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[NWbiker]

Was wondering if any here have used or are using Schaeffer oil and if so what are your thoughts on it.

[Royalroadie]

 I have been using for the last two oil changes.  One of the dealers here in KC recommends it highly.  I have used an Indy for most of my service and he was very skeptical when the area rep called on him. He told him that he could prove it by doing a demonstration on several bearings.  He had a machine that will spin the bearings at high speed while loading pressure that would cause the bearing to gualled.  The rep let the Indy guy apply the pressure using his weight and a lever. The rep told him to use the best oil he had in stock and the other bearing would be lubricated with schaffers.  The differences was amazing in performance.  The Indy thought it might be a trick so he sent a guy to the store to get two more fresh bearing as a control. He switched the placements, and set up for another demo.  Same result, he told me he was dumbfounded.  He had a 300 lbs guy come out from the back garage, to put as much pressure on the lever trying to make it guall.  The bearing after several minutes which would have show sings of wear did not look any different than new. 

[NWbiker]

Wow that is quit amazing. I have heard of similar reports but have not seen one. So you are using the Schaeffer oil. Which one are you using.

[dmnrdn]

I have been using it on my engine rebuild. Have 8000 miles on it and no complaints. This video of a motor being torn down after 1,000,000 using Schaefer oil convinced me. 
https://m.

[Royalroadie]

Wow that is quit amazing. I have heard of similar reports but have not seen one. So you are using the Schaeffer oil. Which one are you using.

I have not seem the demo I discribed above but I trust my Indy.  Schaefer makes a lot of oil products for large equipment that is there main business.  After a few years they started making oils for auto racing the about 10 yrs ago branched into vtwins.  I do not know what my Indy put in the other 2 holes. But i have a pic of what is in the engine.  I switched to it because he said it works quite well  and does not break down as quickly in high temps.  High oil temps has been my concern for a long time so I went with it.  It's amazing how hot these 110 meters get.  Do I think this is the holy grail, no, but from what I have seen and heard it is a very good oil.  My Indy also will send off samples for analyst and he says that  looking at the report he can sometimes see a problem before it becomes a real issue.  He said that after the second oil change after switching they can get a good read on what if anything is going on in the engine.  What he told me is things like oil pump wear and valve guide wear can show up in the reports.  Many components in the engine are made with differing material and each can show up in the report. It almost sound too good to be true, but I will bite and see what it says.  He also said it will tell him about the integrity of the oil it self.  He says some engine run hot enough to cause the oil to stat to breakdown.  He then adjusts your oil change interval to what works and keeps the oil stable. He said he has several customers that the oil shows signs in the reports of excessive break down due to heat and he has those customers come in more frequently than a normal schedule.  My Indy used the be a engineer but hated the corporate world and left to follow his passion.  So I feel he has a good foundation of understand what is going on.  For the small cost difference vs the possibility of finding issues before they become big problems appeals to me.   It might be all snake oil, but when you look at the costs it is really nothing in the big scheme of thing.  My oil changes still cost less than going to the HD dealer.  He will listen and make recommendations but will let you make your own choices.

[Royalroadie]

The back side info.  I found my Indy by word of mouth but when the local Harley dealer was selling the same oil I thought it must be at least as good as what HD recommends or that would not be stocking it. 

[Royalroadie]

Was wondering if any here have used or are using Schaeffer oil and if so what are your thoughts on it.

One last word. Is this the miracle oil that will solve all problems, no, it is just a good oil.  Have my lifters become silent and is there a rainbow in every direction I ride, no.  Does it give me horse power dripping out of the tailpipes, come on.  I have read others opinions and reviews on oils and I am glad they are happy, and maybe they are somewhat better, or maybe it's BS.  As long as the oil meets or exceeds HD specs is all I care about.  The other stuff is just icing on the cake.

[NWbiker]

I checked with a Indy shop and a HD dealer locally and none of them carry Schaeffer oil. The HD dealer had not heard of Schaeffer. So I need to find a rep that is close.

