More than a little truth lies in the old saying, "The two most important things about motor oil are 1) the engine actually has oil in it and 2) the oil gets changed occasionally." Riders who want to get the maximum life and performance out of their motorcycles usually change the oil every 2000 miles with something like religious fervor.
Although today's plastic-wrapped sportbikes may look difficult to wrench on, basic maintenance activities such as oil changing can be accomplished by novice mechanics without fear of violating the manufacturer's warranty. Begin by parking your bike on a level surface. (A rear stand is helpful but not necessary.) Carefully remove the fairing lowers, taking care to disconnect turn signal wires and the one or two hidden fasteners that always lurk behind bodywork. Find a safe place to store the bodywork. You'd be surprised by how many bike parts get damaged when they're not on the bike.
Two schools of thought govern oil changing theory. The first, and more common, states an engine should be warmed up to operating temperature prior to draining to ensure all the bad stuff engines create gets suspended in the oil mixture and is flushed out. The second theory stresses that, if the engine hasn't been operated in more than 24 hours, all the gunk is already in the oil pan waiting to be emptied. So why not just drain the dirty oil without redistributing it throughout the engine? Regardless of which methodology you choose, check to see if you can loosen the oil filter by hand before you heat up the engine and/or drain the oil. If you can't loosen the filter, it's time to invest in a filter wrench.
Locate the drain plug on the bottom of the oil pan and loosen the bolt. Drain the oil into a container suitable for transporting the used oil to your local oil recycling center. (Pouring old oil into the ground is bad karma and will force your offspring to drink funny tasting water.) After you drain the engine, be sure to empty the filter, too. Then wrap up the filter in a plastic bag to make the trip to the recycler a cleaner affair. To locate the closest oil reclamation center ask your local bike shop or point your Web browser to: www.1800CLEANUP.org or www.api.org/pasp/recycleoil/. Wearing latex gloves during the messy part of an oil change is a good idea since dirty oil is a known carcinogen.
Remove the oil filter with a filter wrench or by hand (if it's loose enough). If your wrench won't fit the small diameter of your bike's spin-on filter, try the old trick of folding up a rag under the wrench. Using your finger, wipe a film of fresh oil on the new filter's O-ring. Clean the gasket's contact surface on the engine prior to screwing the filter into place. Follow the manufacturer's specifications for tightening the filter. In the case of our 2000 GSX-R750, the two full turns from the point that the O-ring contacted the engine required the use of a filter wrench.
Torque the drain plug to the factory specification. Although mechanics have been guesstimating proper tightness for years, using a torque wrench and the proper setting can save you the indignity and expense of stripped oil pan threads. Fill the engine with the amount and viscosity of oil recommended in your owner's manual.
Before starting the engine, wipe down all the engine's oily surfaces. This way oil leaks will be easier to spot after the engine has been run for a short while. Besides, a clean bike is a happy bike.
When you first start your engine, don't be alarmed if the oil light stays on a little longer than usual. The filter needs to fill with oil before sending the fluid on to the rest of the engine. If the light doesn't go out after 15 to 20 seconds, stop the engine and verify that you buttoned up everything correctly. After the engine reaches operating temperature, shut it down and wait a minute or so before checking the oil level. You may need to add a bit more since the filter holds a few ounces of oil. Before remounting the bodywork, check the engine for any fluid leaks.
How and Why: Oil changes are relatively simple maintenance projects. Our GSX-R's bodywork required a 5mm Allen key and some patience with all those small fasteners. Once the plastic was out of the way, the job became easier. A 17mm open-end wrench and socket took care of the drain plug. A torque wrench made sure we didn't over tighten anything. Oil filter wrenches can either be the generic clamp-on style we used or a model-specific one that fits over the top of the OE filter and uses a ratchet or torque wrench. An oil container makes it a snap to get the dirty stuff to the recycler without sloshing it all over your pickup. Gloves protected our hands and prevented the dreaded oil-under-the-fingernails that girlfriends and wives hate. Finally, you need fresh oil and a new filter.
This article was originally published in the December 2000 issue of Sport Rider.
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Evans Brasfield is the author of 101 Sportbike Performance Projects.