The oil change is the very basis of every motorbike service. So, making it as efficient as possible can pay dividends in time and money.
You can change the oil with hardly any tools, but when you do it regularly (and why wouldn’t you with ever increasing dealer service costs), having a few inexpensive items can speed the process up, allowing you to spend more time on riding your motorcycle. And it can help avoid damage, spillages & clean-up time too.
Here are Cornish Scoots hints on a quick, problem free oil change:
Firstly clean the areas around the filler, oil filter & sump plug. The last thing you want to do is contaminate new oil with dirt or get road grit in a thread, so a quick squirt with brake cleaner will help avoid problems later.
Using the right tools for removing filler plugs, filters & sump plugs makes things so much easier! It’s quicker & minimises the chance of damage. Items such as oil filter wrenches and magnetic sockets for sump plugs are a real help. Universal tools can be useful when there’s no other choice, but filters & plugs can be hard to access & are often dirty or oily. The right tool can do the job quickly – even if it’s been overtightened.
Use the right drain tray or trays, if the bike has two sump plugs in different places. It needs to hold the full (or overfilled) oil capacity with room to spare. But you can opt for an oil drain can, allowing you to do several oil changes before needing to empty the waste oil. And using a drain tray with an emptying spout just makes it quicker to empty waste oil without spills.
Dropped the sump plug into the old oil? A magnetic lifter will have it found in no time.
Measure the correct oil quantity into a jug before filling the sump. One check should confirm the right level. It’s quicker than doing several ‘check & top up’ routines to get the oil level spot-on.
Use the right shaped funnel for the bike to fill the sump. Filler location & access vary enormously, so having a funnel that reaches without it tipping makes the job easy and spill free.
Disposable gloves are a must for any oil change. Apart from saving time cleaning hands, they are the best protection from waste oil. Prolonged or frequent contact can lead to conditions such a dermatitis or even skin cancer.
Lastly, it there is an oil spill, we have everything to clean up in no time. Workshop rags, paper rolls, brake cleaner, absorbent granules & mats can have the bike and workshop clean and safe in a jiffy.