Harley-Davidson* owners often ask how AMSOIL products compare to Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle* branded lubricants, and that’s no surprise. Harley-Davidson has dominated motorcycle sales in America for a century, despite competition from brands like Indian* and Honda* in the cruiser and touring markets, and the recent growth in the adventure bike market spurred by BMW,* KTM,* Yamaha,* Honda and most other motorcycle manufacturers. In fact, Harley-Davidson recently introduced its own Pan America* ADV and LiveWire* electric bikes to stay competitive.
Like AMSOIL, the Motor Company is a great American success story, as William Harley and Arthur Davidson built their first motorcycle in a 10×15 shed 120 years ago, right here in our home state of Wisconsin. While the Milwaukee company’s original 116cc motorcycle lacked power by today’s standard, the brand has shaped American counterculture for more than a century. There’s a reason so many motorcyclists, including many AMSOIL employees, choose to ride Harleys.
Motorcycles destroy oil
Motorcycle engines, transmissions and primaries are hostile environments that take a toll on oil. Metal parts, including transmission gears, make contact thousands of times per minute, which can cause mechanical shearing of the oil’s structure that makes it thinner. Extreme engine heat also causes inferior oils to become thin, which is common in motorcycles.
Only a thin oil film protects transmission gears and bearings from wear, helps keep pistons from scuffing against cylinder walls, guards against compensator wear and more. Oil that’s too thin for the application doesn’t form a durable lubricating film on metal components, which reduces wear protection and can lead to noisy operation and premature engine and transmission wear.
There’s a good reason for typically higher recommended viscosities in motorcycle oils. Compared to cars, motorcycle engines often run hotter, at higher rpm, and the motor oil may perform double duty lubricating the transmission. A transmission oil film must be thick enough to cushion the gears against shock-loading, which reduces transmission noise and promotes smooth, quiet shifts.
Most Harley-Davidson motorcycles also have a compensator, which acts like a shock absorber to prevent engine vibration from reaching the transmission. Primary oil protects the compensator from wear that will cause it to make a ticking or knocking noise. Most bikers would rather enjoy the freedom of the open road than worry about their noisy compensator and how to fix it.
Viscosity matters
Viscosity is the most important property of motorcycle lubricants. While viscosity is defined as “resistance to flow,” it helps to think of it as the oil’s thickness. The higher the numbers, the thicker the oil, so a 20W-50 is thicker than a 5W-20 oil used in your truck. Motorcycle engines, transmissions and primaries are designed to use oil of a specific viscosity. For example, Harley-Davidson commonly recommends 20W-50.
The solution to thinning motorcycle oil is to use premium lubricants that maintain viscosity under heat and pressure to form a strong, protective film on metal parts, like AMSOIL Synthetic V-Twin Motorcycle Oil. Compared to Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle SYN3* oil, AMSOIL is six times better at resisting viscosity breakdown for improved protection against compensator and transmission gear wear. Check out the test results for yourself.
While AMSOIL Synthetic V-Twin Motorcycle Oil is the perfect single oil for your Harley-Davidson engine, transmission, primary and chaincase. We also offer AMSOIL Synthetic V-Twin Primary Fluid and AMSOIL Synthetic V-Twin Transmission Fluid for those who prefer to fill each reservoir with a specifically labeled product.
Check out the full lineup of AMSOIL V-Twin motorcycle products, including complete oil change kits with everything you need in one convenient box! And if you own a metric motorcycle, dirt bike, or ATV/UTV, we have premium synthetic lubricants to protect those, too!
Harley should have done the smart thing: partnered with and recommended Amsoil, which is clearly the BEST oil, instead of trying to make a few dollars by peddling inferior lubricants with their name on the label.
Amsoil can confirm or deny this rumor, but HD wanted Amsoil to produce their HD brand of synthetic oil, but Amsoil refused to make an oil at the spec HD wanted, because it was to far below their base specs for synthetic oil.
Since HD doesn’t own a refinery, curious to know where does it come from? Thanks
Penzoil
Years ago, at AMSOIL U, I was told HD did want AMSOIL to be in their bottles, but did want AMSOIL mentioned anywhere on the bottle. The great foresight that Al possessed, made him say absolutely not! We guarantee our oil, and without our name on it, we can not, will not do that. Our integrity was on the line, and should some unscrupulous person decide to try and pull something, as some have in the past, we would have to fight not only the complainant , but HD and the entire population as well. I do believe their oil comes from Venezuela, manufactured by Citco. Please inquire if this is still correct. All I know is, once they change to AMSOIL, I have never had anyone change back, and have had many tell me how well it dropped temps and saved their bikes.
What about Mobil 1 20/50 for American v twin motors. Compare these and post.
