Oil choices vs. 20W-40 Spectro Golden (feel free to chime in Slick)

5234 Views 168 Replies 25 Participants Last post by slickvic, 2 mo ago

HDKILLER

Discussion Starter · 4 mo ago

Heading on trip this Spring (with 2 HD Glides and my XCT) from Norfolk Va. to Seattle Wa.; will change oil (even though will only have 1000 miles since last change) before leaving. Plan to change oil in Wa. State before beginning return loop; what oil should I use if I cannot find Spectro Golden (always used since Slicks advice).

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slickvic

· #10 · 4 mo ago

Sorry I’m late. Been ranting on another thread
Polaris making Indian dealers perform Victory service and parts sales.

So you need old Slicks advice on what alternative brand of oil to use on a trip. Well you choices for a location to purchase the oil and change in the parking lot may be limited out there. So here’s a few that can usually be found at any Walmart or auto parts store.
Castol Actevo semi synthetic 10/40 or 20/50
You can find this oil anywhere. It’s good oil
Rotella T4 ( 3qts) and T6 (1.5qts)
( not sure if T5 is JASO MA rated.

Really …. Anything semi synthetic JasoMA rated. Wix or Napa gold filters are best. Carry a spare filter with you.

*Adjust your clutch properly and lube the barrel ends.
*Keep a small can of Lube In your bike for your shift linkage area.
*A tire plug kit and air compressor.
*A portable battery jump pack that can also charge your phone.
* Small tool kit with Allen wrenches to get to battery.
Small can of bike spirits polish. Good for the quick clean up and keeping your windscreen clean.
good tire pressure gauge or buy a small compressor that has one built in. Slime product has one.
Have a safe trip and yes pics of the trip not the tip please. ……. That @ Bikesofbrads kills me

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slickvic

· #15 · 4 mo ago

3 bottles of T4 1.5 bottles of T6

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slickvic

· #16 · 4 mo ago

See this is the reason I chose Spectro. Golden4 semi synthetic. They did it all. Just wish it wasn’t so dam expensive. The price is up to full synthetic prices with some on line vendors. Spectro has a unique slow batch blend process. Their semi synthetic oils are made for wet clutch applications just like Vic oil is. I’m know the Jaso ratings on full synthetic oils claims they are safe for our bikes but the engineers at Victory and our very own top tuner mechanics like Noe Martinez strictly recommend you stay with semi synthetic.

Now from what Ive learned about top tier synthetic oils ….like Red Line and Motul as well a Royal Purple and some others. They may cause clutch slippage but I’m not going to get into that shooting match. Amsoil became a strong subject matter as they developed a specific blend for Victory and Indian in the 20/40 spec. All the while their 10/40 now named Metric blend is supposedly a better blend than the specific 20/40 Amsoil for Victory. Why is that Slick ? They’re less actual synthetic oil or a lower tier of base synthetic stock than their other blends. Likely it’s more of a semi synthetic with more synthetic than Dino oil but make no mistake it is not a true full Synthetic like Red line. This could be why I ran 20k on that specific oil with no issues what so ever.
Now if your price conscience about your MC oil for your Vic and you don’t want to blend the diesel oil Gus oil and you want a semi synthetic ???? Look at Actevo 10/40 or 20/50 semi synthetic. I seen it the other day at Advance auto for $8.99. On line for $6.47. You can’t go wrong here. Especially if you’re dumping oil at 3k.
Now if you are a 5k oil user? I’d be inclined to recommend the Amsoil 20/40. I think it is a semi synthetic oil but no one is saying and Amsoil has always advertised as a full synthetic manufacture of lubricants. Imagine the cost of a bottle of True Full synthetic oil. Yeah $20 today.

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slickvic

· #19 · 4 mo ago

Chattanooga_Mark said:
This sounds like the most effective small batch mixing system available. At a price point that can’t be beat.

i’ve been a long time Victory oil fan. But now, at $84 a kit they can keep them. IMHO, they have priced themselves out of contention.

Exactly, and let’s not forget the same people that blend victory oil. Also blend mobile one. Lube tech would be the oil manufacturer. Unfortunately, spectro is also pricing themselves out of the market but we know it works and works well so it’s hard to say no. I have always been a fan of Castrol oil, and that less than eight dollars a quart and in some cases less than seven dollars a quart I find them to be a great go to oil just like shell. Rotella is for the price.

