My Neighbor ... Soon to be a new owner of an 86 VR

[GolfVenture]

Hi All: My good buggy and neighbor just purchased an 86 VR with 10,000 miles. He is flying today and riding it back tomorrow.

 

I need some quick recommendations from those who weight about 260 lbs. He is packing very light and 1 up.

 

What tire air pressure should he put into the front and rear tires?

 

What suspension air pressure should he put on the front and rear shocks.

I dont believe it has progressive springs.

 

Also when he returns, he plans on changing to AmsOil. Any recomendations on this?

 

When he joins the club, I'll make sure he posts some pictures.

 

It is a Beauty.....

[Peder_y2k]

What tire air pressure should he put into the front and rear tires?

 

FRONT 36 / REAR 40

 

 

What suspension air pressure should he put on the front and rear shocks.

 

FRONT 15 / REAR 45

 

"plans on changing to AmsOil?"

 

The amsoil or any synthetic oil will find a way to leak out where a mineral base oil will not. If the engine has no leaks now, it will start leaking soon with Amsoil. This is due to the age of the seals and gaskets. If the bike was near new, (seals and gaskets not old and hard) the the synthetic would be excellent.

 

-Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

[Flyinfool]

I am 250 and ride 1 up.

 

Tire pressure depends on the tires. In most cases 40 front and rear will be safe. Check the sidewall for max pressure. you want to be close to max pressure.

 

Shock pressure

My 88 lists max front at 21 PSI, I run 7 PSI

Rear is 85 MAX I run 45

 

 

"plans on changing to AmsOil?"

 

The amsoil or any synthetic oil will find a way to leak out where a mineral base oil will not. If the engine has no leaks now, it will start leaking soon with Amsoil. This is due to the age of the seals and gaskets. If the bike was near new, (seals and gaskets not old and hard) the the synthetic would be excellent.

 

-Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

 

:sign yeah that:

I tried Amsoil MC oil last year and the bike started to leak out of everywhere including the 3 year old valve cover gaskets. This year I went back to Valvoline MC oil and most of the leaks are now drying up. I am also getting better gas mileage with the Valvoline over the Amsoil.

Edited July 24, 2014 by Flyinfool

[ACE50]

The amsoil or any synthetic oil will find a way to leak out where a mineral base oil will not. If the engine has no leaks now, it will start leaking soon with Amsoil. This is due to the age of the seals and gaskets.

 

Yes I have 'heard' that before, but I have never seen that to be the case myself.

This has got to be a 1st Gen issue!

[Stache]

Originally Posted by Peder_y2k

The amsoil or any synthetic oil will find a way to leak out where a mineral base oil will not. If the engine has no leaks now, it will start leaking soon with Amsoil. This is due to the age of the seals and gaskets.

Yes I have 'heard' that before, but I have never seen that to be the case myself.

This has got to be a 1st Gen issue!

 

Which makes sense because 1st Gen gaskets are SOOOooo much older....

[Flyinfool]

Yes I have 'heard' that before, but I have never seen that to be the case myself.

This has got to be a 1st Gen issue!

 

You do not have 30 year old gaskets and seals.

[ACE50]

You do not have 30 year old gaskets and seals.

 

Time to get a 2nd Gen! :rotf:Or call it a Harley..............

[ACE50]

Which reminds me, a friend found the first attempt by Harley to make an electric motorcycle. (70's) It's in their museum. Notice under the bike........on a electric bike no-less!

[Yammer Dan]

You do not have 30 year old gaskets and seals.

 

That still work and bust that 2nd Gen Butt every time!!!

[jasonm.]

Originally Posted by Peder_y2k

The amsoil or any synthetic oil will find a way to leak out where a mineral base oil will not. If the engine has no leaks now, it will start leaking soon with Amsoil. This is due to the age of the seals and gaskets.

Yes I have 'heard' that before, but I have never seen that to be the case myself.

This has got to be a 1st Gen issue!

 

Which makes sense because 1st Gen gaskets are SOOOooo much older....

I have never heard such BS. Synthetic oil does not cause leaks. If you have a leak. Synthetics flow a little easier. Meaning you will see it easier. That's all. I have used 4 type(brands) of Synthetics including AMSoil..no leaks

[tufftom4]

I have run synthetic oil in all of my bikes and I have never had a leak that has to be one big wives tale.

[Prairiehammer]

 

Also when he returns, he plans on changing to AmsOil. Any recomendations on this?

 

 

Not all Amsoil is compatible with our motorcycles. If he insists on using Amsoil or ANY synthetic oil, make sure it is approved by the oil manufacturer for use with a motorcycle. Not all are approved. Some synthetic oil manufacturers specifically state NOT for motorcycle use.

 

1. Is it safe to use Valvoline SynPower in a motorcycle with a wet clutch?
   No. Valvoline SynPower oils are not approved for use with a wet clutch.
   http://www.valvoline.com/faqs/motor-oil/full-synthetic-motor-oil/
   

[Prairiehammer]

As for the hijack concerning synthetic oil and leaks, consider this opinion:

 

Myths about Synthetic Oils

 

The most often cited myth concerning synthetic oil is that it will wear down the seals in your engine and cause leaks. That just isn't true. Well, for the most part, anyway.

