Step One: Aquire all necesary parts to complete the service. Nothing sucks more than just finishing up and realizing that you didn't have enough oil, or a new oil filter - especially when your bike is your only means of transportation.


You will see I have 5 quart jugs of 15w50 (for use after 2,000 miles) and 1 quart bottles of yamalube. I also run the OEM filter without any problems:

 

Next steps is to remove the lower fairing. This gives better access to the drain plug, and is completely necesary any time the filter is to be changed.

 

The lower is removed as one piece (both the left and right lowers are taped together, so remove all bolts from one side, then the other)

 

There are in total 12 bolts that need to be removed. 10 of them are quick-turn fasteners, and two are actual bolts. 2 of the quick-turn fasteners will come completely out of the bike, while the rest remain connected to the lower.

 

Inside these holes are the two quick-turn fasteners that will be removed completely from the bike. *When re-installing these, but VERY sure that you have them completely locked, because they can be tricky and seem to be locked when they aren't*

 

Those pictures show the removal for all the fasteners on the right side of the bike. Remove all the ones on the left side (exact mirror image of right side) and the lower can now be removed. I recommend placing a towel under the bike when you drop the lower and slide it out, as this will prevent you from scratching it when it hits the ground.

 

Now you will remove the oil drain plug. It is a 17mm bolt, so either a socket or wrench can be use (socket is much easier). It is torqued down pretty tight, so be prepared to use some force, and be careful to not let the socket/wrench slip off the bolt as you will end up punching the header (ask me how I know that!)

Here is the drain plug (sorry for the awkward angle of this picture. There isn't a lot of space for taking pictures underneath the bike):

 

When I change the oil, I loosen the drain plug, then snug it back up by hand. I will then start the bike and run it until the temp gauge reads 120-130 degrees F. This warms up the oil, and makes it more fluid to aid in it draining faster.

Be sure you have the oil catch pan under the bike as you remove the drain plug - and be careful not to drop the drain plug into the catch pan when you remove it, because the catch pan very quickly begins filling with oil.

DISCLAIMER: THE OIL WILL NOT BE COLD!!! DON'T BURN YOURSELF!

 

My next step is to remove the oil fill plug while oil is draingin (gives me something to do while I am waiting on it). Get this tool from your tool kit:

 

I always wrap the tool (which happens to double as the rear axle nut remover) in a towel to prevent scratching the fill cap. I know the tool originally comes with a black rubber cover, but after a few oil changes it gets torn up, and is useless.

 

I said wrap it in the towel, not just set it on a towel:

 

Now put the tool in the slot, and twist (that sounds wrong, I know, I'm sorry)

 

Next thing you know, you will have removed the oil fill plug:

 

Next step is to remove the oil filter. It sits on the front side of the engine, but behind the header. First place some paper towels on the header tubes, beneath the oil filter, so that as oil leaks out it doesn't go all over the exhaust (which would otherwise burn off in a cloud of white smoke). My method for removing the oil filter is to hammer a screwdriver into the oil filter, and then use the screwdriver for leverage to loosen the filter. After doing that three times, the filter is loose enough to be removed by hand.

 

I then open the new oil filter and some new oil, and fill the filter about half way with oil. This lets the filter media soak up oil, decreasing the amount the oil level will drop when you start your bike after you have filled it up. I also use this as an oportunity to run some oil around the gasket on the oil filter - something that you should always do.

 

I next put the new oil filter back on (hand tight) and reinstall the oil drain plug (oil should be done draining by now). I next refill the bike with oil, which should take about 3.3 quarts of oil with the oil filter change. I normally put in three quarts, then start checking the oil level in the sight glass window (which requires standing the bike upright). Once the level is to the top of the window, I finger-tighten the oil fill plug and start the bike up and let it run for a minute.

I use this time to start putting away tools and looking for oil leaks. I then turn the bike back off, check the oil level (it should have dropped about a third of quart) and fill it back to the top of the sight glass. I start the bike up again, let it run for another minute while I put away all the rest of my tools, except the 5mm allen wrench. I shut off the bike and check the oil level again (it should be okay), and begin putting the fairings back on. installation of fairing is reverse of removal. As noted earlier, be sure the quick turn fasteners that go directly behind the wheel are completely locked in place (I have lost a set of these before because I thought they were tightened, but they weren't).

 

Great pictures. My biggest problem has always been the amount of oil to put in, my sight glass is very dependant on the temp of the engine and more importantly the amount of time I leave my bike on the sidestand before placing it vertically on the rear stand.

I am seriously considering just placing the "correct" amount in the bike next time as I invariably end up with too much oil in the engine because of the above and the sightglass.

The engine seems to have an amazing capacity to hide oil based on angle/time before returning to vertical for "measurement" using the sightglass.

 

i use Mobil 1 15w-50w Full synthetic oil (gold cap), but i see it is a car oil ...
is it a problem to my bike...? cause i hear car oil can make our clutch slip...which one the right thing....let me know...cause here is hard to find full synthetic bike oil...only mineral and semi synthetic bike oil available here.....

 

Its bad for your transmission son. Car oil is not formulated for such things as transmission gears also motorcycle oil has an additive that actually forces metal particals to the bottom to help prevent clogging of your oil passages/ lines.

 

Nice tutorial going to do my own tomorrow. Some mechnic want to charge me 130 for full service ie just oil change and another 50 to change my front sprocket. I'm LMAO. Thanks again.

 

i use Mobil 1 15w-50w Full synthetic oil (gold cap), but i see it is a car oil ...
is it a problem to my bike...? cause i hear car oil can make our clutch slip...which one the right thing....let me know...cause here is hard to find full synthetic bike oil...only mineral and semi synthetic bike oil available here.....

Again, I have had zero problems running the Mobil 1 15w50 (gold cap, car oil) in my bike. My clutch has seen some hard use, too (several trips to the drag strip, road course races, trackdays, and around town, low speed clutch slipping). 25,000 miles and the stock clutch is still doing great. So I see no problem with running this car oil in our bikes.

 

Nice tutorial going to do my own tomorrow. Some mechnic want to charge me 130 for full service ie just oil change and another 50 to change my front sprocket. I'm LMAO. Thanks again.

130?!?!? Haha, that's insane. Almost all services can easily be done by someone who owns a few tools (or even just the tool kit).

 

OK!!! So has anyone had a Fu%*&%# problem getting the damn filler cap off? I just totally killed mine because its on so f@#$&^* tight. And it has nothing to do with strength or leverage. Now what can i do outside of drilling it out?

 

I had some problems myself. I ended up scratching up the cap with that d@mn tool when it ripped through the rubber end as well as a rag.

What I ended up doing was setting a rag over the fill cap and taking a small hammer and "GENTLY" tapping the edges around the cap. (kinda like a jar of pickles where you tap the edges to loosen things up).

Then after that it was 10 more minutes of brute force.:flex:

That was my first oil change, so i hope it'll be easier this time.

 

Great thread! I'm changing my oil now and wanted to double check how much oil to put in (i usually just use the sight glass).. and using the search feature this thread came up.

Thanks for the hard work Ponykiller

 

i recommend getting a pair of oil filter pliers instead of the screwdriver method there $8 at most parts stores and when i did my oil change i put inbetween 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 quarts with a new filter and its always where it should be on the sight glass

 

i accidentally added to much oil to my bike the other night. I dont think i went to far over, however the glass window is completely filled up when it should be in the middle somewhere. Should i drain some back out or will the bike run okay with a little extra in there?

 

You should drain it to the proper level.