Oil level?!?!

[SirHansford]

Engine Oil level.  I've not had much luck finding solid info on this and have found several threads on various other fourms that conflict with each other.  My obsessive compulsive disorder dictates that i MUST have my oil level correct and full to the line.  So, when checking oil,  do i screw the cap in and then unscrew and read it or do i just sit the dip stick on the hole where it goes and pull it out and read it?  (and yes, i have ordered a clymer 2 days ago, it just hasn't arrived yet! LOL) So in a couple of days i won't have to bug you guys with my annoying noob questions.   thanks again guys.   On a side note, did those damned engineers have to make the dipstick the exact same color as new oil?!?!?  sooo hard to read with my aging eyes! lol 

[Rallyfan]

Unscrew, clean, rest on top of opening unthreaded, read.

[SirHansford]

Thanks a bunch Rally,  appreciate yours and the other kind folks help and information here at GS fourms.  You guys are a real valuable trove of knowledge and a pleasure to have for new GS owners like myself. 

[Janx101]

Even when you get your manual... feel free to ask around here!  ... an extra check before doing something is so MUCH cheaper than plunging in and missing something minor! .. which then gets major and expensive! 

[ShowBizWolf]

Janx is totally right about checking here... search or ask directly... because the manual isn't always perfect...!! But they certainly are awesome to have, without a doubt.

This site is full of pictures (many times better than the black n white ones in the book)... how-to vids... different tricks to make some things soooooo much easier... and stories about different things people have encountered during repairs and how they improvised and/or fixed what they found 

[user11235813]

The best way to check the oil is with the bike on the centre stand and the engine cold after sitting all night. This is good for two reasons, 1. The oil is thicker and therefore easier to see on the dip stick. 2. It is a convenient time to check because it's already ready when you get up in the morning.

The only question is what is the full level?

To work this out I warmed up a cold engine for 3 minutes and then let it rest for 3 minutes and topped it up to the full level. This is the Suzuki recommended procedure so you know it's right. Then the next morning I check the level  cold on a bike that was sitting over night as per the first paragraph above. The level is a little way past the end of the F as per photo below.

You can do this check yourself using the Suzuki recommended procedure above and then check it cold. At any rate it's a one off operation and then it can always be checked cold.

[Janx101]

Mmmyeah the centrestand method is ok but does tip the bike forward slightly so the level is minimally changed from both wheels on the ground method...

Probably close enough for most folks