Using Oil
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,615
Likes: 9
From: Escondido, CA
Good point. It depends some on how you ride the bike. I do keep mine about a third of a quart down on the mark when I change it. Hard riding, high revs for a long distance will cause oil to blow into the air filter. If you don't ride hard then it's probably ok to fill it to the full level.
Club Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 145,895
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From: 40 miles Northeast of Indy..
heard to only fill 1/2 way on the stick and thats what I do...
only once I added a little 8Oz and it went to the full line... I sucked 4 oz back out, so once in 25k she used 4 oz.. that nothing to worry abut...
only once I added a little 8Oz and it went to the full line... I sucked 4 oz back out, so once in 25k she used 4 oz.. that nothing to worry abut...
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,595
Likes: 8
From: Vancouver Island British Colombia Canada
There was a good thread about this in the Evo section & the boy's were comparing notes about a breather relocation mod which was working very well for them. Mine stay's at the same level but I do get a mess on the air screen from the vent tube so Im thinking about moving it too!
Cant remember the name of the thread but it should be easy to pick out.
Cant remember the name of the thread but it should be easy to pick out.
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Tourer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 259
Likes: 2
From:
Thanks hatchetman, I assume you guys mean don't fill to the full line when the "engine is hot" which is all good advice, if that's what i was asking for but, I'm not. Please don't get insulted because i don't want advice about oil use, it's just that i have read most of the stuff about oil use on this and other forums and i am just trying to gauge if most new bikes use oil or whether i am in the minority ??
Last edited by 1peter; Jan 17, 2010 at 02:23 AM.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,389
Likes: 26
From: Windham,Maine
It's normal,not all engines are created equal.Not all engines are run under the same conditions.As long as is the motor is not blowing the blues and leaking everywhere you should be fine.Try running your bike for a while at say a half quart low and see what happens.This will not hurt a thing,just shows you if you are forcing oil out of the bike instead of burning it.
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Tourer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 259
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From:
There are two ways of looking at everything. A mate of mine has a 2007 96 cube street bob and his bike has 30,000 mile on it and we ride everywhere together so we are very similar in riding styles. His bike is always on the full mark and has never used a drop of oil. I rode my 06 88 cube with him everywhere and it never used a drop, again always on the full mark. You can also look at things this way, if you keep your oil half a quart low it means the engine is running slightly hotter with less oil in it, and therefore is more likely to burn more oil. I just wanna get an idea of how mahy new bikes on this are actually using oil ??
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,450
Likes: 4
From: El Cajon Ca.
There are two ways of looking at everything. A mate of mine has a 2007 96 cube street bob and his bike has 30,000 mile on it and we ride everywhere together so we are very similar in riding styles. His bike is always on the full mark and has never used a drop of oil. I rode my 06 88 cube with him everywhere and it never used a drop, again always on the full mark. You can also look at things this way, if you keep your oil half a quart low it means the engine is running slightly hotter with less oil in it, and therefore is more likely to burn more oil. I just wanna get an idea of how mahy new bikes on this are actually using oil ??
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,932
Likes: 32
From: Broomfield, CO
[quote=BLKBAGGER;6109361]If your bike is running so hot that a half a quart of oil makes that much difference you have other problems. I have been running my Harleys like this for the last 80,000 miles. The only problems I have ever had was when I filled all the way to the full mark.[/quote
I'm with BLKBAGGER on this one. Could be other issues if the bike is running hot, although I run mine only about 1/3 quart below the full mark (hot).
I'm with BLKBAGGER on this one. Could be other issues if the bike is running hot, although I run mine only about 1/3 quart below the full mark (hot).
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Tourer
Joined: Apr 2007
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From:
[QUOTE=harleydavis;6109536]
I didn't say my bike is running too hot, my point is that any bike with less than the suggested amount of oil in it has to run slightly hotter, that's just logic. And a hotter motor means it is more likely to burn oil.
If your bike is running so hot that a half a quart of oil makes that much difference you have other problems. I have been running my Harleys like this for the last 80,000 miles. The only problems I have ever had was when I filled all the way to the full mark.[/quote
I'm with BLKBAGGER on this one. Could be other issues if the bike is running hot, although I run mine only about 1/3 quart below the full mark (hot).
I'm with BLKBAGGER on this one. Could be other issues if the bike is running hot, although I run mine only about 1/3 quart below the full mark (hot).