by Ed Newman
AMSOIL Marketing and Advertising Manager
Appeared in the February 2001 Issue of American Iron Magazine
This article was written in late 2000,
before Harley-Davidson accepted the
fact that synthetic oils were better for their bikes, and long
before Harley came out with their own Screaming Eagle line.
Since that time, AMSOIL has introduced two new premium motorcycle
oil formulations with GL-1 ratings, as well as a line of Absolute
Efficiency Motorcycle Oil Filters that no longer require changing in
the middle of an extended drain interval. To download a detailed
28-page report on how AMSOIL motorcycle oils compare to the
competition.
AMSOIL:
Manufacturer of the first API rated synthetic motor oil offers
experience and insights
INTRODUCTORY
THOUGHTS...
The cover of the
most recent Forbes ASAP exclaims in large red letters,
"What Is True?" The magazine chooses
a theme for each issue and in an age of information,
misinformation and disinformation, it comes as no small surprise
that people are confused about almost everything. Contradictions and
competing viewpoints abound. No question about it, it's not easy
being a consumer sometimes.
Nowhere is this
more of a problem than in the area of motorcycle lubrication. On the
one hand bikers are told by equipment manufacturers that automobile
oils are not capable of protecting their bikes. On the other hand, a
synthetic motor oil company like AMSOIL has been providing motorcycles with superb performance and
protection for nearly three decades. What's a motorcyclist to
believe?
This spring
Donny Petersen defended, even recommended, the use of synthetic
motor oils. In November
Harley-Davidson responded, taking Donny to task and challenging many
of his assertions. A rebuttal by Chuck Goldmann (ExxonMobil)
provided readers with an excellent overview of synthetic motor oils
and their advantages over petroleum.
I'd like to
commend American Iron for creating this opportunity for the exchange
of ideas regarding the care and feeding of our machines, and to
Donny's courage in putting his convictions down in black and white
as a starting point. It's always easier to say nothing than to go on
record and get fired at from every angle. The likelihood of getting
shot is significantly reduced when you avoid the front lines.
This article is
a response to all three of the abovementioned articles.
AMSOIL synthetic motor oils were
the first API rated synthetic motor oils in the world when
introduced in 1972. With nearly three decades of experience (NOW
37+ Years) and documentation, AMSOIL can make a contribution
to this "Great Oil Debate." Our tech services staff has been
answering questions by concerned Harley riders for ages anyways. We
might as well attempt to present publicly what we have been saying
all along.
My premise is
this: Everyone knows synthetic oil is better than refined
petroleum. Why not use it?
SYNTHETICS OFFER
SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE AND PROTECTION
The advantages
of synthetic motor oils are well known and have been written about
for decades. I have SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc.)
papers in my files that repeatedly endorsed the various benefits of
synthetics. Whether extended service life, improved fuel economy,
increased power, reduced friction and wear, resistance to breakdown,
better low and high temperature protection, you name it, the
documentation is out there. The studies have been done.
All of this
leads one to ask a couple fundamental questions. Is the Harley
V-Twin engine different from all other engines in the world? Is
there something so unique with a Harley engine that all of the
lubrication rules that apply to all other four stroke engines must
be thrown out the window?
Yes, theirs is
air-cooled and can run hot. For this reason alone one would think it
even more important to have a
premium synthetic motor oil.
One of Donny's
comments that bears repeating came near the conclusion of his April
column. "The Motor Company didn't reinvent the air-cooled engine
and, therefore, its engines don't
require specially formulated, Harley-only fluids." This
summary remark stands at the crux of the debate.
DUAL QUALIFIED
OILS
There were two
topics which the previous writers waded into with great detail which
I would like to re-visit briefly here: dual qualified motor oils and
additive chemistry.
Historically,
one of the biggest problems AMSOIL has faced when selling motor oils
to the motorcycle market has to do with this notion that automobile
oils can't be used in motorcycles. Chuck Goldmann did an excellent
job of explaining how some motor oils might not be suited for both
applications, but that some motor oils most certainly are. (I won't
fault him for mentioning that he personally uses a Mobil product. As
you would expect, we use AMSOIL products, which Chuck knows are very
good.)
There are
actually two issues here. The first is that the motor oil be capable
of meeting both passenger car and diesel performance
requirements. The second issue has to do with the use of friction
modifiers. The truth is that friction modifiers have never been a
real performance issue. OEMs (bike
manufacturers), however, created
such a strong public
perception against them that in 1998 AMSOIL re-formulated its
two leading oils for the motorcycle market. Later, because of the
continued misinformation that an automobile oil cannot be used as a
motorcycle oil, AMSOIL took the
last step of producing two grades of AMSOIL synthetic motorcycle
oil.
