How Do You Check Oil Level With No Stand?

Discussion in '1st & 2nd Generation 1983-1989' started by JasonWW, Nov 1, 2012.

  1. vfraaron

    vfraaron New Member

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    Dont forget about shock sag that may throw it off as well
     
  2. tinkerinWstuff

    tinkerinWstuff Administrator Staff Member

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    centrifugal force from the earth's rotation.
     
  3. experience780

    experience780 New Member

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    Good call! That is so commonly missed, makes me nervous about the oil levels in my cars and bike now that u mentioned it
     
  4. experience780

    experience780 New Member

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    We're........going to hell for our mockery, aren't we:pray2:
     
  5. vfraaron

    vfraaron New Member

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    That is y the dipstick side has to face east when checking the oil.
     
  6. vfraaron

    vfraaron New Member

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    Yes " exp " we are but atleast we know it wont be boring
     
  7. crustyrider

    crustyrider New Member

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    Birdseeds cousin?
     
  8. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    Well, you dudes can make fun of this procedure all you want but I found an alternative on a Harley BB that should work just as well on a VFR.

    On a level surface, like the floor in your living room or dining room, remove the tires from your ride and secure the bike by two drywall screws inserted through the valvestem holes in the wheels. No need for a centerstand or any of that pussy stuff used by the fags that ride jap crap.

    Submitted by: Mad Dog XVII.
     
  9. bikeman

    bikeman New Member

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    Nailed it!
     
  10. Dukiedook

    Dukiedook New Member

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    I think you mean centripetal force, I personally include the corliois effect into account when I am checking my oil levels.
     
  11. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    Before they invented centripetal force, there was no need for aliens in flying saucers to swoop down and abduct humans for those awful experiments. Folks everywhere would just fly off the earth because of the centrifugal force that was invented way before. The aliens had these big nets and would just see some dudes flying around and scoop them up. The only really safe place in those days was pretty near almost to the North or South Pole where the Corliolis effect is really badass. It was really cold too but safe. This is why there are so many penguins.
     
  12. experience780

    experience780 New Member

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    I've learned so much, indeed this is the place for good solid answers to lifes most trivial of questions such as oil levels on a bike. I can rest easy tonight knowing there are people such as ourselves dedicating there lives to the pursuit of knowledge and so eager to share it with the world. Upon reflection of the discussion above I couldn't help but lol and now everyone in my breakroom is looking at me...................awkward
     
  13. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    Roll your bike in there and do a burnout and see who is snickering then. ;)
     
  14. supertex

    supertex New Member

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    Have a random stranger sit on it, start the bike to warm it up, have him put it in gear, then....... wait for it..... let him ride away so you don't ever again have to think this hard on 1 of the simplest tasks of owning a motorcycle.
     
  15. DrMacDaddy

    DrMacDaddy New Member

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    I completely agree with the logic that the most important reading for the oil is when the bike is sitting on both wheels, and is as close to being vertical as can be. After all, you don't ride the bike on just the front wheel (ie: bike is on center stand)...and you don't ride the bike continuously on it's left side (ie: bike leaning to the left on it's side stand). The level of oil in the engine is only important during one particular time,....when the engine is "running". Most of us don't usually have a buddy next to us when we're checking the oil.....to hold the bike vertically on both wheels. What I've always done is to roll the bike over to one of the garage walls, getting it close enough to the wall that it just slightly leans toward the left side before the left handle grip touches the wall and stabilizes the bike. This gives you the control you need to prevent the bike from tipping over as you're checking the oil, and yet keeps the bike on both wheels and as close to 100% vertical as you can get without another buddy helping. Stressing the obvious, the oil level should also always be checked with the engine off and the oil settled down into the lower crankcase. Oil levels will always drop once the bike is started and the oil begins circulating throughout the engine. As mentioned above, you do not screw the dipstick all the way back in when checking the level. You set the dipstick in until the treads just begin to make contact with each other, and take your reading there. As with any engine, under filling or over filling can both cause problems.
     
  16. Johnny Canuck

    Johnny Canuck New Member

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    Not sure about the coriolis impact but I used to live on the east coast and only checked mine during worst case scenario: low tide. The logic is sound and it never seemed to seep out anywhere during high tide so it must have worked. Now that I'm landlocked I still check the sol\lunar table before I check it...or is that before I go fishing. I dunno. I get confused and a little dizzy at times....must be that coriolis thingy. And I don't even own a Toyota.
     
  17. Maggot

    Maggot New Member

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    Don't forget about altitude!

    And then there's Cranal, Anal Inversion to worry about!
     
  18. vfourbear

    vfourbear New Member

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    Pretty sure there was an episode of Mythbusters where the ginger and the walrus proved its not possible to ever know exactly the oil level in a Honda.
     
  19. tinkerinWstuff

    tinkerinWstuff Administrator Staff Member

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    my vote for best post of the week right there
     
  20. JasonWW

    JasonWW New Member

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    Next you guys will be telling me it's fine to check the oil level once a year cuz it's no big deal.
     
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