Like many myths, this one is based in fact. Early synthetics were made of esters, which were harder on seals, especially those made of neoprene. However, synthetic oils have come a long way since the early 1970s, and they're much nicer to delicate seals. But while synthetic oil won't create a leak, it will find one. Its streamlined molecular structure has no mercy for cracked or otherwise marginal seals. The oil and its additives may even clean deposits from the engine, which is good -- unless those deposits are acting like spackle on questionable seals.

Related to this is the myth that if you started with mineral oil in your car, you can't switch to synthetic oil. As long as your engine's seals are in decent shape, you can switch back and forth to your heart's content. You can mix and match, you can use blended synthetic and mineral oil or you can use mineral oil for 3,000 miles (4,828 kilometers) and synthetic oil for the next 5,000 miles (8,047 kilometers). You could even fill your reservoir with five different oils from five different manufacturers, and as long as they're the same weight, it will do your engine no harm, according to David Canitz, technical services manager at Royal Purple.

[ACE50]

"according to David Canitz, technical services manager at Royal Purple."

 

Now that's an oil I would never use in a bike. Friend used it in his VMAX, didn't get 2 miles from home, developed a terrible howl. He changed oil back to what he was using before and it still took a few miles to get rid of the noise.

 

Also seen a Goldwing clutch destroyed using it. Bad shear properties.

[Prairiehammer]

"according to David Canitz, technical services manager at Royal Purple."

 

Now that's an oil I would never use in a bike. Friend used it in his VMAX, didn't get 2 miles from home, developed a terrible howl. He changed oil back to what he was using before and it still took a few miles to get rid of the noise.

 

Also seen a Goldwing clutch destroyed using it. Bad shear properties.

 

As I said, not all synthetic oils are recommended for a motorcycle. Even Amsoil and Mobil1 have different synthetic oils within their synthetic product line, with some motorcycle compatible, some are air cooled motorcycle compatible, some are specified for liquid cooled with wet clutch, etc. Not all synthetics are compatible for motorcycles, wet clutch or dry clutch, air cooled or liquid.

And on the point of howl and shear properties, several members here have tried synthetic oils in their Second Gens only to discover the infamous whine is intolerable and have returned to conventional oil to quiet down the whine.

[ACE50]

Yes and I was only referring to the ones that ARE motorcycle compatible. wet and all......

[Flyinfool]

See Brian, You should know better than to mention oil.......

 

 

I have never heard such BS. Synthetic oil does not cause leaks. If you have a leak. Synthetics flow a little easier. Meaning you will see it easier. That's all. I have used 4 type(brands) of Synthetics including AMSoil..no leaks

 

How can you call something "such BS" and in rest of the statement agree with it?

 

 

No one has disagreed with the concept that synthetic oils will make a tiny leak become obvious. I for one am not willing to do a complete engine rebuild to fix my weak 30 year old seals and gaskets just so I can run a synthetic oil and not have my parking spot look like a Harley parks there.

No one said that the synthetic is damaging the seals or creating the leaks, but it is a fact that synthetic is more prone to leaking out through weak seals and gaskets than dino. Even you said so. The post you called BS said so. I think everyone else has agreed upon that.

The OP mentioned that they were planning to put synthetic in an old bike, some of us were just pointing out that those old seals and gaskets may not seal as good as new seals and gaskets.

 

Your bike may have great seals or been treated right all of its life. Great for you. Not everyone is so lucky to be able to buy a 28 year old bike that has perfect treatment for its entire life.

 

I like synthetics, I run them in all of my other vehicles, just can't in my Venture, it won't stay in the engine, dino does stay in the engine.

[GolfVenture]

Well, my friend is an AmsOil dye hard. He will 1st flush the crank case to rid of all the dyno oil with some sort of AmsOil flush product, then put AmsOil in.

 

We'll see what happens.

 

Time will determine "The Rest of the Story"...

[tufftom4]

"according to David Canitz, technical services manager at Royal Purple."

 

Now that's an oil I would never use in a bike. Friend used it in his VMAX, didn't get 2 miles from home, developed a terrible howl. He changed oil back to what he was using before and it still took a few miles to get rid of the noise.

 

Also seen a Goldwing clutch destroyed using it. Bad shear properties.

In independent studies of synthetic motor oils Royal purple has always ranked at the bottom they are not a good synthetic oil, they have been hyped bye tv

[KIC]

So Brian, is your neighbor getting a 1st Gen going to ignite the fire under your recovered butt and get your bike back on the road ??

 

Inquiring minds want to know....

[BlueSky]

I dare say that none of us knows what motorcycle "synthetic" oil really is. And the oil companies won't tell you what is in their oil. You would have to have a lab do an analysis to know for sure what it is made of.

 

Auto "synthetic" ain't for the most part. It's Group III dino oil with maybe a little real synthetic blended in. (Amzoil!) Auto synthetic used to be PAO, polyalphaolefin except for maybe Redline which was an ester. But Castrol called their cheaper Group III dino oil "synthetic". Mobil sued and a judge ruled against Mobil so they switched to Group III also because it is cheaper. Now, even auto Amzoil is made mostly of Group III dino oil according to an oil company lab guy that participates on the F150 forum.

 

Who knows what motorcycle "synthetic" really is?

[GolfVenture]

So Brian, is your neighbor getting a 1st Gen going to ignite the fire under your recovered butt and get your bike back on the road ??

 

Inquiring minds want to know....

 

Ya, Thats about the size of it... I needed some motivation...