Lemme guess... 6 weeks left on the warranty? :-)

I don't check every ride, but usually once a week, and have never noticed any appreciable drop in oil level on the dipstick.

 

LOL....no i still got 18 months left on the warranty. I will make sure this gets fixed before that time is up...

 

I hate to revive an older thread (especially about oil), but I'm having an oil issue with my 2009 Ultra Classic. About 3 thousand miles ago (I currently have 8K on the odometer), my oil pressure gauge needle would swing wildly when I accelerated and rolled off the throttle. No idiot light however. I checked the oil level, and hardly any was showing on the dipstick. I added about 3 quarts of oil (synthetic), and attributed the low level to a brain-dead tech at the Harley dealership. I had my oil changed there several thousand miles earlier. Fast-forward to yesterday....same issue. Checked oil, and none on the dipstick. Added 3 more quarts and took it to the dealership. Now, they are having me do the 500 mile oil consumption drill. They changed the oil, and will monitor its level every 500 miles. According to the tech, Harley says consumption of up to 1 quart every 1000 miles is "normal". Are you kidding me? Adding a quart every 1000 miles is perfectly normal? Anyhow, there is no leakage onto my garage floor, the underside of the bike is clean, and I never noticed any smoke coming from the exhaust. The plugs looked clean also. I'm baffled, but then again, I'm not a mechanic. The tech also said that since I use synthetic, I likely would not see smoke, even if the bike is burning oil. So...I'm pretty pissed off and bummed, and preparing myself for the Harley stonewall and/or denial that there is an issue. I've owned this bike since new, so no mysterious history...but this sure takes the fun out of owning a $25K Harley. Thanks for the opportunity to "vent"!

 

My bike has used just about a half-quart of oil at the 500 mile point after the dealer oil change. This is with no visible leakage or exhaust smoke. Things aren't looking good.

 

Check your oil cold-half way up stick-good to go. Checking your oil hot like HD says will drive you to drink or drink even more. Unless you can idle the bike for a minute or so and aways check at the same temp, your going to get all kinds of different readings. Plus don't trust those LED dip sticks as far as you can throw them when the oils hot. Cold they are real close to original stick reading, but can be way off hot.

 

Cool!! I changed my oil @100, 500 and 1000 miles on my 09 SG when I first bought it, to try and get the fine filings out, (they're there, saw it in my 1st oil change, very fine but there) and went another 1000 on it on the dino oil, and then right @2k switched over to amsoil, which seems to make the top end a little more noisy...but it did seem like it helped to cool it down 10 degrees or so.

I broke it in as mototuneusa http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htmsays to as well, the 30-60 in 3rd gear 10 times in a row too to help seal the rings.

 

10,000 miles on my 09 and never added a drop.

 

Those damn LED dipsticks I keep hearing about...

I want to trade for my LCD model...

 

I think oil use often comes down to break-in approach. Those rings need to be properly seated.

 

I think you may have hit the nail on the head for some of the oil consumption issues. I used http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm ( like Lion said)on my 06 RKC and on my 10 Ultra. I use no oil between changes, not sure if it is because of this break in method or not. I did not beat it but I ran it thru the gears on the way home ( 20 miles ) and then changed the oil.