Synthetic or not?

[mstrfrz]

Is synthetic a good idea for transmission/gear oil?

 

[strmvt]

sure is either dino oil or synthetic will work just don't make it a habit of switching back and forth

 

[kalifornia]

if your bike sits forever between rides, or you live on antartica ide say yes!

 

[crxtasy169]

Synthetic after 5k only after that your fine.

 

[vroom]

What happens at 5k?

You can safely break an engine in with synthetic if you want. Corvettes and Vipers come from the factory that way. The only reason you wouldn't want to is that it costs a lot and is not in there very long.

 

[aptbldr]

Synthetics can endure high heat 'better' compared to traditional motor oil.
Buell XB's certainly generate high engine heat levels.

Gotta love a good oil thread now & then

 

[mstrfrz]

I know synth engine oil is cool, I use a blend to keep the cost down, but gear oil... I've heard it can cause problems with some clutches. It's in there longer than engine oil, so the cost is better per mile.

 

[Alfatango1]

I've heard it can cause problems with some clutches.

That's why some on here recommend V Twin synthetic only. They say the additives in regular synthetic can cause damage to a wet clutch. I've read a lot on the subject and still am not convinced but for a few dollars more I guess it wouldn't hurt to be safe.

 

[pur pony]

i run amsoil in my X1 and love it.

 

[crxtasy169]

Not till after 5k because synthetic is actually too slick and it will not seat all of the metals as well as dino oil, Metal after it is machined actually has high and low spots and the friction helps to knock these down and mate the opposing metals together better than synthetic ever can. As far as breaking it in on synthetic you can but it's not near as good as dino oil to break in an engine!!!
As far as problems with the wet clutches, just uses synthetics made specifically for motorcycles and you shouldn't have a problem they formulate them specifically for wet clutches. Especially Ams Oil, my favorite it comes out almost the same color it goes in!