Overfilled?

[Thorium]

Just turned in my 1200GS for 600 mile service today.

One thing that baffles me is the oil level. It has been above the sight glass since I picked it up new from the dealer, and after 640 miles it was still above the glass. That's more oil than I like to have in my machine.

Dealer says that this is all normal, they "fill a bit extra when it is new."

If the bike has had any oil consumption at all, it must have been pretty darn full when I started riding it, as most bikes will burn some amount of oil the first 100 miles.

Should I be concerned?

There seems to be two schools of thoughts about this.
1) Don't worry, it'll escape into the air box and get burned off quickly, nothing bad will happen. Smile and enjoy, don't be so fuzzy, you nervous twit.

2) Half a dozen seals have sustained irreparable damage, you are sitting on a ticking bomb, and your miserable oil-drenched clutch will fail one week after the warranty expires. The repairs will cost 4000£. People will laugh at your destiny, and you will serve as a warning to others.

Comments?

 

[cusi]

I would be more concerned with a dealer that talks bollocks.

Lean the bike over to the side and see when the level drops, it will give you an indication as how overfull it is. If it is excessive I would drain some out, or take it back for them to do it.

 

[madman]

If the bike has had any fuel consumption at all, it must have been pretty darn full when I started riding it,

No Fuel put in in 640 miles! I want one of those.

 

[Steptoe]

The dealer uses a pump to fill your bike with oil. The pump dispenses the exact amount of oil required for your bike.
I also use a pump, and the exact amount of oil required fills above the oil sight glass. And isn't a problem.

On my bike the oil drops to the centre dot in the glass just around the 6K mile mark after filling. So no need for top ups between services.

 

[(RIP) Tunneruk]

The dealer uses a pump to fill your bike with oil. The pump dispenses the exact amount of oil required for your bike.
I also use a pump, and the exact amount of oil required fills above the oil sight glass. And isn't a problem.

On my bike the oil drops to the centre dot in the glass just around the 6K mile mark after filling. So no need for top ups between services.

Sense at last.

 

[Thorium]

I would be more concerned with a dealer that talks bollocks.

Lean the bike over to the side and see when the level drops, it will give you an indication as how overfull it is. If it is excessive I would drain some out, or take it back for them to do it.

Thanks, should have been more clear. I haven't gotten the bike back yet, but was in contact with the dealer about the issue before I turned it in for the service. The response was that "it is supposed to be overfilled because it is new". At some point, a I few hundred miles ago, I saw the oil just at the maximum mark and relaxed a bit. However, when I checked in the garage this morning (cold, admittedly) the oil was again above the window. It was hot when I put it in the garage, so I presume what I saw this morning was representative of the total oil level.

I turned it in for service today, and intended to show the dealer how full it was, but I basically got the same response. "Don't worry", "it is supposed to be that way (whatever way it is, because we're not going to look at it now), and "the bike doesn't use any oil, so it hasn't been any fuller than now".

I assume that it will have the proper amount of oil when I get it back, I was just trying to understand the implications of running it the first 600 miles with excessive oil.

What is normal oil consumption on a brand new bike? Are new bikes supposed to be slightly overfilled?

 

[Thorium]

No Fuel put in in 640 miles! I want one of those.

Yeah, the 08' has a hell of a tank!

Thanks, I fixed the post.

 

[Thorium]

The dealer uses a pump to fill your bike with oil. The pump dispenses the exact amount of oil required for your bike.

Thanks, Steptoe!

I'll worry less and ride more.