Public
perceptions and fears can drive consumer behavior, whether true or
not. Last year's Millennial Day Meltdown fear resulted in tremendous
sales of generators and packaged dried foods. The fear driving this
debate revolves around the question of whether it is acceptable or
safe to use anything but Factory oil.
CHEMISTRY CLASS
All of the
articles presented chemistry lessons. I'm not sure how important
many of these details are for riders, but it is fascinating for
those of us who are so inclined.
Do we really
need a chemistry degree in order to choose a motor oil? No. But it's
good to remember that all motor oils are not created equal.
It is unlikely
that any major motor oil company today is going to produce a really
bad product. But is adequate what
riders really want? If you are going to change it frequently,
if you are going to be a kind, tame rider who never gets on the
throttle, well, Harley-Davidson Oil is just fine, as most motorcycle
oils probably are. But if you're the kind of rider who puts your
machine through its paces, who makes modifications that bump your
horsepower to the next level, if you're cranking it up and you want
to know your engine has the protection it needs, or simply want the
best, a premium synthetic motorcycle oil is the lubricant of choice.
Here's how I see
it. Additive chemistries are just that: additives. They are
chemicals that have been added to the base stock. These chemicals
have various functions. But the final product can only be as good as
the foundation you build on. Quite honestly, there would be no
synthetic motor oil market if the only thing you needed to do to get
premium performance from crude oil was put some chemicals in it. The
fact is, petroleum has its limitations. All oils are not created
equal.
A premium
product does not end with the base stock. Additive selection makes a
difference. Chuck Goldmann notes that not only is selection
important, the process of assembling the motor oil is also
important. In short, you want an experienced manufacturer who
understands the interrelationship of the various components of the
lubricants being produced. It is not simply a matter of putting
ingredients together.
Harley-Davidson
noted, correctly, that "you cannot distinguish between a good motor
oil and a better motor oil by additive metals analysis
alone." Remember, though, that this is not the same as saying
additive metals don't make a difference. The
truth is a manufacturer can skimp on certain chemicals to keep costs
down and consumers will not notice anything, even though there are
consequences. I would like to use an example from a different
industry that readers may understand.
In the realm of
house paint, not all paints are created equal. If you take a really
cheap white paint, you may need three coats of paint to cover a
medium colored surface. If you take a very high end professional
paint, you can cover that surface with one coat. I once painted a
black door white with a single coat of premium high quality
paint. All of these paints look white inside the pail. But the high
quality paint has a higher additive content. By increasing the
amount of titanium white, an additive, you can get better
coverage. This additive is expensive, however, and people often do
not wish to pay the price, so paint manufacturers produce low end
products to satisfy the consumer who wants to buy on price. Savvy
consumers who value their time are willing to pay more to get the
better, one-coat coverage.
When it comes to
additives, AMSOIL spends more so that the oil exceeds, not simply
meets, the demands of a long life lubricant. High TBN, and
sufficient zinc and phosphorous, helps reduce engine corrosion and
wear, increases oil service life and reduces maintenance costs.
REAL BENEFITS
FOR RIDERS
What does all
this mean for readers? There are two very real and noticeable
benefits for bikers who use a premium synthetic motorcycle oil like
AMSOIL. First, the engine runs
cooler. Reduced friction
results in cooler operating temps. If you are riding hard out on the
desert or stuck in city traffic in L.A., you can definitely feel the
heat from your hog. What can you do? You can't install air
conditioning. You can use a premium synthetic and run perceptibly
cooler.
The
second benefit,
extended drain intervals and longer service
life, is appreciated by many AMSOIL users. Instead of
having to change the oil midway through the season, you simply
change the filter. The oil's additive package is beefy enough so
that the oil is good to go for up to three times the equipment
manufacturers recommendation or one year, whichever comes first. If
you are uncomfortable with extended drains you can still change at
normal intervals and needn't have fear if inconveniences cause you
to go beyond your normal oil change interval.
Another, less
noticeable but very real benefit of a beefy additive package in a
synthetic is this: at the end of the year, bikers in northern tier
states also appreciate knowing that the
anticorrosive characteristics of a
premium synthetic are better than their petrol counterparts. There
is less likelihood of rust and pitting on parts inside the engine as
it sits idle through the winter.