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slickvic

· #21 · 4 mo ago

md2420 said:
I still have the Ultra1Plus 20w50 on the shelf waiting for my next oil change (if I can get out on the bike, this will be done in the next week or two). Case of 12 for $83. Not readily available in stores (ordered and shipped to me), but I am very curious on the performance of this new provider.

What is Ultra plus 1 ?

slickvic

· #23 · 4 mo ago

The way of the world today ? Sure why not another oil blender. Oh boy. Likely the next generation will grab on to them and think they invented oil.

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slickvic

· #26 · 4 mo ago

Remember when ….…… let’s go back to 2011…… “ you can only use Victory oil ! Or your clutch will slip….. victory recommended to only run 20/40 semi synthetic oil or an equivalent wet clutch oil. No mention of jaso ma on the bottle of Vic oil. 20/40 was chose to be exclusive. No one else made a 20/40 oil. Many followed this recommendation because they didn’t know any better. So Victory got the sales. Smart until Amsoil played along and then Spectro. They only blended 20/40 oils to get you to buy their 20/40 oil. Then out came the lesson on oil from many here before me. 5/40 10/40 15/40 20/50 all fine. Just use semi synthetic (consensus) or your clutch will slip lol.
Amsoil is is fine. It is not a group 5 ester based synthetic oil. 3 and 4 at best. They’ll never tell. But Your safe. Otherwise just use semi synthetic as stated on the bottle.

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slickvic

· #29 · 4 mo ago

Mikekoz13 said:
I’ve run the Castrol Actevo 20W50 in both my Cross Country and Vision since last Summer. I was using Spectro but the pricing and availability just got to be too much. The Actevo has been great and on Amazon you can get three one gallon jugs delivered for $69.

My friend also uses this. Always has. He doesn’t stress on oil choice much. More interested in price and can’t blame him. He like my self change more often than most. I can see where this Actevo at its price point is a very smart choice for frequent oil change riders. As high as Vic oil, Spectro, and Amsoil are they can stay in the bike longer for the price.

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slickvic

· #34 · 4 mo ago

tdfunte said:
Amsoil 10w/40 metric motorcycle oil
155k miles, original clutch.
Purolator pl14610 filter

I used this for 20k and will say my motor was never smoother. 4K to 5k oil change intervals and every time I did a change I questioned if it was too early. I was scared back into semi synthetic once I got to know all of the famous to us Victory mechanics and tuners. Amsoil Metric is one of the best MC wet clutch oils on the market. Our gear driven transmissions love this stuff.

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slickvic

· #35 · 4 mo ago (Edited)

Smokier104 said:
Greetings @slickvic ,
OK, I need to go to school please. What does:

mean? Digging in the interwebs is only getting more confusing.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/esters-in-synthetic-lubricants/

Ride safe,
Smokier

Your link to “Bob is the oil guy “ explaining composition of synthetic oils and blends is about the best I can do also. Basically synthetic oils are artificially produced where conventional oils are petroleum based. The reason it is recommended to use a semisynthetic oil in these bikes is because Victory blended a semi synthetic oil for cost savings. So it is written. Then the mechanics would recommend the same for warranty reasons. The fact is synthetic oil is no more slippery than mineral oils however due to the differences in clutch designs between motorcycles, frictional properties are added to synthetic oils mostly to prevent clutch slipping. Which brands of synthetic MC oils are safe to use is the question !! Well most of them are.
Thru years of trial and error and oil threads as well as recommendations from mechanics and tuning experts for these bikes alone …….? It is best to adhere to the manufacturer recommendation which is usually followed up by the mechanic who goes by the book. Since then however …… more synthetic and semi synthetic blends have come to market with a new blend to eliminate the fear of clutch slippage. Especially synthetic oils like Amsoil and semi like Spectro. Both stating on their bottles suitable for use in Victory motorcycles. This alone tells me they blended appropriately with consideration to clutch slippage and at the same time took advantage of marketing and blended the 20/40 recommended oil for these bikes.
it was made clear to me from my Amsoil rep. back when the new 20/40 for victory and Indian was release that the new formula was rated with both MA/ Ma2 classification mostly because it was made for bikes with catalytic converters and that the 10/40 metric Amsoil having only MA stamped on the bottle although still safe to use is not. That I could continue using 10/40 without issue. When I asked which was better he paused and said without explain why other than the MA2 difference that the 10/40 was a better blend.
So here we are once again. He said …. She said ….. I read this and my father used this.
IMO ….. if it says suitable for Victory wether semi synthetic or synthetic….. use it. Your choice. Otherwise stay with semi synthetic for these bikes with a wet clutch designation.

