Edit ArticleHow to Change the Oil and Oil Filter on a Motorcycle Want to save some money and learn about your beloved machine at the same time? Try changing your own oil. It's cheap, fun, and doesn't require many tools! Set up your spot. Put your bike on the side stand, center-stand or rear-stand if you have one. Allow the used/dirty oil to finish draining while you take off the filter. Install a fresh drain plug crush washer. Put the drain bolt back in. Prep the filter by filling it about a quarter full of fresh oil. Clear the filter area on the engine of grime and wipe a finger of fresh oil around the area just to get good clean contact. If you haven't already, move the dirty oil away from the area so you don't spill it! Clean it up, double check you've returned all the caps and bolts, and you're good to go! Lastly, make double sure to check the level again as well as the filter, drain bolt, and fill cap tightness after your first ride!

Show more unanswered questions Oil disposal is always a pain. Put it in an old (but clean) bleach or laundry detergent bottle, cause they're sturdy and have a good screw on top. Most town dumps will take oil if you're a resident, and sometimes only on a certain day. Don't dump it on the ground or down the drain. Remember, hot oil flows much better, so go for a ten minute ride before you pull the drain plug. The oil will come out hot and fast when it goes so be careful! This will help "wash" the inside of your engine with oil and let it flow out nicely. If you ride a sport bike, odds are that your oil filter will be surrounded by your exhaust headers. Since burning oil stinks, try this to keep the oil off of the hot exhaust pipes: get some aluminum foil and wrap it over the top of the headers just below the filter connection! Clean the oil drain plug area and the drain plug itself thoroughly. That will make it easy to spot a leak after you refill with fresh oil. It will also keep you from introducing dirt from the oil-pan to the inside of the engine.

If you do see a leak after re-filling, you may have not tightened the drain plug enough, or you may have over-tightened it. What's more, leaving oil on that area will attract loads of dirt and make a real mess of the area. Be sure not to over-tighten your oil drain plug. The oil pan is usually aluminum and no match for the steel threads of the drain plug. A stripped oil pan can be a big pain. The drain plug should be tightened to the tightness specified in your owners manual and no more. You don't want dirt and grime from your tools and your shop getting in there, so clean your tools before (and after), and keep a clean work area! Small particles of sand in your oil can destroy your engine! Oil isn't all that flammable, but fuel that may have contaminated your oil IS. Oil will burn, mind you, but it takes a source of heat far greater than that of a simple cigarette or a lighter. However, you may have had a carburetor's float get stuck and not even realize it, and now you might have a great deal of fuel mixed in with the oil in your crankcase.

If a float sticks, the excess fuel should pour out of the overflow. Sometimes, if the line is pinched, plugged, or stopped up, over one night the contents of the entire fuel tank can find their way into both the airbox and the crankcase. It may stick for only a short time resulting in only a small amount of fuel loss, but any fuel in the crankcase is really, really bad. If that has happened, changing your oil in-doors could pose an explosion/fire hazard. motorcycles for sale on craigslist dayton ohioAn easy way to know what you're dealing with up-front is to pull your oil fill cap, stick your nose up to the hole, and take a whiff. o'neal riding gear comboIf you smell gas, move the show outdoors to a well ventilated area. motorcycle helmet chin strap cushion

Also, you will want to find the source of the errant fuel ASAP. If you have a float sticking, it will cause all sorts of problems. Fuel will also re-contaminate your fresh oil and that can cause permanent damage to your engine. Diluted oil is bad oil! Overfilling your engine increases oil pressure, putting strain on seals. Racers usually run their cars/bikes with even less oil than the manufacturer recommends as the bare minimum in oil to keep weight down. motorcycle dealer invoice reportsAnd think about how hard they run their engines. motorcycle for sale yuma azStay on the not chock-full side and filling 1/3 of the way above "add" (or the lower marker). yamaha motorcycle dealers madison wi

Just check it often, as you should anyway! Hot oil is hot! Be careful as you can burn yourself. Never smoke or use a lighter while changing oil, charging batteries, or working with any part of the fuel system (tank, lines, carbs, injectors, etc).Behold, the classic roadster. Check it out: higher-set footpegs and a shorter, more upright bar. We’re talking serious classic roadster here, built for riders who want to actively ride their bike, and not just putt from place to place. motorcycle dealerships in yakima waMake no mistake: the Shadow RS will transport you anywhere you want to go, and you’re going to have a blast getting there. This Shadow offers a heavy dose of old-school roadster style and function—you don’t have to look hard to see the classic flat-track influences in the peanut-shaped fuel tank and flatter seat. It all adds up to an amazing motorcycle that’s just as much at home on a favorite back road as it is prowling on a Saturday night.

The Shadow RS has total street cred when it comes to power and torque, thanks to its brawny, liquid-cooled 745cc V-twin. Cruise cross-town or hit the highway—this machine can handle both, and sound really good doing it. The Shadow RS’s fuel-injection system delivers trouble-free starting in almost any condition, and better performance to boot! Higher pegs, more upright bars, and a plush, low, but slightly flatter saddle add up to cruiser comfort with a sporty feel. Which, when you think about it, is exactly how it should be with a machine this versatile. One of the best things about the Shadow RS? It gets awesome fuel economy. How about an estimated 56 miles per gallon*? Now that’s Honda smart! *Honda's fuel economy estimates are based on EPA exhaust emission measurement test procedures and are intended for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you ride, how you maintain your vehicle, weather, road conditions, tire pressure, installation of accessories, cargo, rider and passenger weight, and other factors.