[Geldscheisser]

I have a 2014 Ninja 1000. I use Rotella T6 and K&N filters. From 3k miles to 8k miles I didn't need to add any oil, although the sight glass went from the upper to the lower limit. Now, at 9600 and I've added half quart. I've never had a drop of oil on the garage floor and i checked the drain plug and filter for leakage and both are dry. Is this normal?

 

[Jeckler]

Have you owned it since day 1? How was it broken in?

 

[trublupsu94]

Are you sure it's really burning it? Blue smoke and smell is very telling. If you don't, I'd take a look at making sure the bike is truly level when you check the oil level. I'm to the point I don't do a comparison between oil changes. A few degrees to the right or left and my bike looks empty on the gauge. I just make sure it is in the hood when I change the oil and forget about it. If you smell oil burning out the exhaust and see blue smoke, you are burning oil. If not, I'd leave it alone.

 

[rcannon409]

When the people complained about oil loss on their 2008 cbr 1000's, they were talking about missing quarts.

Its also not unusual to fill to the top of the sight glass, run at high rpm's, then find oil in the sightglass.

How often are you changing the oil? I'd imagine many bikes use oil, but many of us also change it out at 3000 miles, so its not as noticeable. If we were trying to run it for 6000, then it might be noticed.

 

[Geldscheisser]

Broke it in per the book.

 

[Geldscheisser]

Yeah no tell-tale smoke. I'm liking the not level theory. Hope I haven't overfilled it now

 

[trublupsu94]

Yeah no tell-tale smoke. I'm liking the not level theory. Hope I haven't overfilled it now

I added too much my first oil change because it wasn't level. Key is get the oil out during the change and add exactly 4 quarts. I change mine every 3-4K miles. And I usually am able to fill almost all 4 empty bottles full with old oil.

I agree with the poster above that said they may use (earn) some oil. If you were burning it, you would see smoke and you would smell it. I think you are ok.

 

[Geldscheisser]

Thanks to everybody for your suggestions.

 

[rcannon409]

Sorry, my post was spellcheck altered. I meant to say some bikes really dont like that upper mark on the siteglass. When ran at the upper mark, they can spit oil into the airbox.

Is it clean inside your airbox?

 

[mrsand]

oil level check

The 2014 Ninja i have is sensitive to correct sighting in the view port

The bike must be on a level surface and very near or at vertical to get the correct reading at the site port....the port does appear to have upper and lower marks on the glass....assuming the oil sump is drained properly and then re-filled with 4 US quarts it only takes a few degrees off vertical to get dramatic changes in the view of the oil level at the port.

I have never actually measured how much oil is drained from the motor before i re-fill. I have noticed that it sometimes takes a while to see the drainage stop drooling...i have seen it stop then have shaken the bike and watch it drain for a another minute or so. I think I will measure the drained oil next time to see how much is left in the engine because now i am curious.

 

[luciano136]

I always put mine on the rear stand to check the oil; unless you have someone else check, I'm not sure how you can do it while holding the bike upright?

Level stays the same but I only have 2k mi.

 

[mrsand]

Vertical

Yea, best not to hold the bike if your by yourself........i use a block under the stand if i am alone..........once you see the correct full up position of the oil level in the view port...then I would be comfortable translating the position of the level when the bike is on the side stand or race stand...so view the level when properly positioned vertically, then look at the level from your desired position so the interpretation is reliable......works for me....of course if you want to be anal about it...run the motor after filling with the 4 us quarts to circulate the oil...then once the motor is off do your checking after the oil has settled to its normal level...so i guess i am anal about it

 

[luciano136]

Yea, best not to hold the bike if your by yourself........i use a block under the stand if i am alone..........once you see the correct full up position of the oil level in the view port...then I would be comfortable translating the position of the level when the bike is on the side stand or race stand...so view the level when properly positioned vertically, then look at the level from your desired position so the interpretation is reliable......works for me....of course if you want to be anal about it...run the motor after filling with the 4 us quarts to circulate the oil...then once the motor is off do your checking after the oil has settled to its normal level...so i guess i am anal about it

Yea, I definitely run the engine briefly after an oil and filter change since the level will look higher than it really is. I found that putting the bike on the rear stand is a pretty reliable readout; of course you have to take the middle point of the glass since the front to back level will be slightly biased by the incline.