Another newbie question... Oil level

[Sand bags]

Was having a look at the oil level, and it seems that it has a dipstick just like a car...

 

But also has this bubble gauge thing, like it does for the brake fluid, but I personally cannot see anything in it. Is this for the oil also or something different?

 

 

Thanks

[Westbeef]

Sight glass is for the bike stood up and level, so assuming that's on a side stand - you won't see much .

[SometimesSansEngine]

And whilst the looking glass is much more convenient, I still haven't quite mastered having my eye four inches off the ground whilst simultaneously holding the bike level and not dropping it on myself, so usually ask my son to help me

ps in case you're wondering, no I can't just look down, a plastic panel 'hides' when you look down from above it so you can't actually see the level unless you're near the ground

pps in case you're wondering, no I don't get him to hold the bike, I do that bit

ppps yes I will be embarrassed if someone on here tells me a better way to do it that isn't so moronic

[Tiggie]

put the side stand on a brick or wooden block to make the bike level

Though you still will have to be careful about it tipping towards you while you're on your hands and knees looking at the glass

[SometimesSansEngine]

put the side stand on a brick or wooden block to make the bike level

Though you still will have to be careful about it tipping towards you while you're on your hands and knees looking at the glass

 

Good shout, I'm still trying to find the right sized block to also make getting the bike onto the paddock stand easier

[megawatt]

Check the owners manual for instructions on how to check for correct oil level. Sometimes you screw dipstick fully in, sometimes just rest it in the hole.

Buy a good paddock stand to get bike level and not too high off the ground or oil level in window will read incorrectly.

[skyrider]

Hi sand bags what make and model do you have

[mikestrivens]

And whilst the looking glass is much more convenient, I still haven't quite mastered having my eye four inches off the ground whilst simultaneously holding the bike level and not dropping it on myself, so usually ask my son to help me

ps in case you're wondering, no I can't just look down, a plastic panel 'hides' when you look down from above it so you can't actually see the level unless you're near the ground

pps in case you're wondering, no I don't get him to hold the bike, I do that bit

ppps yes I will be embarrassed if someone on here tells me a better way to do it that isn't so moronic

 

Use an inspection mirror so you don't have to get down so low..

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I have a block just deep enough to hold the bike nearly level but just leaning enough to be safe. I know that means the sight glass will read slightly low.

I also use a scissor lift which holds the bike dead level which means I can check the sight glass perfectly, then drop it onto the side stand plus block, and work out where on the sight glass the difference between the two is.

[Sand bags]

Hi all thanks for the responses.

To answer some of your questions...

I have a zontes tiger 125.

Unfortunately I cannot get hold of the manual anywhere, doesn't seem to be a common bike here in UK, so it alike gold dust lol

As for keeping the bike level, I used the other built in stand - not the side kick stand, the one with two legs that lifts the rear wheel of the bike, like mopeds have.

That window looks empty to me :s

[Gerontious]

That window looks empty to me :s

 

I fail to understand why a 125cc bike would have BOTH a dip stick AND a sight glass, this makes absolutely no sense to me. especially on a bike that comes with a centre stand as standard. I have just read.. so it may not be true, that your bikes engine is an almost direct copy of the Yamaha YBR. which is a bike whose owners manual demands that the bike be level on its centre stand to check the oil level. The dip stick should be, taken out, cleaned and the put back in just resting on its 'hole' - not screwed in.

 

[Stu]

I fail to understand why a 125cc bike would have BOTH a dip stick AND a sight glass

 

Most have both!

Normally the dip stick is riding the bike

[Sand bags]

That window looks empty to me :s

 

I fail to understand why a 125cc bike would have BOTH a dip stick AND a sight glass, this makes absolutely no sense to me. especially on a bike that comes with a centre stand as standard. I have just read.. so it may not be true, that your bikes engine is an almost direct copy of the Yamaha YBR. which is a bike whose owners manual demands that the bike be level on its centre stand to check the oil level. The dip stick should be, taken out, cleaned and the put back in just resting on its 'hole' - not screwed in.

ybr oil check.png

 

Yes doesn't really make sense. But thanks for the info and image, looks like I checked it the correct way.

 

I fail to understand why a 125cc bike would have BOTH a dip stick AND a sight glass

 

Most have both!

Normally the dip stick is riding the bike

 

Haha

[Westbeef]

IF that's on the centre stand and you've got no readings, it could be too low. Do the check with the dipstick mentioned above, I assume the reading you got on it there, is with it screwed in . You may need a touch more oil.

[skyrider]

ok so if you have a centre stand you don't need to put bricks under the side stand, just put the bike on its centre stand and check the oil usually it should be in the middle of the sight glass

[Six30]

As said wouldn't have a dipstick and spy glass, I've never heard of that .

[iangaryprice]

It is possible previous owner lost the filler cap and maaged to find a dipstick cap that fits.

if this is the case the dipstick may be the wrong length,

I would go for gettign the level correct in the window.

[Piggy]

These engines do actually have both for some reason. Maybe they had a glut of leftover dipsticks at the factory

[ThePhatomfart]

From the Manual

[Hoggs]

I use my phone on video, sit on bike, hold phone down near the glass and give it a bit of a shake then review video and adjust as needed

[Guest]

From that manual above- 'make dipstick contact pouring orifice'.

Well it is valentine's Day

[AdLad96]

Make sure the bike is cold when checking the glass! No use it being warm as the oil won't have settled yet

[Stu]

Make sure the bike is cold when checking the glass! No use it being warm as the oil won't have settled yet

 

You will find that some bikes require you to run the bike for a few minutes then check the oil after it has been turned off for 5 mins or so

Always check per the manufacturers instructions

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

Make sure the bike is cold when checking the glass! No use it being warm as the oil won't have settled yet

 

You will find that some bikes require you to run the bike for a few minutes then check the oil after it has been turned off for 5 mins or so

Always check per the manufacturers instructions

 

This is increasingly common on modern engines and in my humble opinion is a pain in the bum. Much easier to check when cold rather than having to run an engine up to temperature, turn it off and leave it for five minutes.

[Stu]

Make sure the bike is cold when checking the glass! No use it being warm as the oil won't have settled yet

 

You will find that some bikes require you to run the bike for a few minutes then check the oil after it has been turned off for 5 mins or so

Always check per the manufacturers instructions

 

This is increasingly common on modern engines and in my humble opinion is a pain in the bum. Much easier to check when cold rather than having to run an engine up to temperature, turn it off and leave it for five minutes.

 

But if that's how you are supposed to check it for the correct level then that's how you are supposed to check it!

If you're not doing the correct procedure you could be running with too little or too much oil