Motorcycle oil change

🏍️ CHANGING YOUR MOTORCYCLE OIL — EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

Changing your motorcycle’s oil and filter is one of the easiest maintenance jobs you can learn yourself — and it’s also a great way to better understand the machine you trust every time you ride.

The basic process is similar on most motorcycles:

Warm it. Drain it. Change the filter. Reinstall the drain plug. Refill it. Check the level. Check for leaks.

Sounds simple — and for the most part, it is.

But the important details are specific to YOUR motorcycle. Always have your owner’s manual or service manual available because oil viscosity/specification, capacity, drain-plug torque, filter torque and the correct oil-level checking procedure can vary considerably between bikes.

One thing many riders don’t realize: not every manufacturer specifies replacing the oil filter at every oil change. On some motorcycles, the scheduled filter replacement interval may be every second oil change. Follow the maintenance schedule for your particular bike.

🔧 BEFORE YOU START

Make sure you have the correct oil.

Viscosity matters — 10W-40, 10W-50, 15W-50, etc. — but so does the oil specification.

Most motorcycles use a wet clutch, meaning the clutch operates in the same oil as the engine. Don’t automatically assume regular automotive oil is suitable. Use an oil that meets the specifications required by the motorcycle manufacturer, commonly a motorcycle-specific JASO MA or MA2 specification where applicable.

Also determine exactly how your motorcycle’s oil level is supposed to be checked.

Sight glass or dipstick?

Bike upright or on the side stand?

Engine hot or cold?

How long should it sit after shutting it off?

Dipstick screwed in or simply resting on the threads?

These little details matter. Checking the oil incorrectly can make a perfectly correct oil level appear too high or too low.

🔧 WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• Correct socket or wrench for the drain plug

• Torque wrench

• Oil drain pan

• Correct fresh oil

• New drain-plug sealing washer where specified

• Funnel

• Oil-filter wrench/tool if required

• New oil filter or filter cartridge if replacing it

• Replacement O-rings/seals where required

• Gloves

• Shop rags

🔥 STEP 1 — WARM THE ENGINE

Warm oil flows more easily and generally drains better.

Run the motorcycle for a few minutes and then shut it off. You’re looking for warm oil — not an engine and exhaust hot enough to burn you.

Remove the oil filler cap when appropriate to help the crankcase drain.

🔧 STEP 2 — POSITION THE MOTORCYCLE

Place the motorcycle on stable, level ground.

Depending on the motorcycle and manufacturer procedure, this may mean using the side stand, centre stand or holding/supporting the motorcycle upright.

Don’t automatically assume upright is correct for every bike. Follow the manufacturer’s procedure.

Most importantly, make sure the motorcycle is stable before putting any force on the drain plug.

🛢️ STEP 3 — DRAIN THE OLD OIL

Position your drain pan underneath the drain plug. Remember that the oil may initially shoot outward rather than straight down, so give yourself some room.

Loosen the drain plug counter-clockwise.

Once it’s loose, finish removing it carefully by hand. Keeping slight inward pressure on the plug until the last thread can help you pull it away quickly without dropping it into the drain pan.

Wear gloves and minimize skin contact with used engine oil.

While the oil drains, inspect the drain plug and drained oil.

Some very fine metallic material can occur, particularly during break-in or on magnetic drain plugs. Larger metal particles, flakes or unusual debris deserve further investigation.

🔩 STEP 4 — DRAIN PLUG & FILTER

Clean the drain plug and inspect it.

Install a new sealing/crush washer if specified by the manufacturer. Start the drain plug by hand to reduce the chance of cross-threading.

Then tighten it to the manufacturer’s specified torque using a torque wrench.

Don’t guess.

Too loose can result in a leak. Too tight can damage the threads or even the oil pan/crankcase — turning a simple oil change into a considerably more expensive afternoon.

Now replace the oil filter if it’s due.

Motorcycles commonly use either a spin-on filter or an internal cartridge-style filter.

For a spin-on filter, make absolutely sure the old rubber gasket came off with the old filter. Accidentally installing a new filter on top of the old gasket can cause a major oil leak.

Where specified, lightly lubricate the new filter gasket with clean engine oil before installation.

For cartridge filters, pay close attention to the orientation of the filter, spring, cover and O-rings. Replace seals as required and make sure O-rings are properly seated before tightening the cover.

Again — use the manufacturer’s torque specification.

🛢️ STEP 5 — ADD THE NEW OIL

Using a clean funnel, slowly add the correct oil.

Check your manual for the required capacity because there may be different quantities listed for:

• Oil change only

• Oil and filter change

• Completely dry/rebuilt engine

Don’t automatically dump the entire listed capacity into the engine.

Start slightly below the specified refill quantity and check the level using the manufacturer’s procedure.

Once you’re close, reinstall the filler cap and start the motorcycle.

The oil-pressure warning light may remain illuminated very briefly while pressure builds and the filter fills, but it should go out promptly. If it doesn’t, shut the engine off and investigate.

Let the motorcycle run briefly while checking for leaks around the drain plug and oil filter/filter cover.

Shut it off, wait the manufacturer’s recommended amount of time and check the oil level again.

Add small amounts as necessary until it’s correct.

Do not overfill the engine. More oil is NOT better.

🔎 STEP 6 — FINAL INSPECTION

Before you’re finished:

✔️ Verify the oil level

✔️ Check the drain plug for leaks

✔️ Check the filter/filter cover for leaks

✔️ Make sure the filler cap is installed

✔️ Clean any spilled oil

✔️ Make sure NO oil has reached the tires or brakes

If oil has spilled onto the exhaust, clean it thoroughly before riding. Residual oil can smoke considerably as the exhaust heats up.

♻️ DISPOSE OF THE OLD OIL PROPERLY

Used engine oil and filters need to be disposed of through an appropriate recycling or collection facility. Never pour used oil onto the ground, into a storm drain or down a household drain.

And that’s it.

Oil changes aren’t complicated, but doing them properly is more than simply draining some oil and pouring the same amount back in.

Use the correct oil.

Use the correct specifications.

Use a torque wrench.

Follow the manufacturer’s procedure.

Check your work.

Then pat yourself on the back, wash your hands and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing your motorcycle a little better than you did before.

— MikeyMoto 🏍️🔧