How To Change Your Motorcycle Oil and Filter | MC Garage

In this video from the MC Garage, we’ll walk you through the process of changing your Motorcycle Oil. Oil is your motorcycle engine’s lifeblood. It lubricates, cools, and protects your engine’s internal parts. Regular oil changes are the single easiest way to keep your engine happy and healthy, and the procedure is the cornerstone of DIY maintenance.

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Oil is the motorcycle engine’s lifeblood, and changing the oil and filter is the cornerstone of DIY motorcycle maintenance. No matter your make and model changing its oil should be a fairly simple and straight-forward job. What you want to make sure of is that you’re using the best oil for your motorcycle, which is normally what your manufacturer recommends on using. Oils come in mineral and synthetics varieties, in an assortment of weights so crack open your owner manual and check what they recommend.

Gather Your Supplies
Before you start removing your fairings or undoing bolts, make sure that you have everything that you need. At a bare minimum, you need the new motorcycle oil, a new oil filter, an apparatus or drain pan to catch the old oil, a tool to remove the oil drain plug, a tool to remove the old oil filter, a funnel, and a clean rag or two to wipe up any spilled oil. A rear tire stand can make this job easier but is totally not necessary. Also, check with your owner’s manual because some models need to have their oil drained while they are on their kickstand.

Prep Your Bike
The best time to change your oil is when the engine is warm, but if you’ve just come back from a long ride it’s a good idea to give the bike some time to cool off so you’re not working with super-hot oil. The purpose is to have the oil suspend dirt and flow easily, not burn you. So, kick your bike into neutral and let it run while you move on to the next step.

Remove Any Bodywork
If you have a faired bike, or your bike has a belly pan, you’ll need to remove some panels to get to the drain plug and oil filter. Be careful while removing bodywork, and take note of the way panels connect to one another or overlap. Remember, if you have to apply force to remove bodywork, you’re probably doing it wrong!

Drain The Old Engine Oil And Remove The Filter
With the bike stripped, use a clean rag to wipe the grime away from the drain plug and from around the oil filter. Then slide a drain pan under the engine and remove the drain plug and oil filter. You may be able to unscrew the oil filter by hand, but it will probably be necessary to use a filter wrench.

Reinstall The Drain Plug And New Oil Filter
With the oil drained, reinstall your drain plug—with a fresh sealing washer—and torque the bolt to the spec listed in your owner’s manual. Install the oil filter by hand, spinning it on until the sealing ring just makes contact with the sealing surface on the engine and then tightening the filter another one-half to three-quarters of a turn. Cranking the filter down much more may damage the sealing ring. You can also pre-fill the oil filter with new engine oil, but it is not necessary.

Fill With New Engine Oil And Check Oil Level
Once the engine is buttoned up, it’s time to pour in fresh oil. Refer to your owner’s manual for the correct grade and quantity—be aware that the engine might not accept all the recommended capacity so fill a little short and check the sight glass or dipstick. With the oil in, start the bike and let it idle for several minutes. Then turn off the bike, re-check the oil level, and inspect the drain plug and oil filter for leaks.

Recycle The Old Oil And Oil Filter
An often skipped step in the motorcycle oil changing process, but one that you should follow: Recycle your old oil and filter. Don’t throw it in your garbage can or apartment complex dumpster, most local auto parts stores will take it free-of-charge.

Tools Needed

[AlexxxGrrr]

This is how tutorial videos should be, about 5 minutes, short, compact, informative. Covering just one topic in its basics. Not 15-30 minutes of general empty talk without any real information in the end. Essential for bike newbies like myself. Thank You guys, please keep up the amazing work!!! Subscribed.

[joedoole]

One thing you may want to add to the procedure, pouring a few oz of fresh oil into the new oil filter before lubricating the gasket & installing it is always a good idea. It only takes an extra 10 seconds, and allows your bike to have less "dry time" after an oil change. If you notice the first time starting your bike after an oil change the oil pressure warning light will stay on for a couple seconds. This is because the bike is "dry" when started with a brand new (empty) oil filter and it takes a moment for the pump to cycle oil through the system and into the filter thus creating proper pressure/lubrication and turning off the oil warning lamp. If you fill your new filter with oil before installing it, the time is takes to turn the oil light off is usually no longer than on any typical first start of the day. This puts less wear on your engine components and especially on a bike that has seen or will see many many miles and years of riding every little bit of premature wear you can remove from the equation is good!

[scott]

As a novice machanic I've changed the oil in my XTX two days ago, man it feels greaaaat! Even tho it took me 3 hours I'm very happy. Thanks for your videos MC!

[InteractiveIdea]

And if you don't have the strap wrench or don't want to buy one, you can just use your belt. It works!

[konastinkykid]

I always flush my engine with organic sea water. Then recycle my used oil on my neighbors lawn. I try to be environmentally conscious.

[THX]

I suggest filling the oil filter with oil before installing. You will see the red oil pressure light go out almost instantly on start-up. Less time with the engine running without oil pressure.
If you are careful there will be little to no oil spill from the filter. Once you start the filter on the threads the oil doesn't spill out. Just be sure to fill the filter only thru the center hole.

[lykortos]

A thing to add would be to filter your used oil to check for metal flakes and alike; this will indicate problems within your engine and requires further investigation.

[denniswanjukimuthui]

I really admire the way this guy talks about motorbikes... the videos are really educative... I've been looking to buying a Yamaha YZF-R6....

[bigcatl]

Not that it was worth mentioning in the video, but make sure the old filter seal doesn't stick to the block. Double up the seals and you'll have a mess on your floor. Speaking from experience

[jesusmejia]

I work on cars but I’m trying to expand my horizons by working on bikes, boats, and maybe airplanes. A good video!

[Nigellee]

This is so helpful to bikers who doesn't want to waste money on labor fee when visiting motorcycle shops for servicing. Thumbs up to motorycyclist magazine !!

[strictlymotorsport]

Thanks buddy 👍 been that long since I've done an oil change I forgotten how to do it correctly 👌

[Manu-wbuv]

all videos from this guy are so informative and useful. Ur making my life easier, thank u

[eluniversodelecuador]

Great video. I would remove the oil filler cap prior to removing the drain plug to allow positive venting of the crankcase.

[sarah-noelle]

thanks for all your help man. MC GARAGE THE GOAT

[x-man]

NO. Do not warm up your bike. If it is a well maintained machine that gets regular service, multi-weight oils drains faster COLD (more importantly "completely"), when at ambient temps. 10W-40 is 10 weight oil at ambient temperatures. Multi-weight oil gets thicker as it gets hotter. It is COUNTER PRODUCTIVE to drain multi-weight oil hot unless it is ancient. Drive the bike to operating temp then park it where you drain your oil and drain it the next morning. Evey drop that's ever going to come out will come right out, it is 10 weight oil. This isn't the 60's. Please google it, it is wrong and counter productive to drain your oil hot. Work smarter not hotter.

[adobothrottle]

Great quick and informative video about oil change, helped me out during my first oil change 👍🏽

[lemonadebeat]

These videos are AWESOME! Thanks guys!

[knobski]

loving all the videos Ari. You explain things precisely and very easily for people to understand. thank you. Was wondering if its possible to do a video on changing the Sump and also what gasket sealant to use when and where. keep up the good work.

[eliomakhlouf]

I recommend to tighten the filter 1/4 turn after hand tight especially if its seal is an o ring not flat ring & replace the crush washer if its not built in the bolt & finally let the oil drain for the next day...gd luck!