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slickvic

· #37 · 4 mo ago (Edited)

Bikesofbrads said:
Got to pondering 🤔 & remembered that every modern street bike on earth ( 1st & 2nd world countries) has pretty strict emissions and all have been using catalytic converters along with wet clutch designs for years and with little to zero worldwide clutch slippage issues being debated on motorcycle forums and then I woke up. After I stopped screaming oil slick oil slick I started to wonder if polanus just recommended semi syn to help pad their pockets ( was long planing to to buy Indian ) by getting into bed with an oil manufacturer helps both companies since polanus builds many machines requiring oil……win win.
Do fiction modifiers reduce or increase friction? Jaso ma may be the most important element and not weather is full or semi blended, IDK 🤷‍♂️ One things for damn sure and I have to agree with ole Slick that who doesn’t love a good oil thread 🧵

Friction modifiers are not typically used in motorcycle engine oil. To improve engagement on clutches the oils are blended with the correct frictional properties to promote smooth shifts and consistency in clutch feel. Good semi synthetic and full synthetic oils like Spectro and Amsoil will guard well against wear for longer clutch life. If you’re using an oil with friction modifiers there will be a significant decrease of the coefficient of friction within the clutch pack and result in excessive slippage. Factor in a a worn or poorly adjusted clutch and your on the side of the road. Stay away from detergent oils also. The label on your oil bottle should say wet clutch compatible and a Jaso MA/MA2 designation should also be listed.

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slickvic

· #39 · 4 mo ago

Bikesofbrads said:
Ok, I thought it was the opposite meaning friction modifiers decrease friction
Definitely, fun fact…oil turns brown/ black due to detergents dissolving the carbon
Always, but my question is as long is a quality jaso ma ( ma 2 is not specified in my 2015 manual ) whether labeled metric, v twin, motorcycle etc etc etc how much does it truly matter whether is semi or full syn? Modern blending techniques has pinpointed everything clutch issue wise with solutions, unless the main differences are between the actual clutch / clutch plate fibers materials and that’s whats truly behind the recommendation. I’m going to ponder pondering a little while longer 😛

Something that you do which is likely different than what oil manufacturers do is …… you blend oils that are brought to market and ready to go in the motor. Mixing completed formulas if you will. The oil manufacturer will blend for you in their process ( not sure what that process is and you then have a complete mixture broth to market.
One time when I wanted to try Motul full synthetic I would up with a issue with my motor ( not clutch related) but a noise ( wound up being blown head gasket) that made us look behind the primary. There we saw the pink / red color of the Motul (droplet) and gold droplets ( Spectro semi syn) and said to ourselves that it looked like these oils didn’t mix. Two entirely different blends for sure. My point is ….. find an oil that works and stick with it.
You’re doing a Rotella T4/T6 mix when cold going into the motor. When you running and heated up I’m sure they blend and that gear driven tranny will make sure they do also after some miles. Plus you’re using the same Shell Rotella brand for your blend.
Now you’re considering more T4 than T6. Many use T5 as the blend or semi synthetic but the bottle doesn’t designate a MA classification for wet clutch compatibility. Plus I posted last year a Rotella chart of some sorts that if I remember correctly deterred the use of the product in our motorcycles? Yet here we are and the oil still works for you and many others. Not sure where I was going with this but I guess my point is …. No oil is bad oil. It just needs to be the right formula for the application.
if it’s the $$$ then take a serious look at Actevo. Just pour it in and go

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slickvic

· #41 · 4 mo ago

Chattanooga_Mark said:
Of course Polaris private labeled oil under their Victory name to make money. Good on them. Again, they were just following every other manufacturer so no extra credit points for creativity on their part.

IMHO, considering the time frame, semi synthetic was (and still is) simply the better option for them. And for most of us as owners. Since the beginning of full synthetic motor oil, people have said your wet clutch will slip. Most of those people were right too. Because in the early days of full synthetic oil like Mobile 1 etc., wet clutches on motorcycles slipped when using it.

