British Press and Oil Levels

Ey Up All,

I keep my eye on most of the big names in the motorcycling press in the UK, and have noticed that the Daytona 675 is having reports come back of high rates of oil usage.... Sorry that should be perfectly acceptable rates of oil usage....

This got me thinking and i went and checked the level in 'my friends rocket'. I was shocked to find that 1.5 litres (a third of a gallon?) of oil was needed to get the level back up in the oil tank!!! And all with only 4000miles riding since the last service.

Only recently, after a trip round Scotland i had noticed the 'ball bearing in a paint can' rattle and thought little of it.

No pressure warning light either!

As soon as the oil level was restored, the rattle was gone. Big relief for me i can tell you.

So a cautionary note of advice... CHECK YOUR OIL LEVEL.
(Bike on level ground, with it off the stand, can be done whilst sitting on the bike and holding a rag...)

That'll serve me right for getting used to Rice burners using no oil...

Pika.

[Sprintster]

my '95 sprint also uses oil. not enough to be dangerous but more than any of the (many) japanese bikes i've owned over the years. perhaps the piston rings are made from recycled guinness cans?

[IceT]

never buy a first yr new model triumph....or second or third....they could get it right on the fourth year....hopefully

[bonnietiler]

My R3 has just done 10 thousand miles in a 12 month period including 140mph (INDICATED) on the Austrian Autobahn and hasnt used a drop of oil in that time and it is number 106 off the production line...don't know if that proves anything but it's true all the same..
BonnieT

[trypcil]

Maybe the issue is related to how the bikes are "run in". :hammer:

[RockIIIt]

Guy's be careful how you check your oil level.

After picking mine up with 20 KM's on the clock , I checked the oil and it was not on the dip stick.
I then ran it for 2 - 3 mins and again was not on the stick.

Armed with this info I was straight back to the dealer ( 20 KM's away) expecting to blast them for letting the apprentice do my pre delivery and not put any oil in it.

To my dismay when checked at the dealer it was normal!.

Apparently as it is a oil feed system that also holds approx 1.5 to 2 liters of oil in the sump.
You have to get the bike to "proper" operating temperature before you check the level.
So go for your ride , shut it down then check it then so its ready for the next ride.

I check it this way now, I have only done 800 KM's but level is always on top reading on the dip stick.

[IIMikeForce]

thanks for the info

Freddie

[biker1059]

When you guys and gals check your oil level, do you ckeck it with the bike upright or do you check it with the bike on the side stand? Mine bearly even touches the dip stick with it upright but its right on the money with it on the side stand.

[Toystoretom]

Hey PICACHUOOO3...

You may have overfilled that Rocket... you should run the bike for a few minutes until warm as RockIIIt said. Mine doesn't burn a drop of oil. And a low oil level won't have any effect on oil pressure unless it's so low that the oil pump pick up is high and dry and its sucking air. Which basically means that it is out of oil. Highly unlikely unless someone forgot to put the sump plug(s) back in or left your oil filter off, in which case you would have a huge mess when you started it. The fact that your oil pressure light didn't come on means that you had proper oil pressure and any noises you heard were caused by something else...

Just my two cents and I would recheck the oil level in your friends Rocket. Usually when you overfill any engine you run the risk of at least loosing the empty volume of air inside the engine that helps it breathe causing it to force oil past seals and gaskets. Worse case scenerio is that the crank slaps the oil in the sump causing it to foam... and I just won't go there.

Tomo

[Toystoretom]

Oooops... Biker1059...

That's a good question. On my last oil change I had the dealer do it and he had it on the lift standing straight up when he filled it, so I check it standing straight up.

If you do your own oil change and its on the side stand when you fill it... You should check it on the side stand. You just want to be consistant so you can tell if you are burning or loosing oil. I don't know what the difference is of the volume of oil that you can put in it between being on the sidestand vs. being upright.. maybe a pint? That's not going to be a huge consideration when these things hold way over a gallon to start with..