I heard that Harley oil was Mobil One
I don’t believe that Mobil One is a full synthetic oil because they put it in a new motor with the rings not even seated. Do that with AMSOIL and the rings will never seat. also when change the oil the first time with AMSOIL and you start the motor and let it run for a while and then shut it off and check the oil level, it will show a half a quart low. That half a quart of oil is staying up in all of the parts that need the oil on start up therefore eliminating wear on start ups and that is a fact!!!
AMSOIL makes my bike run cooler and way quieter! I don’t use anything but AMSOIL in any of my vehicles…motor oil ..transmission fluid it’s far superior.
AMSOIL runs cooler, quieter and with less wear on parts. That’s why I use only AMSOIL in my Harley.
I have been using Mobil 1 since day one in my ’09 Street Glide. Up until last year or so, I noticed that S&S no longer endorses it? (On the back of the bottles?)
Also, how does Mobil 1 compare to Amsoil?
Thanks, Bill
Hi Bill,
AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil keeps valves cleaner than Mobil 1; fights viscosity breakdown better, which aids in wear protection; and offers a higher Total Base Number, meaning it neutralizes harmful acids better.
Thanks,
John
My comments are based on reading the statements of Michael Hanes, Independent AMSOIL Dealer…. who states:
1. He heard that H-D oil is Mobil 1.
2. He doesn’t believe that Mobil 1 is a full synthetic….. because “they” put it in new motors.
3. Use AMSOIL in a new motor…. the rings will NEVER “seat”.
4. After switching to AMSOIL…. the oil measurement shows 1/2 quart LOW. AMSOIL STAYS at the TOP.
5. AMSOIL staying at the top eliminates wear…… “and that is a fact”.
MY Comments to this guy’s statements:
1. Mobil 1 is obviously a competitor to AMSOIL….. although it IS a fully synthetic motor oil.
2. Chevrolet installs Mobil 1 full synthetic motor oil into new Corvette engines at the factory.
3. Piston rings WILL properly BREAK IN with the use of fully synthetic motor oils in NEW motors.
4. Switch to AMSOIL….. then 1/2 quart LOW. ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS and IMPOSSIBLE.
5. AMSOIL staying in the top end eliminates wear. This definition of “excess oil” is again RIDICULOUS.
I would say that having a guy like Michael Hanes as an AMSOIL Dealer making FOOLISH and RIDICULOUS STATEMENTS is an absolute DETRIMENT to AMSOIL products in their entirety. Then to publish his statements on your site as an added “selling aid” is IRRESPONSIBLE and not too brilliant.
I personally have used and recommended AMSOIL V-Twin 20W50 Motorcycle Oil in my Harley-Davidson Motorcycles for many, many years now. WHY? Because it is by far the BEST engine oil on the market for air cooled V-Twins period.
I have been building high performance Harley motors for decades. These motors are very expensive. They REQUIRE the PROTECTION that AMSOIL synthetics PROVIDE. I use AMSOIL upon a completed FRESH BUILD….. including BREAK-IN miles. I can testify that piston rings WILL break in and seal just fine using AMSOIL. I can also testify that upon tear down and going back into a motor for even more high performance work later….. ALL INTERNALS of the motors look just as good with many thousands of miles on them….. as the day they were built. This is of course considering that engine oil changes had been performed at 2500 mile intervals as I always suggest with my motor builds….. which also consists of oil and filter changes at (50) (250) (500) (750) and (1000) miles on all NEW motors. This number of oil changes may sound EXCESSIVE to some…… but my experience PROVES this WORKS. All new motors LOSE ferrous metal on mating surfaces within. By REMOVING the ferrous metal particles with SEVERAL oil changes up to the first (1,000) miles + using the absolute PREMIUM in engine oil…. AMSOIL. It may cost some dollars to do this…. but the PAYBACK in RELIABILITY, FUNCTION and PERFORMANCE is very much worth the cost and the labor. J. Mac
Bought a used 95 883 5 years ago and the p.o. had changed it recently before i bought it with AMSOIL 2050 and i check plugs frequently and they were always rich looking. Just changed oil with what i had which was 2 qts. Of family dollar 2050 and 1 qt. Mobil 1 1550 and new filter which i prefilled. Took for a ride it spun up unusually quicker when i started and battery is 6 yrs old. Checked the plugs and they were clean as when i put em in. I always wire brush the black off when i do but didnt have to this time. I was gonna get the AMSOIL but lack of $$ so used what i had. Im happy. My own mix works ! I use to have full sz ford vans and always the last qt. Of oil i would put in would be mobil 1 and i would put in while eng was running,you could actually hear the engine smooth out and quiet down . mobil 1 best period.
I enjoyed it a lot thanks.