WARRANTY ISSUES
A major concern
many riders have had pertains to the warranty issue.
Harley Davidson has created the
impression that if you are a rider who uses any oil besides
Harley-Davidson oil, you will void your warranty. Many
motorcycle shops believe this to be the case, although the writer of
the November Harley-Davidson article indicates that "in a pinch
Harley-Davidson recommends that a rider use one of the API C
category oils as a substitute for Harley-Davidson 360."
Nevertheless, the impression is out
there that the warranty will be voided if you use another
product, and since the bike has cost a good chunk of change, no one
really wants to gamble with that much money on the table.
Fortunately, there is a law called the Magnusson-Moss Act that says, in laymans terms, an OEM
cannot require a consumer to use an OEM part or fluid in order to maintain warranty coverage unless that
part or fluid is provided free of charge.
I can't speak
for other oil companies, but I can say that AMSOIL warrants its oil
against lubrication related failure. We have 28 years experience
(NOW 37+) and wouldnt be in business today if engine failures were a
problem. We have more experience
with synthetics and extended drain intervals than anyone in the
industry.
MARKETING
Don, in his
April column, wrote: "There is nothing wrong with Harley oil, and it
is a good fossil oil to run in your bike. It is just that modern
marketing can be very skillful in making the consumer paranoid about
using anything but the manufacturer's suggested oil. There
are better oils out there. Period." Right on, Donny. I can't
agree more.
It would appear
that Harley-Davidson has not made it a goal to empower riders to
make choices. They have made a marketing decision, forced reliance
on Harley-Davidson. Is this what riders want? Do riders really want
to be stuck with no options regarding motor oil selection? Do riders
want to be forced to use inferior oil when they know other products
can provide better protection, reduce heat, increase horsepower?
They say it is not a marketing issue, however, Harley-Davidson has
chosen not to help their customers use other products. There are no
factual reasons for this. Their oil does not offer the benefits of a
synthetic, and it is clearly a marketing move.
A lot of riders
change ignitions and make other modifications to run their Harleys
at higher RPM, modifying their bikes to get more horsepower. This
puts more stress on the engine, creates more heat. These
modifications may also present warranty problems as well. Perhaps
even a majority of riders modify their bikes to increase
performance, and most really ought to be using a higher performance
motor oil. It would appear that Harley-Davidson is not interested in
helping these riders.
With more heat
generated, oil breakdown does occur. The graph on oxidation
performance in the December issue shows a shocking difference
between HD 360 and Mobil 1 V Twin oil. This chart and many other
tests for benchmarking performance prove emphatically the superior
capabilities of synthetic motor oils. Why, then, has Harley-Davidson
refused to promote the performance benefits synthetics offer? It
might be that being affiliated with one oil supplier for so long has
slowed Harley-Davidsons adoption of advancements in lubrication
technology.
IN SUMMARY
Synthetic motor
oils offer numerous performance advantages over conventional
petroleum based products. For this reason, in nearly every other
market from trucks to cars to heavy duty equipment to sport vehicles
synthetics have been greeted with increasing enthusiasm. The
technology is proven. The benefits are many. There seems to be no
good reason why motorcycle owners should be discouraged from
embracing this trend.
SIDEBAR
In
1994 Lt. Col. Albert J. Amatuzio was inducted into the
Lubricants World Hall of Fame for his pioneering work in
the development of synthetic motor oil. During his 25
years as an award winning jet fighter pilot he had
gained a solid appreciation for the extraordinary
lubricants that protected the engines of the jets he
flew. He recognized that only synthetic lubricants could
stand up to the demanding operating conditions of jet
engines and the severe temperature extremes they
encountered.
In
the mid-1960’s Al Amatuzio began his quest to develop a
synthetic motor oil for cars, trucks, and other internal
combustion engines. After an intense period of research
and development he assembled a team of chemists and
directed the formulation of the first synthetic motor
oil in the world to meet American Petroleum Institute
service requirements.
The
introduction of AMSOIL synthetic motor oil set new
standards for motor oil quality. AMSOIL synthetic motor
oil performed like no other before it, outperforming
conventional petroleum motor oils on all counts. From
the start it became apparent that this innovative
product would play a role in engine performance and
engine life.
AMSOIL products were initially sold through individual
Dealers by word of mouth. In the 1980’s AMSOIL products
became available at auto parts stores and other retail
outlets that sell motor oils and lubricants. Today,
AMSOIL products can be found in tens of thousands of
locations across North America as well as on the
internet at www.amsoil.com.
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