Tips: Changing Your Motorcycle Oil 

from the Canadian Senior Motorcyclists Group
  1. Do it yourself: Watching YouTube tutorials for your specific bike can be helpful in learning the process.
  2. Change the oil prior to storage: It’s better for your bike to have fresh oil before storing it over the winter.
  3. Use dedicated motorcycle oil: Make sure the oil meets SAE & JASO specs and is specifically designed for motorcycles. Take a look in your owner’s manual and you’ll find a recommendation for an API (American Petroleum Institute) service type or/ and a JASO (Japanese Automotive Standards Organization) standard.
  4. Perform the oil change with a warm engine: This helps the oil flow more easily.
  5. Prepare for potential mess: Put cardboard down under the entire area you’re working on to avoid making a mess.
  6. Take your time: Being patient and careful can help prevent any mishaps.
  7. Keep an open garbage can nearby: This makes it easier to dispose of wipe-up rags, empty oil bottles, etc.
  8. Use a drain pan that is big enough: This ensures that you can collect all the used oil without any spills.
  9. Consider using oil trays that drain directly into a container: This makes it easier to transport the used oil for recycling.
  10. Don’t over tighten the oil filter: Apply a coating of oil to the filter gasket and tighten it 1/4 turn past hand tight.
  11. Avoid overfilling the oil.
  12. Change the oil filter with each oil change: This helps maintain the cleanliness of the oil.
  13. Use a “rain gutter” made of tin foil or a trough made from a cereal or chip box to catch dripping oil.
  14. Clean the oil filter mating surface and lubricate the seal before installing a new filter.
  15. Torque the drain plug properly.
  16. Check the oil level with the bike off the kickstand. Or as your manual recommends. Your manual may recommend the bike be on a center stand or the side stand, or level surface, as well, it may recommend the dipstick be screwed in or just set in the hole.
  17. Check the oil level once again after the bike is warm
  18. Dispose of used oil properly: Never dump it on the ground. Most towns/cities have designated sites for used motor oil disposal.

Hope these tips help! Let us know if you have any other good tips.

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