Let’s go over one of the basics of DIY maintenance on your motorcycle– changing your oil.
This is something that you should at least know how to do. Whether you do it yourself or bring it into the shop is entirely up to you. It’s a very simple task on most bikes that you’ll end up overpaying for almost every time at the shop.
There is one instance when I recommend you bring it to a dealership or mechanic (aside from oil leaks etc.), and that is for your first service if you bought the bike new. New bikes, especially sport bikes, have a break-in period for all new bikes where you’re not supposed to sustain RPM’s over a certain threshold and allow the motor to get used to the stresses of actually running. It’s usually about 600 miles or so.
Bring it to the dealership where you bought it for the first service since they’re going to go over the bike and make sure nothing rattled loose in the first 600 miles. Build and prep guys miss stuff, they’re human. Sometimes bolts around the bike aren’t completely tightened from the factory and can come a little loose during that break-in period. AND, if you purchased an extended warranty on the bike, not bringing the bike in to have the first service completed by a licensed dealer could void that warranty. I’m not saying it will, but CYA.
After that break-in period though, grab your gloves and do it yourself. Let’s break down how to do that now. Disclaimer: This is not a step-by-step guide. Every bike is different and you may need to take an additional step to complete your oil change. Always check the owner’s manual first.
What you’ll need: a new oil filter, fresh oil (whatever the manufacturer calls for. It will be in your owner’s manual under the oil change section), an oil pan, tire stands (at least a rear stand), a wrench to get the drain bolt off, gloves to protect your hands, and some rags for any mess.
Prep the bike and your work station.
- Turn the bike on and let it warm up a bit to allow the oil to flow smoother on the way out.
- Place a tire stand under the rear wheel. Next do the front wheel.
- Have your everything laid out that you need.
- Put your gloves on.
- Give yourself access to the oil filter and drain bolt. If you have a sportbike, your fairings are probably in the way. You’re going to need to properly unbolt them at the bottom to separate them and gain access.
Drain the oil.
- Start by placing the oil pan directly under the drain bolt.
- Grab your wrench and slowly loosen the drain bolt.
- Once the drain bolt is loose enough and oil is pouring into the pan, get the bolt out of the way. Don’t make life difficult and just let it drop into the pan with the oil.
- Allow the oil to completely drain.
Remove the oil filter.
- With the oil pan still under the bike, remove the oil filter.
- You may be able to twist it off with just your hand. If not, they make a wrench specifically for oil filters. If you don’t have one, channel locks should work.
- Once the filter is off, allow any excess oil to drain into the pan then take the filter and trash it.
Install new filter and old drain bolt.
- First, change your gloves. No point in getting dirty oil all over a clean filter and the bottom of your motor.
- Take the new filter and install it. You won’t need a wrench to get it on. Just get it as tight as you can with your hand.
- Now you can go ahead and put the drain bolt back in.
Pour in some fresh oil.
- Find the oil fill plug (use your owner’s manual if you’re lost, it has a diagram).
- Using the oil sight glass or dip stick, fill the bike with oil to the appropriate level. If you did all of this on the side stand then you’ll need to stand the bike upright to get an accurate read.
- DO NOT OVERFILL WITH OIL. And if you do, drain it and start over. You can do some serious damage by overfilling a bike with oil.
Clean up and go for a ride.
- That’s it, you’re all set. Wipe anything down that needs it and take her for a spin.
That’s a basic rundown on how to change your oil on your own. It’s not hard and once you’ve done it, you’ll see how much money you were wasting by bringing your bike into the shop. Thanks for reading and keep it rubber side down.