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Buell Forum » Old School Buell » S2 Thunderbolt » Archive through September 16, 2018 » What oil do you use « Previous Next »

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Thestig
Posted on Thursday, July 05, 2018 - 10:10 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

What do you fine people run in your bikes for oil? I did a search on the forum and came up empty-handed. I am sure this has been covered many times and I am just bad at searching.

Thanks in advance
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Thestig
Posted on Thursday, July 05, 2018 - 10:35 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Also, that dipstick is confusing. Where is the max full line? There are many lines.
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Lynrd
Posted on Thursday, July 05, 2018 - 01:17 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

you are right.

There are many threads. Amsoil here but that's because they sponsored EBR. I'd use HD oil otherwise even if it means holding my nose as I walk through the local "Baggers with Apehangers" dealership.

The bottom line of the dipstick is ok to use if the bike has been sitting cold...bacause the rest of the oil may be sitting in the crankcase. If you fill to the top line with a cold engine, you could easily overfill, which can lead to much travail or at least half a quart of motor oil suddenly venting out when the bike is started. If any of your engine seals are marginal, the venting will happen there (this is bad).

So, always check the oil when the engine has just been running (hot) with the bike on the sidestand. Now, since you have an S2, you should NEVER just let the bike idle on the side stand unless you have addressed the kickstand issue or have parked in such a way that the bike can't walk off the kickstand. The berm in my driveway is shaped so the bike would have to walk uphill to fall so it is considered S2 worthy...but I still get nervous.
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Thestig
Posted on Thursday, July 05, 2018 - 06:30 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Thanks, Lynrd. What weight oil do you run and how many quarts do you use?

I HATE going into the HD dealer.

I went in once to try and buy a brake lever for my S2 and the parts guy was a total ass. He would not even look it up for me. I told him it would come from a 95 Sportster. All he kept saying was "we don't sell Buell parts" over and over. Got to the point that a Hells Angel who was at the parts counter talking to a different guy told my guy to "stop being a D**k". I just walked out.

Funny story, after I left on my bike the Hells Angle guy pulled up next to me at a red light and starts looking at my bike. I am thinking great he is going to kick me over of something. He gives me a big thumbs up, dumps his clutch and shoots off through the red light. True story.

HD dealers suck.

(Message edited by TheSTIG on July 05, 2018)

(Message edited by TheSTIG on July 05, 2018)
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Simond
Posted on Friday, July 06, 2018 - 02:36 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I still use HD Dealers all the time - I just walk in prepared with part numbers rather than a request for a Buell part.
In fairness my local dealer is Warrs who were great supporters of Buell over the years and still have at least a one Buell owning staff member.
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651lance
Posted on Friday, July 06, 2018 - 09:31 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Most of the Buell riders at St. Paul HD have been using Amsoil 20w50 for motorcycles in both engine and trans for years.
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Ratbuell
Posted on Friday, July 06, 2018 - 09:35 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Syn3 in all holes for me. Makes it easy if I need to top anything off - all comes from the same jug. Buy by the gallon and you can reduce the number of trips to the store.
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Thestig
Posted on Friday, July 06, 2018 - 09:50 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Thanks for the info guys.

I know not all HD guys are like this tool. It is this type that put me off HD back when I started riding in the early 90's. Then I learned about bikes and have never been an HD fan ever since.
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Thestig
Posted on Friday, July 06, 2018 - 01:32 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I ended up going to the HD dealer I hated so much. I could not find Amsoil at Pepboys or Napa.

I talked to the parts guy (different guy from a year ago) I asked him a few oil questions about a 1995 Sportster. After a few more min I told him it was for my S2. He said that is really cool and he would like to see it as he had never seen one (had my truck, it was raining). After talking bikes, I told him how different this experience is than the last time I was in. He asked how so. I told him a short version of the story stated above. I did not want to have trouble this time. All the parts guys started laughing. Guess that guy was a jerk and got fired about 6 months later for the same kind of stuff. One guy said he got written up after I left that day for how he treated me. They said the Sales Manager saw the whole thing and told the GM. The guys were glad to see him go.

I feel kind of bad about it. I did not say a word to anyone at the dealership about it. Maybe he was just not cut out for that kind of work.
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