GS oil level

[raz1966]

i am confused about the oil level on my 1150gs.
should i check it with the engine cold or hot?
should the bike be on the centre stand or not when i check?
where should the oil be? level with the top of the sight glass or in the middle?
cheers

 

[Aidjay]

On the centre stand on level ground.
Check after about 5 minutes cooling after a minimum of 20 minutes riding. Don't run the engine on idle for 20 minutes, its air cooled so it might do it damage.

Oil level should be between the red circle, preferably near the top.

 

[raz1966]

cheers mate

 

[Steptoe]

It's so simple - Look first thing before you ride the bike each day and then don't look until the next day or the next week. .

So long as you can see oil in the sight glass you'll be fine.

No doubt you'll get dozens of different versions on how to check the oil from all the oil hypochondriacs.

 

[robc]

Like Steptoe says.

Personally after getting home I leave it on the side stand for a few minutes whilst I get my kit off then put it in the garage for the night. Next morning, if there is oil in the sight glass I go. If there isn't I put a dollop in then go.

My GS hardly uses any between services. My RT uses much more so it needs regular dollops.

Regards

Rob C

 

[Steptoe]

Like Steptoe says.

Personally after getting home I leave it on the side stand for a few minutes whilst I get my kit off then put it in the garage for the night. Next morning, if there is oil in the sight glass I go. If there isn't I put a dollop in then go.

My GS hardly uses any between services. My RT uses much more so it needs regular dollops.

Regards

Rob C

He shoots he scores

You can make it as complicated as you want, some would have you reading war and peace on the correct procedure on checking the oil.

 

[davegs]

He shoots he scores

You can make it as complicated as you want, some would have you reading war and peace on the correct procedure on checking the oil.

I have read it before, complete waste of time doesent mention oil at all.

 

[robc]

Dollop is my word for the day and here I had a chance to use it twice. Thrice now.

Doing what I do is just my routine when I get home. Not necessarily to do with getting the "right" oil level. So long as I do the same thing every time I should get a consistent reading each time.

When I get to work I put the bikes on the centre stand straight away. If I check the oil before coming home the sight glass is generally empty. The surface has no obvious slope. When I get home, go through my routine, there is oil in the sight glass the next morning. My garage floor is level.

So, my point is this: No matter what ritual you use to check the oil make sure you do it the same way at the same place each time.

Regards

Rob C

 

[Packer]

But do check it regularly, especially if you do a lot of short trips. Victorian engineering tolerances mean that it can burn a fair bit whilst running cold.

 

[Wrigsby1]

It's so simple - Look first thing before you ride the bike each day and then don't look until the next day or the next week. .

So long as you can see oil in the sight glass you'll be fine.

No doubt you'll get dozens of different versions on how to check the oil from all the oil hypochondriacs.

Bang on! After years of BM's I check same way. 1st thing, cold engine, level ground, centre stand, oil visible. It's that easy.
If you forget and start engine don't bother checking as the oil will be somewhere else in the engine

Keep it about middle of the window and it seems to stop burning it is my experience.

 

[STUBBS]

But do check it regularly, especially if you do a lot of short trips. Victorian engineering tolerances mean that it can burn a fair bit whilst running cold.

its up to you how long does it take to look each time you come back to the bike if it makes you happy

 

[Uncle Crumpet]

I always replace the sight glass each time I check the level, just to be sure!!

 

[iftikartaxis]

dollop

I use the word dollop
thats how you discribe 20/50

 

[raz1966]

should i use 20/50?

 

[Stewart H]

should i use 20/50?

Yay ! Sunday night oil thread

 

[gabriel_gs]

Before I has a GS I used to have various singles and Buell V-Twins - they used very little oil in comparison to the GS - in fact rarely needed to add any between services

But I probably check (and top up) my GSs oil once a month

 

[Bigyin]

Before I has a GS I used to have various singles and Buell V-Twins - they used very little oil in comparison to the GS - in fact rarely needed to add any between services

But I probably check (and top up) my GSs oil once a month

Yup, me too ........high revving jap IL4 barely used any...........big bavarian lump uses lots more which freaked me out at first till i started reading about on here and "they all do that sir" apparently

 

[motobiker]

Yup, me too ........high revving jap IL4 barely used any...........big bavarian lump uses lots more which freaked me out at first till i started reading about on here and "they all do that sir" apparently

no.. not all. My 1100 has had no oil added since the last change. (the next change is now overdue) Nothing special about my bike. And most definitely nothing at all special about the oil I use. Apart from the fact one moderator on this forum goes into apoplectic rant mode whenever I mention it.

bless him.

 

[Wrigsby1]

There is a fair bit of difference in oil useage across a range of BM's. One thing for Oilheads is that they tend to use less the more miles they get on the clock. I have had a K with no discernable use between changes and a K11 which used 1/2 lite per 1k miles.

My present GS uses little or no oil and i din't try to fill over half way on the window.

Don't panic, don't overfill and you may use less...

 

[MattW]

My oil usage is variable and depends on the type of riding I'm doing. Sustained high speeds on motorways etc cause it to use around 1/3 litre / 1000. On normal mixed roads it's use is negligible.

I have to park on the centre stand to fit it in the garage and I soon learned that it reads low (about half a sight glass worth) if I don't give it half an hour or so on its side stand after a run. This 'lost' oil will stay lost until the next time it's up to temperature and has been parked on its side stand. As others have said, I don't think it matters as long as you use the same procedure to check your oil each time.