Ultimate Engine Maintenance Guide: Triple Your Bike Engine's Lifespan, by Adam Riemann on YouTube. 18 min 24 s.
- Video length
- 18 min 24 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Warm the engine for a few minutes, then switch it off. Put the bike on level ground and let the oil settle before you start.
For an engine flush, pour the flush product into the old oil and idle the engine for the time stated on the bottle. Then switch off.
Place a drain pan under the sump and remove the oil filler cap. This helps the old oil flow out faster and more completely.
Remove the drain bolt and let the oil drain fully. Inspect the crush washer and fit a new one if it is flattened or damaged.
Take off the old oil filter with a filter wrench. Clean the mating surface, rub fresh oil on the new filter's rubber gasket, then fit it hand tight.
Refit the drain bolt and tighten it to the torque in your owner's manual. Do not overtighten it or you can damage the sump.
Fill with the oil grade and amount listed in the manual. Add most of it first, then check the sight glass or dipstick and top up slowly.
Start the engine and let it idle for about a minute. Check for leaks around the filter and drain bolt, then switch off and recheck the level.
Tips and common mistakes
Wear nitrile gloves and keep hot old oil off your skin, because it can burn.
Do not overtighten the oil filter or drain bolt, because that can cause leaks or damaged threads.
Check the oil level with the bike upright on level ground, not on its side stand.
Use the oil grade and JASO or API rating in your owner's manual, especially if your bike has a wet clutch.
Questions
How often should I change motorcycle oil?
Follow the interval in your owner's manual. Short trips, dust and track use usually mean changing it sooner.
Can I use car engine oil in my motorcycle?
Not if your bike has a wet clutch. Use a motorcycle oil that meets the rating in your manual, because car oils can make the clutch slip.
How much oil does my bike need?
Check the owner's manual for the exact amount with a filter change. Start with slightly less, then add until the level is correct.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