Oil additives and modifiers etc. have certainly changed a lot over the years as well. As have clutch friction materials. By far the safer bet, for Polaris, and most owners today is to run a semi synthetic motor oil of the proper Wright and rating in their Victory wet sump motorcycle. Semi synthetic simply allows for things like a clutch adjustment that isn’t ‘just right’. A non perfectly adjusted clutch likely won’t slip with semi synthetic but most likely will slip with full synthetic.

I tried a case of Spectro Golden wiz bang oil made just for Victory etc. and simply wasn’t impressed. Going forward, it’s semi synthetic for me regardless of what Internet forum members say.

It seems like I’ve been reading oil threads since the day after Al Gore invented the internet.

No sir…. Not wiz bang oil. That’s for the bed room. It’s also not “ just made for victory.” The label just states it is “suitable for use in Victory motorcycles”. Too bad it didn’t work out for you Mark. With your successful mileage on your bike I probably would have stayed with the oil that got me there.
What’s interesting to me are the testimonies from those with super high mileage bikes and the oils they have used to get there. 155k on Amsoil Metric 10/40. There are others with well over 100k on Vic oil, on Mobil1, Redline, etc.
where am I going with this ? ….. I feel it’s not what oil you use, but the one you stick with that keeps you running. I’ve always heard ….. find what works for your bike and stick with it.

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slickvic

· #44 · 4 mo ago

Chattanooga_Mark said:
@Bikesofbrads, this 100%. I change the oil and filter every 2500 and won’t adjust that interval. Regardless of what the latest and greatest small batch hocus pocus wiz bang oil designed for Victory blah blah blah is out or comes out. Victory oil has been fine and has taken the CCT to 96K 100% trouble free miles. I only wish it weren’t $84 a kit now because that does have me considering other top tier semi synthetic options.

This right here ….. “ I only wish it weren’t $84 a kit “ …… “I change the oil every $2500 miles “

This Alone is what sends many out to explore the world wide inter web of lubrication to find a more affordable option. Some may say you are spending way too much for 2500 mile change interval. That oil may just be getting started.
For the $$ and that frequent of an oil change I would be putting in the Rotella or the Actevo. At $45 including wix filter that Actevo is shining like a new Penny. It wouldn’t bother me as much dumping it at 2500.
Sorry but the Vic oil isn’t worth that expense to me ….. not enough hocus Pocus wiz bang in the bottle.

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slickvic

· #46 · 4 mo ago

Chattanooga_Mark said:
Hocus pocus and wiz bang have most certainly gone way up in price.
😜

And Vic oil is like what ….. $84 a kit. Back out the $10 filter and you get 4.5 bottles of oil valued at $16.44 a bottle for semi synthetic ?

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slickvic

· #47 · 4 mo ago

This is the bargain today.

Tire Liquid Product Bottle Fluid

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slickvic

· #49 · 4 mo ago

md2420 said:
Yup…and that’s why I’m going to try out the Ultra1Plus blend. $83 for a case. And I have a bunch of OEM filters already.
In addition to the price is the 20w50 weight. Will see if that helps in the AZ heat vs the 40

I’m curious as well. The 20/50 Actevo is roughly the same price as the 10/40. We have options.

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slickvic

· #53 · 4 mo ago

Chattanooga_Mark said:
You win @slickvic, I ordered 6 quarts today. When my last two Vic oil change kits are gone I’ll give the Actevo a try.

Ahhhh I think I struck a nerve with pricing of the Actevo ? My friend Bill likes it. He won’t over pay for oil.

Mark…… I’m going to try it as well. Im down to 1 Spectro oil change and only one bike can get it. Speaking with Noe …. I asked if I’m good with 20/50 vs 40 ? He said your choice ….. just stick with semi synthetic.
which one do you order ?

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slickvic

· #57 · 4 mo ago

VvJoel said:
I run Actevo 20/50 and fill the filter with T6.

What ? Wait ….. what just happened here ?

slickvic

· #58 · 4 mo ago

Smokier104 said:
Those were some great posts. And few good pokes as well. I know the "O" thread is usually cause for the dreaded "red thumbs down", but this is one of the better ones.

Thanks for the response Slick...

Ride safe,
Smokier

Well when I saw the title to the post I got drawn in like a fat kid in an ice cream parlor. Then when I read “ feel free to chime in slick “ I said to my self …….. “Oh you bet I will ….. I’m that fat kid” !

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