As said before though, it can leak into the primary with no visible stains on the garage floor. It's not a bad idea to check it every couple of thousand miles.

 

So you guys are telling me that when you buy a new bike you don't check the engine oil and trans fluid to make sure they are up to the proper level.
Don't know about you guys but I sure don't trust the guy at the dealership doing the so called prep work.
This is why I want to check.
After that then I won't be checking it (tranny fluid) until I do the next service.

 

I hate to check any oil on my bike when it's hot. And I had the same question regarding the trans oil as the OP. It does make a difference between hot and cold but not really very much.

I've checked both the engine oil and trans oil hot (200 deg) and cold (70 deg) on my bike to get reference points for future "cold" checks. On the engine oil the difference between hot and cold is between 3 or 4 dots (or approx 1/4") on the dipstick, and on the trans it is about half the distance of the "x" on the dipstick (or approx 1/8"), neither of which is very significant in my opinion.

 

Just tried to check my trans fluid when hot and to tell you the truth I found it almost impossible to get a good reading as the Formula + thins out when hot which makes it very difficult to see a defined line between the stick and where the lube stops.
Now when it is cold it is a bit thicker making it more easy to see the level on the dipstick.
Not only that but it is a bitch to hold onto a 200 degree dipstick.