[Royalroadie]

It is somewhat a regional following.  I know that Rawhide HD in Olathe ks usually has it in stock.  I am not sure what Schaefer products go in to the other 2 holes.  I would think you might not want to used it in the primary because of the moly and other additives in it.  I know they make a selection of lubes for bikes but I only carry engine oil with me. I let my Indy do the rest.

[mark]

Look on Amazon.com.  Schaeffer 20w50 vtwin synthetic, case of 12 qts, $97, no tax, & free shipping.  Works out to be $8.08/qt...unless there's a catch I'm not seeing.  Link below.

http://www.amazon.com/Schaeffer-Manufacturing-0707-012-Extreme-Synthetic/dp/B00NJPSO0G/ref=lh_ni_t?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

[CVODON]

This is something I had heard of before and forgot about. This posting gave me a reason to check on it, one dealer in my town that I drive by everyday, they do not sell V-Twin line, Four others with-in approx 70 mi radius, one a plane shop, one a mower shop and one a diesel shop, the other didn't answer the phone. And while I am good with Amazon, I also want a fluid product to be available somewhere close if it is sunday morning and I need a quart.
Coverage to spotty for me.

[Royalroadie]

I also want a fluid product to be available somewhere close if it is sunday morning and I need a quart.
Coverage to spotty for me.

That is why I keep 2 extra QTs, one at home and one in my bag.   If you are using more than that between changes you might have a bigger problem.

[NWbiker]

I've talked to some who use it and one CVO owner I know who has had lifter problems while using Schaeffer while the others have had no engine issues.
I do agree about the availability and if you are on a road trip and need an oil change.

I've been using Mobile 1 and have had no issues. But keep hearing from many riders how good Schaeffer oil is and has been for them.

[iski]

Is it possible that this Schaeffer oil is better than Motorcote? 

[grc]

I've talked to some who use it and one CVO owner I know who has had lifter problems while using Schaeffer while the others have had no engine issues.
I do agree about the availability and if you are on a road trip and need an oil change.

I've been using Mobile 1 and have had no issues. But keep hearing from many riders how good Schaeffer oil is and has been for them.

Funny thing about that.  There are plenty of people who have always run much lower quality motor oils than the current crop of synthetics, and they have had no issues either.  You can most likely count on the fingers of one hand the number of Harley engine failures that were caused by the brand of motor oil, and have some fingers left over.  And yet the advertisers have everyone constantly worrying about whether their chosen brand is as "good" as a different brand.  These online forums probably have more posts and threads about motor oil than any other single subject.  And if you read enough of them, you quickly find out that most people don't know anything more about the subject than what the advertisers tell them, but they will argue endlessly about how brand x is far superior to brand y.  I find it amusing, until it just becomes sad.

Any motor oil that meets current industry standards and Harley requirements will give you decent performance, especially at the short drain intervals most Harley riders use.  Brands that dump in larger amounts of certain additives and then advertise based just on the one characteristic those additives directly affect don't exactly impress me.  A motor oil has many functions, not just lubrication under extreme pressure, and it takes a balanced approach to do everything well.  Take a look at the famous (or infamous) comparison tests that AMSOIL ran a few years back, and notice how no single brand had the best performance in every tested characteristic.  That's due in part to economics (cost), but it's also due to the fact that some additives improve some characteristics while degrading others.  As I said earlier, it's a balancing act.

Shaeffer is a semi-synthetic product, not a full synthetic like AMSOIL, Mobile 1, etc..  That doesn't mean it won't perform well, it just explains the lower price.  Semi-synthetics (or para-synthetics in Shaeffer terminology) combine Group IV synthetics and Group III mineral oils.  Use of the mineral oils allows for lower cost and lower pricing relative to products that are 100% Group IV synthetics.  They can be an effective way to get most of the superior characteristics ascribed to full synthetics at a more reasonable cost.

Jerry

PS.  Iski, there is NOTHING better than Motorkote.  Just ask Twolane if you don't believe me.