I had a lot of oil blow out the breathers, replaced the pump with the latest oil seal style, have a Feuling vented dip stick breather and vented the head breathers, I follow the Feuling oil check procedure below and have virtually no oil out the breathers.

I have to say on our bikes from cold to full temp hot check, the level is quite different, in that it is several dots higher on the dip stick!

This method regards to shutting down the motor upright would also work with the stock dip stick and add consistency to the check.

 

Y'all can make this as easy or as hard as you want, but the fact is if the stick has oil on it, send it.

 

Personally I dont exactly put all that much thought to it. If I place the bike on a flat surface for a couple hours, clean the dipstick, put it back in and check and I get at least a dot or 2 or 3 of level on it, I call it good.
Running the tank at 90% was a very early on solution for sumping stuff, and engine is perfectly fine missing that 10% so like, slightly low is better than overfilled.
So yeah, "cold" check with the bike on the stand for a few hours, as long as It registers a few dots... it's good to go.

 

THREE different oil level checks? Man, how many even bother to check oil level on their cars and trucks anymore. I don't get the obsession with engine oil level checking on Harley's. I get that sumping was an early M8 issue - that's gone now, so wtf?

 

I did all the changes myself, I did the 15,000 not long ago. I put 4 quarts in, its about a quarter the way up on the stick. It stays there until the next change. I get very little oil in the air filter.
Not saying my way is the right way, but it works for me.

 

Mine was halfway when it was changed last time and I never checked it again until just before I changed it...still halfway.

 

my oil level is always the same. dont know why is has to be difficult. just read the owners book and be done with it.