5 min read · updated 2026-10-13

Checking and changing engine oil

Engine oil is the cheapest insurance your engine has. Learn to read the level and the colour.

What you need

A clean rag and level ground
Your owner's manual for the oil grade and change interval

Steps

Run the engine for a minute or two, switch off, and let the bike stand upright for 2 to 3 minutes so the oil settles.
Bikes with a dipstick: pull it out, wipe it, put it back in the way your manual says (some are screwed in, some just rest in), pull it out and read the level. It should sit between the two marks.
Bikes with a sight glass: read the level through the small window on the engine side, with the bike upright.
Look at the oil on the stick. Amber to dark brown is normal. Milky means water or coolant is getting in. Glitter or grit means metal wear.
Top up a little at a time through the filler cap, with the same grade, and re-check. Never go above the upper mark.
Change the oil at the interval in your manual. For many commuter bikes that is around 2,000 to 3,000 km, sooner in heavy traffic or dusty conditions.

Common mistakes

Using any oil that is cheap or loose. Buy a sealed bottle of motorcycle oil with the grade your manual lists (for bikes with a wet clutch this is usually JASO MA or MA2), and watch it being poured.
Overfilling. Too much oil is also bad for the engine.
Reading the level on a side stand or a slope. The reading will be wrong.

When to go to a mechanic

The level keeps dropping between changes: a leak or the engine is burning oil.
Milky oil, or a burnt smell. Do not keep riding.

This is general guidance for typical commuter motorcycles. Your owner's manual is the final word on pressures, intervals and oil grades for your bike. If you are unsure, ask a trusted mechanic.