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I changed the oil and filter on my 2021 GL1800 Tour a couple of weeks ago. I did it by by the book. I put the bike on the center stand, removed the filter, then drained the engine oil. I put the drain plug back in and then I took the bike of the center stand and placed it on the side stan and remover the drain plug again. I got about four more ounces of oil from the bike. I filled the filter with oil and installed it. Replaced the drain plug and put the bike back on the center stand. I put 3.75 quarts of oil in and ran the engine for about 5 minutes until the temperature gauge reached normal operating temperature. Shut the bike down and waited about 4 minutes and check the level. The oil level was about half way between the two marks. I added about four more ounces which brought the level to the full mark. I took a 200 mile ride and checked the oil after letting the bike sit for about four minutes. The oil lever was about 5 ounce over the full mark. I drained approximately 5 ounces of oil until the level was again at the full level. I have taken several rides since then and every time I check the oil it shows the oil level is again about 5 ounces above the full mark. If I wait until the bike cools down for a couple of hours the level drops to the full mark. If I let it set over night the oil level drops to the mid point between the two marks. What am I doing wrong?

 

[tkenny53]

I do mine, drop the 3 bolts and let it drain. Pull the 2 filers and drain and replace, fill the oil back up to the bottom line on the stick when its not full screwed in. Top line when fulling screwed in.

 

[Belloc]

There are several threads discussing the variability in oil readings regardless of technique. My takeaway from reading through all of those (and the explicit advice of many contributors), is to drain the oil and replace the filter as recommended, fill with 4 quarts of oil, then forget about it till the next oil change unless your bike is leaking or burning oil. I suppose measuring what comes out when you change the oil now and then would be one way to find out if your bike is beginning to burn it.

 

[ShanghaiDan]

There are several threads discussing the variability in oil readings regardless of technique. My takeaway from reading through all of those (and the explicit advice of many contributors), is to drain the oil and replace the filter as recommended, fill with 4 quarts of oil, then forget about it till the next oil change unless your bike is leaking or burning oil. I suppose measuring what comes out when you change the oil now and then would be one way to find out if your bike is beginning to burn it.

This Is The Way.

 

[slolane]

Yup, put 4qts in ride it and forget it checking the level will drive you nuts as you found out.

 

[Roadie]

Yep..put 4 qts in the engine and forget about that crazy procedure for checking the oil level..Ive been doing it that way for the last 18 years with my 2003 and now my 2018

 

[cyberay]

I changed the oil and filter on my 2021 GL1800 Tour a couple of weeks ago. I did it by by the book. I put the bike on the center stand, removed the filter, then drained the engine oil. I put the drain plug back in and then I took the bike of the center stand and placed it on the side stan and remover the drain plug again. I got about four more ounces of oil from the bike. I filled the filter with oil and installed it. Replaced the drain plug and put the bike back on the center stand. I put 3.75 quarts of oil in and ran the engine for about 5 minutes until the temperature gauge reached normal operating temperature. Shut the bike down and waited about 4 minutes and check the level. The oil level was about half way between the two marks. I added about four more ounces which brought the level to the full mark. I took a 200 mile ride and checked the oil after letting the bike sit for about four minutes. The oil lever was about 5 ounce over the full mark. I drained approximately 5 ounces of oil until the level was again at the full level. I have taken several rides since then and every time I check the oil it shows the oil level is again about 5 ounces above the full mark. If I wait until the bike cools down for a couple of hours the level drops to the full mark. If I let it set over night the oil level drops to the mid point between the two marks. What am I doing wrong?

Nothing, my six speed measures the exact same as you're describing. It has the correct amount of oil.
I've noticed that if you let the bike sit on the center stand for several days, the level with continue to go down until it reaches the lower mark on the dipstick when cold. Be most concerned about refilling with the correct amount and as long as the level is over the top mark when hot and below the top mark when cold, it is fine.

 

[ssncob]

This question comes up quite often, so don't worry about asking. As was pointed out, you can check 40 times and get 40 different readings. Plot them on a spreadsheet and you can find the average 😉.

These engines if not abused don't use oil, at least not enough to require any additional oil added between oil changes.

Drain the oil, pull the filter. Determine amount needed per manual (4 qts pre 18s, 4 qts 18 manual, 4.9? qts DCT). If you prefill the filter, subtract that amount from above numbers.

Add the oil, start the bike, check for leaks, enjoy the ride till next oil change.

 

[Captron]

As much as I change my oil (every 3,000 miles) I have never gotten my oil level, exact to the top line..[even checking it cold].. (3.9 quarts/with a filter change)................If I check it by the book, suggests, It's never correct.... BUT what I found is that after a long ride,... wait five minutes, and than check it....Bingo! there's the oil exact to the top line... Now I feel better!

