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First Time Heading to Sturgis? We’ve Got Some Tips.

First Time Heading to Sturgis? We’ve Got Some Tips.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is a true bucket-list destination for any motorcycle enthusiast. (Well except for sport or adventure riders)
Each year thousands upon thousands of riders descend on Sturgis, S.D., and turn this small, sleepy town into a motorcycle mecca. Some travel the road to Sturgis as an annual endeavor, while others make it a once-in-a-lifetime journey. In either case, there is always the thrilling experience of hitting the open road to Sturgis. For those taking their inaugural ride to the world-famous Rally the week of Aug. 4-13, we’ve got some ideas to keep in mind that will help make your first rally appearance a success.

Formulate a plan:

It’s easy to become overwhelmed with the sights and sounds of Sturgis. Leaving room for spontaneity is essential, meaning you don’t need a minute-by-minute itinerary. But having some guidelines ensures you are in the right place at the right time, whatever your dining/entertainment/riding needs. Before you leave, check out the various venue schedules to see what they have in store throughout the week and plan accordingly. Have some extra money for the $20 burgers and overpriced beers.

Prepare your bike:

Nothing is worse than a roadside breakdown, whether on Main Street in Sturgis or en route to and from the rally. Before you hit the highway, make sure your bike is roadworthy for the miles ahead. Check your tires for proper inflation and tread; chain/belt condition; brakes; lights and, of course, fluids. A fresh oil change with AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oil will help your engine deliver peak performance despite the intense heat for which Sturgis is famous.

Pack accordingly:

Sturgis can get hot. Very hot. Bring light-colored clothing that breathes and reflects the sunlight. Long sleeves are a must to prevent windburn, so bring something light and easy to take on and off before and after the ride. Don’t forget sunscreen to keep you protected during the long hours you’ll spend out in the open.

Stay hydrated:

Did we mention Sturgis can get hot? Staying hydrated is key to staying alert and refreshed while clocking miles under the sun. Plan rest stops around gas stations and restock your drinking fluids often.

Be prepared for lots of bikes. And wildlife.

Driving alongside a large pack of bikes takes skill and confidence in your riding abilities. Be aware of your surroundings at all times and practice safe riding habitsto keep yourself and those around you out of harm’s way. Additionally, South Dakota has deer, bison, coyotes, sheep and other animals roaming the frontier and wandering onto roadways. Be alert to their presence and avoid riding at night.

Have Fun $$:

Most importantly, have fun and enjoy making memories at the largest motorcycle rally in the US. Expect to see thousands of enthusiasts who share your passion for riding, and hear a week’s worth of powerful exhaust and bike rumbles from every bike model imaginable. Expect to see AMSOIL, the Official Oil of Sturgis, welcoming riders in the Main Street booth just east of Junction Ave. and conducting oil changes at the locations below. When the 2017 event draws to a close, expect to leave while already making plans for your next trip to the historic Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

AMSOIL Oil Change Locations:

Adam Halstead – Rapid City Exit 55 on I-90 (near HD Rapid City)

Mark Miklos: Mad Dog Custom Cycles – Intersection of Junction Ave & Sherman St (across from HD)

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What is Synthetic Motor Oil?

What is Synthetic Motor Oil?

As most of my friends know, and you now as well, I listen to audio books during my daily commute. My current book, about history’s first billionaire, is titled “Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.” It’s a massive book about a massively complex man, and it’s been a fascinating “read.”

Here are a few things I’ve learned:

1) Like most historical figures, there is a complex human beneath the reputation. Rockefeller has been called the most feared and ruthless businessman in our history, and simultaneously the most generous.

2) Kerosene was the main consumer product derived from crude oil at the time. The internal combustion engine did not yet exist, but Rockefeller grew rich thanks to the abundance of kerosene lamps in the nation’s homes.

3) Pennsylvania was the first region in which oil was discovered. Eventually, oil was found in Lima, Ohio, but its composition was chemically different, and the kerosene left a film on the lamps.

