Hi,

Can someone please tell me how I should check the oil level on a 29?

Does it have to stay on its stand, should the dipstick be screwed in and so on?

Thanks in advance

Richard

Stand the bike up straight or get someone to sit on it when checking the level, do not dip it when its on the sidestand and do not screw the dipstick back in when checking the oil level just place it in.

oops, think I need some oil then!!

Thanks ever so much

Rich

where as i on the other hand.....
after end of a journey while oil is still warm-put bike on side stand, remove dip, wipe it off. screw it back in and lift the bike off the stand up straight, wait a while for oil in sump to settle, then back on side stand, dip out to check.
not had any oil issues doing that way for the last 5years...

stick your finger in ther and see if you can feel some..

adversely if you clean bike on w/end and have paddock stands just check it then (would recommend buying at least a rear one if not already got one, handy as hell).

oil needs to be warmed up 1st. run the engine for a few mins.

"if you clean bike on w/end and have paddock stands"
if i did it that way id never check the oil level. bike gets washed twice a year!

Call me old fashioned but I'm a big believer in checking the oil BEFORE starting the engine. Not much point finding out you're dangerously low on oil after you've been warming the bike up or been out for a run. A cursory check before starting the bike wont do you any harm at all, and whilst i would always warm up the oil prior to draining it I'm not sure whats to be achieved by doing so before checking the level, other than having to wait for it all to drain back down to the sump again. Now if you've just replaced your filter and oil then I would definately go with what LP says, you need to get it round the system first. But that's just my way of doing things for what it's worth.

missinNZ wrote:adversely if you clean bike on w/end and have paddock stands just check it then (would recommend buying at least a rear one if not already got one, handy as hell).

by doing it this way it is likely you will over fill it as when the bike is on the paddock the rear wheel is in the air.

leopard_pagan wrote:oil needs to be warmed up 1st. run the engine for a few mins.

Eh?? no it doesnt all you are doing is dispursing the oil around the engine meaning the level in the sump will be lower...

having ridden my bike every day, i doubt one more warm up will do anything to it!
if a bike had been standing for XX months.. perhaps your way is better.. main worry then is if it starts at all.

i do wish i could find the article i saw 3 odd yrs ago in a well known bike mag on how they ran a bike (honda 600) with NO oil in it to see just how long it would last.
it lasted 2-3 tank fulls before it over heated (had sparks out the exhaust) and they turned it off. they then re-filled it with oil and it ran fine!
they did the same test with no water in the bike.. it didnt last half a tank before it over heated.