Had a bit of a scare this morning. Clutch sounded a bit rough last night
and noticed it again this morning.
I'm driving down the Highway and the oil light comes on, so I pull over.
BONE DRY.

My own fault, I checked it when it was cold the day after I bought it.
It seemed OK, and since the guy I got it from (I work with him) said it had recently been
serviced, I thought I'd wait a bit.

So I rode it very daintily to the nearest autoparts place (luckily just off the highway), grabbed a bottle of 15w50 somthing or other
and poured it in. I ran it for a few then jumped back on and continued to work.

My question is, should I break out the Haynes and do an oil/filter change this weekend?

 

Hmm, the oils level must have become very low over a short period of time or there is a previous misreading. I would change the oil and filter as you say and watch the level every day until I know the oil consumption. In the Haynes manual, it is written that the check shall be done with the bike on its center stand and the oil cap shall laying unscrewed on its lower thread to get the correct reading. It sounds a litte bit odd, but that would probably require one more litre of oil to get the correct reading compared to if the oil cap is bottomed.

 

Cheers.
It was odd, I could see the bottom of the metal at the bottom.

 

You could get an idea if the engine is an oil-burner by looking at the exhaust while reving it up when warm. Or even better, have someone behind looking when you load it on road.

There is no sign of oil leak when it is parked?

 

So, do you check the oil with it screwed in or out

 

Out.

 

The same, out

 

I have a *small* oil leak from that square cap underneath the starter.. not sure what exactly it is, but it leaks a little from there, and i've noticed my oil level going down significantly, which can't be all from there, but the bike doesn't ever puff any blue smoke... I'm not sure where this oil is going either.. I noticed mine was low when i was stopping really hard (nearly stoppie), and my oil light came on.. I was like WTF????

 

Check the colour of the water

 

alrighty... from what I remember it looked alright, normal green.. and the oil doesn't seem to have any condensation in it.. I will check next time I lift the tank though