4) Lubricants literally played a major role in greasing the wheels of progress. The Industrial Age was all about machines enabling industry to be more productive, which generated wealth for industrialists.

5) Around the time the electric light bulb was replacing kerosene lamps, cars were replacing the horse and buggy. The 20th Century became the century of Big Oil.

The Drake Well in Pennsylvania has been called the first oil well.

Well…that’s a deep subject

If it seems like I’m not answering the question posed in the headline, it’s because I wanted to bring you in through a back road. Item three in the above list notes that oil is chemically different based on its origins. I learned this years ago because my West Virginia kin had an oil well. I remember walking up the hill to the well when I was young. The adults discussed how the oil company said the oil was not worth as much as higher-quality crude. I may have my facts jumbled, but I believe they said it would be suitable for natural gas and would therefore not fetch as much money.

Distillation nation

Crude oil contains hundreds of different kinds of hydrocarbons. Oil refineries distill crude and separate it into various products, like gasoline, jet fuel, diesel fuel, heating oil and asphalt. And the base oils that go into motor oil.

Refining is a process of physically separating light oil components from heavy ones. Crude oil contains a multitude of different kinds of molecules. Many are similar in weight, but not in structure. The refining process cannot distinguish such molecules, so a wide assortment of molecules is present in the finished lubricant made from crude oil stocks.

Some crude oil molecules are not beneficial to the lubrication process. For example, paraffin causes refined lubricants to thicken and flow poorly in cold temperatures. Molecules containing sulfur, nitrogen and other elements invite the formation of sludge and other by-products of lubricant breakdown, especially in high-temperature applications.

The assorted molecules of refined lubricants also have different shapes, making lubricant surfaces irregular at the molecular level. As lubricant layers flow across one another during the lubrication process, these irregularities create friction, which consumes power, reduces efficiency and increases heat and wear.

How synthetic oil is different

Rather than being refined from crude oil, synthetic lubricants are chemically engineered from pure chemicals using a process called organic synthesis. Organic synthesis is when you combine two things from nature to create something that does not exist naturally. This process gives synthetic oils significant advantages over refined oils.

Products made from a barrel of crude.

Synthetic oil molecules are uniform, not irregular. This uniformity helps them resist thinning in heat and thickening in cold, which improves protection throughout the engine’s operating temperature range.

Their molecular uniformity also reduces friction as the lubricant’s layers slide across one another. Reduced friction increases energy efficiency for greater fuel economy and maximum power. It also reduces heat and wear for longer equipment life.

Another feature of synthetic oils is that they are designable. Many different kinds of base oils may be used to create synthetic lubricants, allowing a synthetic to be designed for virtually any application. Some base oils are ideal for use in extremely cold environments. Others are perfect for use in extreme heat. Some are extremely safe in applications in which refined lubricants pose a fire or explosion hazard. Refined oils simply do not offer the design flexibility of man-made synthetic oils.

This design flexibility allows synthetics to be tailored to the needs of everyday applications, such as automotive engines, commercial equipment or industrial machinery. That specificity helps ensure maximum life, horsepower, performance and fuel economy from the lubricated system.

Bottom Line

If all this seems a little technical – to be honest, I did take a little heat for writing such a technical post this week – here’s all you really need to know about synthetic and conventional oils. The AAA made a big splash this summer when it laid out its findings in a study that demonstrated the superiority of synthetic oils. Everyone seems to be talking about it, from the AutoBlog to The Drive and even the folks at Business Insider. The titles are pretty straightforward, but I especially like the one from BI: “A new study by AAA puts to rest one of the most common questions car owners have.”  In other words, “that settles it.”

Now for the next question: What are you going to do about it?

Here’s my recommendation. Visit this page and find the AMSOIL synthetic lubricants for your vehicle. Experience firsthand what “better” really means.