Not a fan of bumping the starter to pressure up the system. Oil the filter as much as possible. Start the bike while letting it idle at its cold idle mark should not cause excessive wear. While the bike oil pressure comes up. That is what your dealers mechanic would do.

 

Do you really think the mechanic that changes your oil really cares if it knocks at start up or fills your filter during the change?

As mentioned by several, fill your filter with oil and let it set for several minutes. Yes you will lose a little oil but enough will stay in the filter to keep the pump from having to fill the dry filter after startup.

 

This. The trick is to let it sit a little to allow oil to get through the filter element.
I fill 2/3 of it.

 

This is some funny stuff right here...

 

Take a 1 liter empty plastic soda bottle cut off the bottom. It fits perfectly around the oil filter, and can be used to remove/install the new one without getting oil all over the place.

Make sure you keep the bottle cap on. Daaaa

 

I spoke to a Dealer Service Department and the Service Tech stated not to fill the oil filter after draining the entire system. With a partial filled oil filter system, air pockets will cause the system to take longer to fill the filter than if the oil filter was empty. The Operators Manual also says to leave the oil filter empty. The Service Tech stated that it is normal to hear knocking during the first 45 seconds after start up.

Your thoughts about trapped air bubbles causing the oil to take more time sounds like it does have merrit.

With my 2007 96 inch I never once heard a knocking sound after start up when I filled the oil filter during an oil change. If it is normal to hear the knocking, I will still be uneasy listening to something I was always taught to hope to never hear.

 

+ Ranger73.

 

Update:

I had the 1000 mile service done today and had the tech let me listen to the start up after the oil was changed. The engine started with only a slight tappet tick sound opposed to the loud knocking noise I heard during the 500 mile oil change. The tech did fill the oil filter prior to installing it. The tech did state he believes that a cylinder was on the compression stroke when I started it during the 500 mile oil change which produced a louder than usual tappet tick noise. Hopefully I won't ever hear that loud knock again during an after oil change start up. Time will tell.

 

My manual says fill the filter with 4oz. Funny thing is it says to add the oil to the filter for the same reason the people say to not add it say.

I go with the manual. I have heard other bikes start with a dry filter. The air people are worried about with a partialy filled filter, well there will be even more air if you install it dry.......derr.

 

My Deuce has 36K & I have changed the oil 9 times. During those times I have prefilled the filter except for a couple times. I disconnect the plugs (not grounded, never a problem with ECM bty), crank it until oil light goes out.
I can tell you for a fact that when the filter was dry it took about 6 seconds longer for it to go out. That being said, in the great scheme of things I don't think it will make any difference at all in engine longevity, but I do it anyway, gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling.