Speed’s Secrets July 2007
Mid-season Service Break
By this time in the riding season most bikes have rolled up some serious miles attending runs, rallies, shows and plain old H-D weekend get-togethers. It’s enough to make an odometer redline. In the midst of all this, though, it’s also smart to take a break in the action so you can properly service your bike. Call it the “Mid-season Service Break,” and it starts with a routine oil-and-filter change. Done with some thought and with the right materials, however, that time-honored ritual can be anything but routine. It can even pay performance dividends, making the second-half of the riding season even more fun than the first.
More than just ensuring a long and happy life for a road-warrior Harley, the right oil-and-filter service can reap noticeable performance gains. You’re going to change the oil and filter in that mid-season service anyway, right? Why not spend a little extra time and a couple more bucks to get some actual performance gains in the process?
Speed’s Performance Plus Tip #1: If you’re not using synthetic oil, now’s the time to make the switch. The Speed’s Team uses it exclusively and highly recommends it to all their customers. They’ve found that a quality synthetic oil holds its viscosity longer, does a much better job of lubrication overall and does a great job removing heat. The temperature drop compared to standard petroleum-based oils can be anywhere from 15 to 25 degrees. That’s especially welcome in an air-cooled engine making high-speed runs on the open road, or stuck in stop-and-go traffic. Speed’s has specific weight recommendations, too. If it’s the deep-South or desert Southwest in the heat of summer, a heavier oil is required. Speed’s blends a 20-50 full synthetic with a half-quart of fully synthetic oil stabilizer to arrive at what they calculate to be a 50-weight equivalent. In all other cases Speed’s uses a 20-50 full synthetic. The synthetics are used in the primary and transmission as well. It’s 10-30 in the primary and 20-50 in the transmission. As a point of reference Speed’s use Lucas Oil for all applications.
Speed’s Tip #2: Since we’re dropping names here Speed’s Performance matches that Lucas synthetic with a K&N Performance Gold oil filter. Always. The K&N is designed specifically for synthetics. Besides providing about 25-percent more filtering area than most other filters, the K&N’s filtering medium is a special resin-impregnated “Synthetic Media” that won’t break down filtering synthetic oils. Conventional pleated-paper oil filters can break down filtering synthetic oil and prematurely clog. The K&N also includes pressure relief valves where applicable that are set to a higher PSI, and there are anti-drain back valves to prevent dry starts.
Speed’s Tip #3: While the oil’s draining and the Speed’s crew spins on the K&N filter, they turn attention to the other filters, too. If you’re not running a high-flow air filter and an efficient set of breathers, now’s the time to address that situation. The Speedy Flow Air Cleaner Assembly, as a perfect example, lets you keep the OE cover if you want, accepts most aftermarket covers for a custom look and it helps increase the breathing capacity. Combine it with a good exhaust system and some re-jetting/re-mapping and you can get up to a 15-percent boost in overall performance. That Speedy Flow has an extra-deep (5/8” wider) filter element and works great on all engines up to and exceeding 100 cubic inches. And then something as simple as slipping in the right breather elements, like Speed’s One-Way Crank Vents, can gain you 3 to 5 MPG and an extra pony or two.
All of this is pretty easy and straightforward service work that can be performed almost anywhere by almost anyone. But sometimes it makes good sense to let someone else get up close and personal with your bike. A fresh set of eyes, especially when they belong to a service pro, can spot things you might have taken for granted because you’re accustomed to them over time. Is the clutch adjusted correctly? Are the cables and linkages stiffer, or looser, than they should be? Are the plugs and plug wires up to snuff? How about the drive belt? And the wheels and tires? It’s amazing how many bikes run on under-inflated tires. Don’t forget about the brake pads, rotors and calipers, too. All of these out-of-spec changes happen gradually and as the primary rider you might not notice the change. A service pro will catch them in a heartbeat. The guys at Speed’s do all the time.
Which brings it full circle. Now’s the time to get that bike up on the lift for its “Mid-season Service,” the little break to guarantee a sweet second half. It might even be time to up the ante with a cam swap, a bigger throttle body, a new set of pipes or even a big-bore conversion, but those are stories for other times.
Article reprinted from Iron Works Magazine, July 2007
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