checking oil and yellow warning light question

[julia rose]

i have a 2002 r1150r and am trying to keep on top of checking the oil. the dealer says it must be on centre stand and flat ground. okay okay i dont like having to put it on centre stand (fear of it falling the other way). i do know the technique and will do this if i have to. i've also tried a mirror against the wall and sitting on the bike upright to check. the reading does vary depending on how straight the bike is so i know how easy it is to be off.
the thing is that i am getting different readings so i want to make sure whatever approach i use is the most accurate.

i check it cold in the morning or an hour after i stop riding. and it should be half level right? i know the min and max levels to watch for.

one more thing i was wondering about, i was only getting 95miles before my yellow low gas light went on. the dealer adjusted the throttle yesterday so i dont know if thats resolved it just yet. hopefully that's the problem fixed but if not, what else might it be.

Julia

[Buckster]

I would get used to getting it up on the center stand as it does need to be there to check the oil. Also is very stable and make checking the tire pressure easier and general maintainence easier. Follow the manuals instructions on using the center stand. It should be quite easy after a while.
My light used to come on around 140 miles but is more like 160 now. Not sure what changed that but hopefully the TB adjustment will help that.

[Dr. Strangelove]

i have a 2002 r1150r and am trying to keep on top of checking the oil. the dealer says it must be on centre stand and flat ground. okay okay i dont like having to put it on centre stand (fear of it falling the other way). i do know the technique and will do this if i have to. i've also tried a mirror against the wall and sitting on the bike upright to check. the reading does vary depending on how straight the bike is so i know how easy it is to be off.
the thing is that i am getting different readings so i want to make sure whatever approach i use is the most accurate.

i check it cold in the morning or an hour after i stop riding. and it should be half level right? i know the min and max levels to watch for.

one more thing i was wondering about, i was only getting 95miles before my yellow low gas light went on. the dealer adjusted the throttle yesterday so i dont know if thats resolved it just yet. hopefully that's the problem fixed but if not, what else might it be.

Julia

Hi, Julia,
Welcome to the forum and all things RR

Oil check: after a thorough warm up

side stand for 5-10 minutes

center stand for 5-10 minutes

oil anywhere in the sight glass is ok

That is the way to check it--some say 7-10 minutes but 5-15 probably works well enough--just easier to remember 5-10--don't get too anl about the exact times; with time you'll get a feel for it.

Any other method is not as accurate, though many will check cold in am and swear by it. Center stand is crucial, I believe

Re the low fuel light
How many gallons do you take when it first goes on? If you are taking just a couple of gallons, chalk it up to an overly sensitive light. They have been know to be flakey. If it is taking 4 gallons it would be unlikely for a healthy RR to get only 20+ mpg

After the "throttle" was adjusted___was that a "throttle body sync?" was there a noticeable improvement in performance? Freq there is, esp if they were out of adjustment (sync)--what that does, and there will be people that don't like this analogy--is "synchronizes" the fuel delivery to each cylinder--Think of your bike as having two engines--the right and the left. If the delivery of fuel is greater on one side than the other (or out of "synchronization"), power delivery is compromised. Adjusting the fuel mixtures and cable lengths--the throttle body sync--will restore or achieve the balance between the "two engines" so that they are optimally working together, one hand helping the other.
Layman's terms to be sure, but that is how I understand it.

Again welcome

John

[touchton]

This is one strange beast to check the oil on. It does need to be on the center stand and on flat ground. The trick is to make sure you've shut it off with the engine hot enough so that the oil drains from the oil coolers. I don't bother checking the oil if I've just finished a short ride. After a good 20 to 30 minutes of riding, I run for about 5 miles at 4000 RPM just before I arrive home. I shut the bike off and put it on the side stand while I remove and put my gear away (5 minutes or so). Then I put the bike on the center stand. There should be oil in the glass at this point, although the reading may not be accurate. After about 10 minutes, or the next morning, I check it again. Ultimately, it should be in the center of the sight glass. A little low is fine, but never above. If it's down to the bottom of the glass, I add more.

All in all, it's not that big of a deal. As long as the bike is not leaking oil or smoking horribly it won't run out. When I don't have time to go through the method above and I want to assure myself that there's oil in the bike, I put it on the side stand and look in the sight glass. As long as there's oil showing, there's oil in the bike.

As to your fuel low light, adjusting the throttle won't fix that. When the light comes on, how much fuel does it take to fill it up? That light is not real accurate. I use my trip meter to gauge how much fuel I have.

.

[Photoguy]

As far as the Center Stand...I've got a new-to-me '02, but had prior experience with my '96 R850. Took me a couple of trips to the dealer to the hang of getting it up on the stand, but now it's second nature. Initially, I was afraid of not being able to control the weight. I think it's worth having someone show you the technique of getting it up there, as it makes a lot of things easier as noted above. Practice makes perfect.

[twindave]

FYI - When you stop to fill up on gas, put the bike on the center stand. You will be able to fill the tank to FULL capacity.

[boxermania]

julia rose

Let me compile what has been mentioned

Oil
Hot bike
Side stand, to allow oil in the coolers to drain back into the crankcase
Center stand, for a few minutes
Correct oil level - middle of the window/bullseye or somewhere seen on the window
Oil not seen on window.....add oil.....or potential damge to the engine will result
Oil to the top of the window - Drain some or if you prefer let it be as the engine will burn it off (potential carbon deposits on piston and combustion chamber)

Fuel consumption - low fuel light
Any oilhead in a good statye of tune and riden in a normal fashion (read, not babied, but not WOT) should go between 150 to 180 miles for 4 gallons of fuel (40 to 45 miles/gallon), unless you are using the 10% ethabnol mix which will lower the consumption by about 10%. If the low fuel light is coming on at 95 miles, and with the bike level, you are topping off with
~ 2.5 gallons of gasoline, the float is ill adjusted.

[gregor]

If the bike is put away before the oil thermostat has opened the level can seem low. Might take days for the oil to drain back
into the sump (oilpan) of my bike.Don't panic about low oil levels- as said above, if there is oil in the sight glass you will be OK until a proper level check with a hot engine.