Have you people not heard of rear stands? No need to balance a bike, just put it on the stand!

Also, not sure about you, but my oil pan doesn't fit under the bike unless it's raised up a little.

 

i had to help my friend change the oil in his yzf 600 - it was a huge PITA. the fairing had to come off - but it also had the turn signal, so you had to disconnect the turn signal, the fairing had about 25 misc. bolts and screws.....

he couldn't get all the bolts and screws back in. what was supposed to be a half hour ordeal for him turned into "holy ****, now it's dark and i can't see anything to get it back together" night.

that kind of turned me off from yamaha - i did a bunch of other stuff for his bike too (jetting, changing exhausts, air filter, etc) and that stuff was more difficult than the honda too - but not as bothersome as changing the oil

 

No, I said that when it on the side stand and you're standing to the right of the bike you just reach over and pull it up to the balance point and then insert the dipstick and get the reading. No need for more than one person to do this.

Rear stand gives an inaccurate reading, at least on mine. The rear end is tilted toward the front and the bike is not level. I've tried it.

 

Oh I see what you're saying. The bike does need to be upright but it is just much easier for one person. I will give you that. A sight glass is much faster to read where you have a helping hand.

 

Yeah when I use my rear stand the oil doesn't even register in the sight glass. Doesn't help my garage floor pitches pretty badly towards the drains and the front but either way the rear stand doesn't help either.

 

ill never understand why they made it so, that you can't check the oil when the bike
is on the center stand. (F4I)

 

i use a trash can lid as a catch. they make great low profile drain pans.