Where on your dip stick are y'all running your oil? I fully understand checking while warm and upright, and I thought I had a grasp on the markings on the stick. That was until yesterday. I had my 1k service done over the weekend and found some things hadn't been done, this led me to double check the oil level. I'm showing a level dead on the bottom line under the X area. To me this seems low, my understanding of the manual is that the level should be IN the X area. I happened to be at the dealership yesterday afternoon so I had them double check it. They told me again that it was perfect. I've got a touch of ocd so I'm wondering where y'all are at on the stick. And before someone asks, I don't remember where it was at before the service. I only checked it once and hit 1k in 2 weeks.

 

I'll answer my own question in case someone else runs into this in the future. I talked to an Indi today that used to work at HD. He told me that the HD techs fill to the first line below the x and say that the line above the x is actually over full. He said he fills to the middle of the x. Glad HD makes it clear as mud.

 

A lot of metric bikes have a sight glass that makes it super easy. But yes, it depends on when you check it. On cold it should just be on the dipstick. Hot, it should fall within the lines.

 

I do miss a sight window. Much more exact. Especially when your oil is new, the smooth plastic doesn't show the level as exact as metal hash marks. In general, even with cars I preferred dipsticks back in the day. They were clearly marked in English what your level was and how much to add.
As long as you're not over, it's OK to just be in the ball park.

 

If you feel its a little bit low, buy a quart and add a little bit

 

I did. Main point is that the manual says one thing but the techs do another.

 

Techs don't do it by the manual because they are smarter than the engineers that designed the bike...

 

Techs say a lot of things so take what they say with a grain of salt. The book is the bible.

That is one reason that I do all my own services. They don't touch my bikes.

 

Bingo!