Topping up oil between services?

[Grumpy]

Just curiouse, has anyone needed to top up the oil between the 6k sevices, as in found the oil level low in the site glass during/ after a long trip?

 

[Dogdaze]

I really would not rely on the site glass, as previously stated will not give an accurate reading. However, I did have to add about 300ml to my Gen1 bike after riding 1100kms straight from Berkshire in the UK to south of Zurich, it was a long hard ride so I guess expected to burn a little oil.

 

[EricV]

LOL, and how was the oil in the sight glass after you correctly checked it per the owner's manual instructions?

It's a well known phenomenon for the Gen I bikes to puke a bit of oil into the air box under sustained high rpm riding.

Did the low oil level light come on? Dry sump. The sight glass it to see if the goldfish are still alive, nothing more.

 

[WJBertrand]

So far with almost 52,000 miles on my bike and changing the oil every 5,000 miles I've not needed to add a drop between changes. This included blasting across parts of Eastern Oregon at 112 MPH on and off for a couple of hours.

 

[tallpaul]

The sight glass on the super tenere is about as useful as nipples on a bloke. I can't get a repeatable reading from it no matter how I check it. As long as the oil level light stays out I'm happy.

 

[Sierra1]

The sight glass on the super tenere is about as useful as nipples on a bloke.

Bahahaaaa, or tits on a warthog. The ONLY bike that I have EVER had to add oil to, in between oil changes, was the Beemer RT. NONE of my Japanese rides have ever needed oil between the changes.

 

[Boris]

Hi Grumpy

In late July I changed my oil and filter and then did a 5000 mile trip around Europe over 25 days, including many many mountain passes, a good few hundred motorway miles, lots of town rounding and lots of tearing about on what we would call B roads. I like to get a move on, so my bike is worked fairly hard.

On my return I checked the sight glass after a long run and the bike had definitely used some oil, but was still comfortably between the lines on the glass. There was also some in the catch thingy from the air box, so I presume some is sitting in the air box.

But, no top up

 

[HeliMark]

My Gen 1 will burn a little oil between changes. But only when I do sustained high speed runs (80+) on the freeway. If I keep the speed below that, no.

 

[Bigbore4]

Gen one here, as stated it will use some after long (like all freaking day) high speed, heavy loaded, heavy head wind, runs.

I just completed a 5500 mile trip. Everywhere I go leaving from Minnesota I have to cross the plains. Usually meeting 2 or more of the criteria above, I had to add oil mid ride. I am at 80k miles and it seems consistent with what it did when new(er).

I use the sight glass, works just fine. It just is not as absolute as an indicator on a wet sump.

 

[Cycledude]

50,000 miles on my 2013 and I’ve never noticed any oil consumption.

 

[Grumpy]

If I can shake this cold, next week I'm off to the Pyrenees. My past trips to the alps and Spain have not been a problem for oil consumption, but then I never gave it any thought before hand. Maybe I'm (getting) old and paranoid

 

[Boris]

Grumpy, that's keen, the Pyrenees this late in the season. Have you been this time of year before? How is it there this late?

 

[Dogdaze]

Grumpy, that's keen, the Pyrenees this late in the season. Have you been this time of year before? How is it there this late?

It's getting cooler here, we had 3°C this morning, hopefully will warm up for Grumpy by next week.

 

[tallpaul]

It was 3°C in northern Blighty this morning. Summer has well and truly departed for this year.

 

[Grumpy]

My trip to Spain was November 2015, down to Fuengirola, west of Malaga. On the way back home, north of Madrid I rode through 50 km of fog that went down to 3c on the bikes temperature readout. And I was still wearing my summer kit. I crossed the Pyranees at the west end heading to Bordeaux. This time I want to travel (roughly) west to east along the N260 from Jaca to just south of Andora. Then see how it goes, south or home.

 

[Longdog Cymru]

Bahahaaaa, or tits on a warthog. The ONLY bike that I have EVER had to add oil to, in between oil changes, was the Beemer RT. NONE of my Japanese rides have ever needed oil between the changes.

+1 on adding oil to a Beemer! Mine was an R1150GS and she did like to sup a little if you know what I mean!

 

[gv550]

My bike has never required any oil between changes. I use Yamalube synthetic and change oil and filter every 10,000 kms (6200 miles).

 

[Pdrhound]

I cant make 4000miles without adding 1/2 quart. Light will come on. Check glass and it is low. Like can't see low.

 

[Don in Lodi]

I cant make 4000miles without adding 1/2 quart. Light will come on. Check glass and it is low. Like can't see low.

How fast were you going over that 4,000 miles?