Mystery Solved: Why Harleys Leak Oil

[reecebike]

This is all fine & dandy here on the fjr fourm, however I wouldnt go to local bar & start mouthing off about harleys, you might get A BEER & BEATING FOR A BUCK on dollar night!!!

 

[07fjrTom]

I would argue that going into a bar full of people with strong feelings about ANYTHING and spewing dissenting and disparaging comments is a good way to get your ass kicked. Harleys or football or religion, it matters not.

 

[palerider]

Harleys are like any other bike. They do what they are designed to do

70 years ago

h34r:

 

[Hudson]

So how come Triumphs leak? It's like having a new puppy live in your garage, you gotta keep the pads down all the time to soak up the leaks.

 

[BugR]

So how come Triumphs leak? It's like having a new puppy live in your garage, you gotta keep the pads down all the time to soak up the leaks.

Old Triumphs don't leak oil, they have automatic chain oilers, they also lube up the rear wheel bearings, the wheel, the tire and brakes.

Saves a lot of time you would waste riding.

 

[VanHarlan]

Actually . . . I feel sorry for any Yammie owners getting an oil change at the local dealership this week . . . when I asked the parts guy for 3-4 crush washers he sold me everything they had in the box which was about twice as many as I asked for . . .

 

[Jeff Q]

Man people jumpin all over a perfectly good HD joke like it was Friday on the Ultra forum....Sad

 

[Jeff Q]

Ill add this I have started multiple Ironbutt rides and all the ones that failed were due to my buddies HD bikes developing problems. All of the problems were oil leaking related...My latest attempt with another FJR went off with out a hitch. Im sure there are plenty out there without problems but there will not be one in my garage any time soon.

 

[BikerGeek99]

I was just reminded of this one fella I went on a group ride with....

I think his name was Lloyd. LLoyd was riding this old rat-bike of a Sportster, I don't recall the vintage, but it was old and looked it. Same for Lloyd. He wasn't sure how many miles that rat-bike had on it because the odometer / speedometer only worked off-and-on over the years.

Anyway, at one of our stops, someone in the group noticed that his bike was leaking oil. Lloyd's reply: "Yup."

Someone asked him, "Lloyd, why the hell don't you fix that oil leak?"

His reply: "Nah. As long as it's leakin', I know it's still got oil in it. I'll only worry when it stops leakin'."

I laughed my ass off. He was one cool guy - at one point, he'd ridden that bike to Alaska.

 

[norcal1]

So how come Triumphs leak? It's like having a new puppy live in your garage, you gotta keep the pads down all the time to soak up the leaks.

My Triumph doesn't leak anything. And the electrical system works too!

 

[VanHarlan]

Man people jumpin all over a perfectly good HD joke like it was Friday on the Ultra forum....Sad

Yep . . . certainly wasn't the intent . . . the "joke" was just a side-line to the fact that the Parts Counter Sales Person didn't know wtf a "crush-washer" was . . . and then suggested I buy Harley Synthetic Oil for my FJR because they stopped selling full Synthetic Yama-Lube . . . It's obvious that the dealership is focusing more and more on the Harley line . . . it's probably their most profitable line . . . with all the Harley accessories, pirate gear, and service work . . . it's well over 75% of the show room and they sell Kawasaki, Honda, Yamaha too . . . they probably have more finger-less pairs of gloves on the rack than they do quarts of Yamalube in total . . . just a little disappointing, but I suppose that's the economy right now.

 

[oldryder]

Get the ZRX. you won't regret it! I have several bikes and if I'm just running around the ZRX is the one I always take because it is simply the most fun to ride and it's still reasonably comfortable.

+++++++++++++++++

The one with 9k miles is an '09 Road Glide. It does leak oil, but through the Roland Sands air cleaner he installed on the bike. The crank case breather tube pukes oil onto the air filter <snip>

I have a '99 Ultraclassic I bought new and have since stripped it down to make my version of a street glide. No leaks ever although I did develop a saturation of the air filter as is mentioned here. Dunno if the design has changed from '99 to '09, but I pulled the valve covers and in each head/top is a replaceable umbrella valve and little filter that should be changed from time to time, or probably anytime you go up there for any reason.

I had to go up there anyway when I pulled it all and had it powdercoated black. My old HD is no FJR, and it's a farm implement compared to it, but it's a good bike for what it is. Personally, I like 'em all and wish I had the room and budget for way more variety in my bikes than I do.

Not sure what to get next; either a nice ZRX or maybe a Monster - see my split personality??...

 

[palerider]

Man people jumpin all over a perfectly good HD joke like it was Friday on the Ultra forum....Sad

Yep . . . certainly wasn't the intent . . . the "joke" was just a side-line to the fact that the Parts Counter Sales Person didn't know wtf a "crush-washer" was . . . and then suggested I buy Harley Synthetic Oil for my FJR because they stopped selling full Synthetic Yama-Lube . . . It's obvious that the dealership is focusing more and more on the Harley line . . . it's probably their most profitable line . . . with all the Harley accessories, pirate gear, and service work . . . it's well over 75% of the show room and they sell Kawasaki, Honda, Yamaha too . . . they probably have more finger-less pairs of gloves on the rack than they do quarts of Yamalube in total . . . just a little disappointing, but I suppose that's the economy right now.

People losing their sense of humor is the first sign of the apocalypse.

 

[greenboard]

Don't run the Harley oil. Even the Harley people say their oil is crap. And for HD guys to not buy something with the brand on it...

 

[norcal1]

Don't run the Harley oil. Even the Harley people say their oil is crap. And for HD guys to not buy something with the brand on it...

I've never heard anyone say it's crap but I quit using it when I still had a Harley because the company that makes it uses Venezuelan oil.

 

[VanHarlan]

Don't run the Harley oil. Even the Harley people say their oil is crap. And for HD guys to not buy something with the brand on it...

Ended up finding Mobil1 4T 10w40 Motorcycle Oil and a Mobil1 filter . . . I'm happy with that choice and it's readily available at PepBoys and Advance Auto