No one can give you an HONEST answer to your question....what sounds good to some, sounds like crap to someone else.
You will just have to pay attention to other bikes you come across and listen to them.
What ever you pick....PUT A SCREAMIN EAGLE OR ALEN NESS BIG SUCKER AIR CLEANER ON IT......This will HELP ALOT, with power......
ALSO!!!........the new HD Engines run LEAN & HOT!!!! this is what NEEDS to be done with ANY EXAHAUST AND AIR CLEANER CHANGE......
This is a question concerning Heat and fluids....and my answer...
Harley davidson, royal purple oil.?
I have an 09 tri glide harley davidson. I use synthetic royal purple oil and it is heating up to 277 degrees. Is there anything that I can do to lower the temp..........
ANSWER.....
DO YOU HAVE A HI-FLO AIR CLEANER AND PIPES ON THE BIKE???.....IF SO, DID YOU HAVE THE ECM REMAPPED BY HD OR HAVE A SUPER TUNER OR POWER COMMANDER ON IT????...........THIS IS VERY VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!!
HD'S ARE SET UP TO RUN VERY VERY LEAN DUE TO EPA REGULATIONS!!!!!!! RUNNING LEAN CAUSES THE ENGINE TO RUN HOT!!!!!!........THERE ARE OIL JETS THAT SQUIRT OIL ON THE BOTTOM SIDE OF THE PISTON TO COOL THE PISTON.....THIS HEATS UP THE OIL..........RICHEN IT UP, THE PISTON WILL RUN COOLER....THE OIL WILL RUN COOLER.
Even if the bike is COMPLETELY STOCK.......have HD do a Stage 1 download to the ECM......if you have a Power Commander or Super Tuner on the bike..........get it dyno TUNED.....it will increase your performance and make the engine run OPTIMALLY..................here is some info about "downloads compared to the Super Tuner.......
You want the Screamin Eagle SUPER TUNER!!!!.......and have it Dyno TUNED.....don't sttle for just having the base map loaded. The difference between being tuned and a base map is like night and day. The base maps are just that...a base to which to work form. Every engine is as individaul as we are as humans, they each require a little finesse and tuning to make them perform optimally. The Super Tuner will also allow for easier tuning for any future upgrade you may make.
A Stage 1 download is nothing more than a GENERIC map from HD that is "ok" for all bikes....this is CRAP!!!......the Stage 1 download was specifically made for a HD with Screamin Eagle Mufflers and Air Cleaner......not all mufflers (or complete exhaust systems) flow exactly the same and not all Air Cleaners flow exactly the same...meaning, if you change ANYTHING on the exhaust and intake that the Stage 1 was not designed for, it wil not work as well.....like I said every engine is DIFFERENT.
As far as power output goes....it will vary as to what components are used and how well it is tuned....but on an average from completely STOCK to an upgrade of exhaust/air cleaner, super tuner, about 12-15 horsepower........
Here are my recommendations for oil.........
As much I love HD....I hate to say it, but HD doesn't know SH*T about synthetic oil. For decades, they said not to run synthetic in their engines.....because of popular demand by the public, HD finally came out with their SYN3 synthetic oil several years ago, but it is honestly not worth a crap. THE BEST 3 SYNTHETICS FOR A HARLEY ARE
#1-AMSOIL, #2-LUCAS, #3-MOBIL1(which is recommended by S&S). I have been working on HD's and building performance engines, drag racing and dyno tuning for 20 years and have been running Amsoil for years, but have recently switched over to Lucas because it is just as good, but a little cheaper. AND THEY DO NOT AND WILL NOT VOID YOUR WARRANTY
FIRST OFF.........DO NOT RUN HD SYN3.....IT'S JUNK.........I AM A CERTIFIED HD TECH, AND I WILL TELL YOU FIRST HAND....HD DOESN'T KNOW JACK ABOUT OILS!!!!!!!!!
For deacdes, HD said to never run synthetic in their engines, their reason....it will cause the bearings to "skate".........but ask anyone on the drag strip running a top fuel 800+ HP engine what they run.......FULL SYNTHETIC.......their bearings don't skate!!!
By popular demand of the public, HD finally released their SYN3 back in the early 2000's......manufactured by Sunoco. SO........
Second......why would you WANT to go longer between oil changes?......esprcially on an Ultra, the baggers are subjected to to more engine strain than the other models due to their weight, plus they run hotter from not as much aie flow, that's why they have a larger oil tank to aid in cooling. FRESH OIL IS CHEAP INSURANCE AGAINST ENGINE FAILURE. Standard oil you should change every 2500 miles. You CAN go about 3500 on synthetic, but why? Scheduled PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE set by the factory are based every 2500 miles, IT IS BEST TO CHANGE YOUR OIL EVERY 2500 MILES....SYN or STD. Keeping up on the maintenace, prevents major breakdowns. It's btter to spend $400 or so a couple times a year than spend a few thousand to repair something that was caused by lack of maintenance.
As the other guys have said, synthetic does make your engine run cooler and lubricates much better than standard oil.
The best syn