I have a 2016 1200C that I took to a dealer for a 15K service. This dealer does not have table lifts, but instead uses center lifts. As a result they drain fluids on the jiffy stand and then put bike on center lift.
I use Syn 3 in the engine and formula + in the primary.
I rode my bike home after the service (40 miles) and then as normal checked my oil. Oil tank was severely overfilled. Oil at the lip of the tank. I used a turkey bagster to siphon oil out of the tank to put level 1/2 way between marks on dipstick. Oil I removed was much darker than new oil. I have been riding for 50 years and I never had oil this dark after an oil change. My first thought was tech forgot to drain oil from engine and just topped off tank ( filter was replaced).
I called service mgr, ( whom I have no reason not to trust). He told me he personally dumped the oil pan that was used to drain my bike. He was standing by the tech that did the work. He stated that a sportster oil tank is the reason it seems darker as twin cam models the oil is in the engine sump.

I do not challenge his integrity but I have had other services done on my bike by another dealer and oil in tank after service appeared much clearer.

Question: could draining the tank when bike is on jiffy stand and not a table lift or jack not completely empty tank causing oil to appear darker.

Service mgr agreed with me the tech probably overfilled bike

Feed back will be appreciated. My thought are I am going to have to go back and start doing my own maintenance again. I am getting old and was hoping to be able to have someone else do I

 

if you can throw a leg over and take riding a sportster, you can drain and pour oil in.

or find another shop you can trust.

 

oil changes are so easy to do I've never seen a need to have anyone else do it for me. But if you doubt their work then it's only fitting that you cease doing business with them and find someone else.

 

Yes it's easy to overfill a Sporty (did it myself), but new oil shouldn't be dark/black...IMO.

Did you keep any of the removed fluid? Put some in a clear soda bottle and take it back so they can see...I'd ask them to do another drain/fill.

 

Or this^^^

 

 

^^ +2 on this. The oil should not be dark after a change.
** What dealer is this, where in FL?

 

I believe the twin cams are dry sump as well.

 

I believe I would have left it and called the shop to come take a look at it ASAP... If the oil was that full there was something wrong and I would have waited for the service provider to tell me how they wanted to handle the situation... I know the guys at my dealership and they would have preferred that I handled it by calling first. Less expensive to have them figure out how to deal with it. Just understand that this can happen and be cool till they give you reason not to be cool...