Oil change day

[Freebird]

Yesterday, I changed the oil in my bike and in Eileen's trike.  I'll  tell you right up front that there are certainly things that I like better about the Yamaha Venture as opposed to the Harley.  Oil changes is one of them.  

The Yamaha is pretty straight forward, simply drain the oil.  Change the filter.  Add the oil.  Done.

Harley, easy enough but a lot more work.  Drain the engine oil.  Change the filter, Add oil.  This can be on the side stand  ut bike should be raised off stand to get most of the old oil out.  

Then drain the transmission, carefully measure about 28 ounces of transmission fluid.  Add the 28 ounces.  Check level and then add a bit more if needed until it is correct.  Do NOT overfill.  This is done with bike on the side stand.

Then, remove the derby cover on the primary.  Drain the primary fluid.  use the special funnel to add oil to the primary.  It  takes a little less than a quart.  Carefully add fluid while watching the level.  Fill just to he bottom of the clutch basket.   Do NOT overfill.  Install new derby cover gasket, re-install derby cover.  This is done with bike upright on my bike.  Trike is different of course.

All told, the Harely takes approximately 4 1/2 quarts of oil.  One new oil filter.  Mobile 1 for me.  So 5 quarts at $10.99 per quart.  1 quart of transmission fluid.  I use Redline Shockproof, at $20.00 per quart.  1 quart of primary fluid.  I use Redline primary fluid at a $20.00 per quart.  So to change the oil in the two Harleys was approximately $115.00 x two bikes so $230.00.

Neither bike was due for an oil change but both were done before I bought them so I don't know what was used in them or if it was done exactly right.  I'm sort of picky about that.  

On Saturday, I put a new front tire on Eileen's trike.  Had some life left in it but was slightly cupped and it was the original tire on a 2017 bike.  

 

 

[bpate4home]

My OC is coming soon and I'll need to put a rear tire on already.  Mfgr and OEM replacements got about 13-14K on them.  That was great but the third OEM only has about 6500 on it and the wear is a dramatic difference on this one.  Time to look at darkside again. . 

[N3FOL]

@Freebird The Harley does sound much more involved on a change oil.  Good job. I am wondering why you have to do the transmission fluid?  Was it due and how many miles before the next trans oil change?  

I couldn't agree more that the RSV is very straightforward in terms of oil changes.  My SVTC takes a little more time, since I have to measure two different amounts for the crank case and the other for the engine oil.  Since my acquisition of the SVTC. I stayed with Mobil 1 and I use dino oil Rotella for the RSV.  

[Freebird]

Harely recommends 5,000 on oil change, 10,000 transmission and I think 15000 on primary.   I think that is too angle. I think that 5,000 is probably 0k on oil changes and 10,000 on transmission and primary.

[N3FOL]

Today was "Oil Change Day' for my RSV.   I've owned her from the very beginning from 2007 to present.  It has always amazed me from her very first oil change up to now...how straightforward it is to change the oil on the RSV using simple tools.  This is all the tools I need to do an oil change.  Every 3000 miles using dino oil ever since.  Ride safe all.

Edited June 25 by N3FOL

[bpate4home]

Gen 3's are a different beast.  3 drain plugs and 2 fill locations. Same tools though. 

[N3FOL]

That is true.  I always have to measure the oil 2 to 3 times before I finally do the pour.  Because my SVTC is lower than the RSV, I will have to lift the bike in order for me to fit my one and only oil pan.  So generally, it takes more time on the SVTC than the RSV IMO.  The SVTC also takes more oil.  FWIW, I love them both.