 360 20-50 it is then. wasn't sure. still don't know about the "special " break in oil though. seems like the dino hd oil does a good job, especialy when changed at reasonable intervals. the hd filter seems like a winner from all i have read. i bought one of those caps that fits over the end of the filter and uses a 3/8drive. makes life alot easier and costs less than getting the k&n w/ the 1" nut on the end for easier removal. drive safe. where do you live in va?

 

[Bagger_Matt]

I like to do my first service as close to the rec. milage as I can. My 05 twin cam Harley has 900 miles on it and the rec. in the manual calls for a 1,000 mile first service. This weekend I'll have some time to do it. My question is does Harley use a break in oil like Honda that needs to stay in for a set amount of time, or could I have done the service at say 500 miles?

 

[Bagger_Matt]

P.S I'm going to refill with Amsoils new MCV 25w50

 

[Bagger_Matt]

I live in Fairfax, but Im in the hunt for a new house in Orange County. I'll be living near Waugh Harley Davidson.

 

[sands]

The "special break in oil" that comes in Hondas is called Honda GN 4...Same stuff off the shelf that Honda recommmends for all the oil changes...There's no good reason to keep it in as long as the salesman says except to tell you a scare tactic to get you in to let them make some more money off you.

There seems to be alot of good reasons to get the factory fill oil out soon after some running time on the engine...If the manual says 600 change it at 200 with a good petroleum oil...This way you're still running "break in oil" and you limit circulating contaminates that aren't caught by the filter...Compare the additive packages of MC specific petro oils with petro car oils by looking at the VOA's on this website and you can save alot of money buying a car oil that has a better additive package. Like the Heavy Duty oils that were previously suggested.

There is an ongoing debate on how soon to switch from petro to synthetic...I don't think there's a solid case for either so to play it safe (and if you really want to use a synthetic) wait till you have a couple of thousand miles.

Beware of dealer "first service" as well...I know that for many Honda owners it turns out to be a very expensive oil change.

 

[Bagger_Matt]

The honda break-in oil I was thinking of was in the car line. I believe the manual calls for
a 7,000 or 10,000 mile service?

 

[penzdude]

in my zrx 1200r, the first change is due at 600 miles. revs are to be kept under 4000rpm for the first 600mi, then from 600mi to 1000mi, bike can be took to 6000rpm. kawa deems the motor broke in at 1000mi, and can be redlined afterwards..10,500. i know the debate about techniques on breaking in a motor, some doing like i am, and some advocating the ride it from new like you're gonna ride it when it has 20,000 miles on it, but i'm going by what the manufacturer recomends. this bike dosen't have to be rung out to have fun on anyways. i think the guy at the service desk was honest. he said bring it in for the 600mi service, coolant, oil and filter, checking the chain, cables, etc, then do my own changes and bring it back at 8 or 9 grand for a re-check of the valves? i believe? i didn't go into any details of what oil i might use or of this site ,but he said he went to a 3 day school where he was told that the modern dino oils were fine in these bikes, and that the synthetics were a waste of money. of course, in the same breath he mentioned several of the mc specific dinos they carried at the dealership, some costing considerably more than some great syns, lol. found my filter by crossing the kawa with a wix, 7.99 including the 2 o rings, which don't come with the factory filter. the kawa filter was the same price, but one of the "o" rings was also 7.99 and the other smaller one was .99 cents..=15.00 and tax. what a rip. the parts guys said to just re-use the old o rings, not sure about that practice, maybe he does on his bike, i don't want to on mine. wish it had a spin-on. i think the yamaha fz1 and the honda 919 do, not sure about the suzuki bandit, all naked cousins of the zrx.

 

[Bagger_Matt]

Penz.. Im with you on the o-rings. Ive done the first service on my harley and I replaced all three drain plug o-rings. I use Amsoil and I'd hate to leak $40 dollars worth of oil because of a .99 cent o-ring.