My 1st oil change

[Mattdavies1982]

Hi All,

Just a quick one, I did my first oil change yesterday with minimal issues. Only thing is I only needed to put in 2l for it to fill to the Full line. I started the engine let it turn over for a few minutes then let it refill. It went back to the F line.  My paranoid concern is that the handbook says that an oil change should be 2400ml.

Do I need to top it up, or should I be happy with the oil at the F line?

Cheers

Matt

[Fat Rat]

Did you change the Filter Matt?

[kwackboy]

Did you change the oil filter ? If not you would need less oil .
Often manuals say a bike can take a given amount of oil but sometimes this isn't the case. 

[tallpaul]

Also, was the bike on a centre stand? If yes, going to the full mark is actually less oil than required. The true level is achieved by having the bike stood on its tyres and the poor sod checking the level by trying to view the sight glass and hold the bike vertical...

[bigpie]

The engine bars make it easier to hold it upright with one hand while bobbed down looking at the sight glass.

[Brockett]

or sit on the bike to hold it upright and use a mirror to look at the sight glass.

[Mark Shelley]

Get it right with bike on tyres, then put on main stand and note level for future reference.

[tallpaul]

That is what I did.  The problem with the "on its wheels" method becomes apparent when you alter the rear suspension. I had a lift kit on mine to raise the rear suspension, which alters the level of the bike. The same goes for sitting on the bike to hold it upright. Unless you can stand over the bike your weight alters the angle, thus affecting the oil level reading. Manufacturers should stop being cheap and fit centre stands to all their bikes as standard and base the oil level on that position. I found that if it was checked on the centre stand the oil level all but filled the oil sight.

[Mattdavies1982]

I did not change the oil filter so that explains it.Thanks for the reassurance!!

[mr_diver]

When ever I do an oil change I sit on the bike.  Lean it to the RHS and hold it there for 30 seconds.
Then put it back on the side stand. I repeat this 4-5 times then let it finish draining.

You'd be suprised how much oil gets traped around the engine and tilting it over and back to the side stand allows most of it out.