I'm an oil changeOHLIC on all my vehicles..... I never go more than 3,000 miles on anything.....I JUST CAN'T EVER SEE MYSELF GO THE 8,000 MILES LIKE THE BOOK SUGGESTS....I'm riding a $28,000 dollar vehicle, not counting the amount I paid to have it triked ($10,000 more).....You can believe my bike is babied.....I wash it after every ride, and wax it every rainy day (I sit in my garage w/ headphones on, rock out to Led zeppelin.....God I just love R-E-T-I-R-E-M-E-N-T @ 71 yrs old, I have earned that right to relax, w/o the BS,

Ronnie

 

[OnTheFence]

Mine shows above the full mark too. The factory fill was the same way.

I go with the drain it, fill with 4 qts and forget it method. I am not sure how to tell how many ounces it's over. I suspect 4 or 5 ounces usn't going show much diff on the stick.

 

[johnny42]

More info on this topic here...

4 quart oil change on 6 speed?

4003 miles on my Wing so time for the first oil/filter change. I let it drain until it stopped. I added about 3.9 quarts, did the 3-5 minute idle, the 2-3 minute wait and then checked the dipstick. No oil showed up. Did it again. Still no oil. My bike was on the center stand. Added the rest...

www.gl1800riders.com

 

[gug1953]

I wish this bike had a circular fill window like my ST1300. With that not happening I check my oil infrequently, but when I do it is on the center stand after it has sat overnight or at least a few hours. When I check it this way it is always CONSISTANTLY the same, filled to the correct level.

 

[Wild Turkey]

I changed the oil and filter on my 2021 GL1800 Tour a couple of weeks ago. I did it by by the book. I put the bike on the center stand, removed the filter, then drained the engine oil. I put the drain plug back in and then I took the bike of the center stand and placed it on the side stan and remover the drain plug again. I got about four more ounces of oil from the bike. I filled the filter with oil and installed it. Replaced the drain plug and put the bike back on the center stand. I put 3.75 quarts of oil in and ran the engine for about 5 minutes until the temperature gauge reached normal operating temperature. Shut the bike down and waited about 4 minutes and check the level. The oil level was about half way between the two marks. I added about four more ounces which brought the level to the full mark. I took a 200 mile ride and checked the oil after letting the bike sit for about four minutes. The oil lever was about 5 ounce over the full mark. I drained approximately 5 ounces of oil until the level was again at the full level. I have taken several rides since then and every time I check the oil it shows the oil level is again about 5 ounces above the full mark. If I wait until the bike cools down for a couple of hours the level drops to the full mark. If I let it set over night the oil level drops to the mid point between the two marks. What am I doing wrong?

Dont put oil in the filter put it in dry.

 

[INTHEWIND]

Mine shows above the full mark too. The factory fill was the same way.

I go with the drain it, fill with 4 qts and forget it method. I am not sure how to tell how many ounces it's over. I suspect 4 or 5 ounces usn't going show much diff on the stick.

Its 3.2 oz, no biggie.
On my DCT I throw in 5 qts and it fine.
I dont wait and drain every drop out of the bottle, just hurry and dump it in the crankcase.
Perfect level every time. 😎

 

[Wild Turkey]

side stand cold doesn't register. Centerstand cold shows full mark.

 

[INTHEWIND]

Dont put oil in the filter put it in dry.

Thats not going to change the oil level after running engine.

 

[Pigeon Roost]

I changed the oil and filter on my 2021 GL1800 Tour a couple of weeks ago. I did it by by the book. I put the bike on the center stand, removed the filter, then drained the engine oil. I put the drain plug back in and then I took the bike of the center stand and placed it on the side stan and remover the drain plug again. I got about four more ounces of oil from the bike. I filled the filter with oil and installed it. Replaced the drain plug and put the bike back on the center stand. I put 3.75 quarts of oil in and ran the engine for about 5 minutes until the temperature gauge reached normal operating temperature. Shut the bike down and waited about 4 minutes and check the level. The oil level was about half way between the two marks. I added about four more ounces which brought the level to the full mark. I took a 200 mile ride and checked the oil after letting the bike sit for about four minutes. The oil lever was about 5 ounce over the full mark. I drained approximately 5 ounces of oil until the level was again at the full level. I have taken several rides since then and every time I check the oil it shows the oil level is again about 5 ounces above the full mark. If I wait until the bike cools down for a couple of hours the level drops to the full mark. If I let it set over night the oil level drops to the mid point between the two marks. What am I doing wrong?

What you are doing wrong is worrying too much. The oil check procedure Honda has us using is folly. Drain it, fill it with specified amount, ride it long enough to get the OIL to full temp (way way longer ride than just getting the coolant temp gague to normal). Park on center stand, let it cool to ambient temp, check oil level cold and note the level. Use that level as your reference for normal with bike cold pre-ride checks.

prs

 

[Wiscocyclist]

My 6 speed has never shown the correct level on the dipstick, no matter how many times I do the "oil check" dance. I think it's pretty ridiculous that you can't reliably check the oil on this bike. I just gave up...

I do the same, drain it on the center stand, drop it on the side stand and drain a bit more. New filter, 4 quarts of oil and forget about it. This bike doesn't use any oil in between changes....