[c_law23]

I have seen conflicting reports on many threads over many forums so what exactly is the amount of quarts needed to do an oil change? I bought 5 qts of Amsoil 10w40 and a K&N filter to do my first oil change on my new to me bike. I've read 5.3 in the manual but have seen many say it's 5 and some say its less...


Also, I am planning on replacing my bald front tire with a Michelin Commander II, I currently have an Avon cobra 180 on the rear. Would it be ok to mix those two tires? What size Commander should be used on the rear since they do no have the stock size 170? When I went to Iron Pony today the only tires they had that were stock sized on the read were the Bridgestones.


Thanks!

 

[diehard rider]

I have seen conflicting reports on many threads over many forums so what exactly is the amount of quarts needed to do an oil change? I bought 5 qts of Amsoil 10w40 and a K&N filter to do my first oil change on my new to me bike. I've read 5.3 in the manual but have seen many say it's 5 and some say its less...


Also, I am planning on replacing my bald front tire with a Michelin Commander II, I currently have an Avon cobra 180 on the rear. Would it be ok to mix those two tires? What size Commander should be used on the rear since they do no have the stock size 170? When I went to Iron Pony today the only tires they had that were stock sized on the read were the Bridgestones.


Thanks!

Can't answer for the tires, but just did my break in oil change and it takes 5.3 qt if changing the filter.

 

[tstorey823]

I have seen conflicting reports on many threads over many forums so what exactly is the amount of quarts needed to do an oil change? I bought 5 qts of Amsoil 10w40 and a K&N filter to do my first oil change on my new to me bike. I've read 5.3 in the manual but have seen many say it's 5 and some say its less...


Also, I am planning on replacing my bald front tire with a Michelin Commander II, I currently have an Avon cobra 180 on the rear. Would it be ok to mix those two tires? What size Commander should be used on the rear since they do no have the stock size 170? When I went to Iron Pony today the only tires they had that were stock sized on the read were the Bridgestones.


Thanks!

For oil, how thoroughly you drain the oil will determine how much it takes to refill it. I drain mine in the completely vertical position. Once flow stops, I tilt it onto the kickstand and oil flows again. I repeat this until no oil drains. After this, I put in about 3 qts, put the cap on and fire it up. I rev it a few times to circulate the oil into the filter, then shut it down and add some more oil. I add another 1.5 qts for 4.5 total, then check the level and add more if needed. Mine takes around 5 qts total.
For tires, Michelin Commander II is the best option IMO. 130-90-16 for front and 180-65-16 for rear. I have over 10,000 miles on the rear, and it still looks great.

 

[c_law23]

For oil, how thoroughly you drain the oil will determine how much it takes to refill it. I drain mine in the completely vertical position. Once flow stops, I tilt it onto the kickstand and oil flows again. I repeat this until no oil drains. After this, I put in about 3 qts, put the cap on and fire it up. I rev it a few times to circulate the oil into the filter, then shut it down and add some more oil. I add another 1.5 qts for 4.5 total, then check the level and add more if needed. Mine takes around 5 qts total.
For tires, Michelin Commander II is the best option IMO. 130-90-16 for front and 180-65-16 for rear. I have over 10,000 miles on the rear, and it still looks great.

Thanks for the info. Ill make sure to drain thoroughly. I don't think I'm going to fire my bike up minus two quarts of oil but that's just my preference. I have a lot of life left on my Avon rear tire so what front tire would everyone reconmend?

 

[pacomutt]

For oil, how thoroughly you drain the oil will determine how much it takes to refill it. I drain mine in the completely vertical position. Once flow stops, I tilt it onto the kickstand and oil flows again. I repeat this until no oil drains. After this, I put in about 3 qts, put the cap on and fire it up. I rev it a few times to circulate the oil into the filter, then shut it down and add some more oil. I add another 1.5 qts for 4.5 total, then check the level and add more if needed. Mine takes around 5 qts total.
For tires, Michelin Commander II is the best option IMO. 130-90-16 for front and 180-65-16 for rear. I have over 10,000 miles on the rear, and it still looks great.

Why not fill, or partially fill the oil filter prior to installing it?
On full-flow systems, which virtually all cars and motorcycles are these days, all the oil goes through the filter before it reaches any other engine components. Why run several seconds with no oil pressure or flow when you can get virtually instant oil pressure and flow? Even horizontally mounted filters can be at least half filled with oil before spinning it on. It certainly cuts down on the time that the engine runs without oil pressure. I've been doing it this way for some 47 years.
Just my two cents worth....

 

[Old Bear]

Why not fill, or partially fill the oil filter prior to installing it?
On full-flow systems, which virtually all cars and motorcycles are these days, all the oil goes through the filter before it reaches any other engine components. Why run several seconds with no oil pressure or flow when you can get virtually instant oil pressure and flow? Even horizontally mounted filters can be at least half filled with oil before spinning it on. It certainly cuts down on the time that the engine runs without oil pressure. I've been doing it this way for some 47 years.
Just my two cents worth....

:good: +1 ! :good:

 

[tstorey823]

Why not fill, or partially fill the oil filter prior to installing it?
On full-flow systems, which virtually all cars and motorcycles are these days, all the oil goes through the filter before it reaches any other engine components. Why run several seconds with no oil pressure or flow when you can get virtually instant oil pressure and flow? Even horizontally mounted filters can be at least half filled with oil before spinning it on. It certainly cuts down on the time that the engine runs without oil pressure. I've been doing it this way for some 47 years.
Just my two cents worth....

I'm not sure it would help, but I'm pretty sure it can't hurt anything, so why not?

 

[Luciferiad]

I rev it a few times to circulate the oil into the filter, then shut it down and add some more oil.

Never rev a motor while the oil system is priming. Until the oil has passed through the filter and moved into the engine, all those moving parts are lubricated only with what's left sticking to them, and that's not nearly enough to be safe.

Why not fill, or partially fill the oil filter prior to installing it?
On full-flow systems, which virtually all cars and motorcycles are these days, all the oil goes through the filter before it reaches any other engine components. Why run several seconds with no oil pressure or flow when you can get virtually instant oil pressure and flow? Even horizontally mounted filters can be at least half filled with oil before spinning it on. It certainly cuts down on the time that the engine runs without oil pressure. I've been doing it this way for some 47 years.
Just my two cents worth....

Yes, +1 on this. Even a filter that's mounted horizontally can carry 4 oz. or so of oil while you spin it back on and shorten the amount of time it takes the system to prime. The owners manual for the 900 actually recommends you prime the filter with 4 oz. of oil.

 

[pacomutt]

I sure hope you guys driving diesel pick-up trucks with the very large oil filters are filling the filters up before installing them. An idling diesel imposes almost the same bearing loads on the engine as when it's running under high power. It's just crazy running one of these for twenty seconds or so while the oil filter fills up.

 

[Luciferiad]

I sure hope you guys driving diesel pick-up trucks with the very large oil filters are filling the filters up before installing them. An idling diesel imposes almost the same bearing loads on the engine as when it's running under high power. It's just crazy running one of these for twenty seconds or so while the oil filter fills up.

Especially when you consider the Cummins will hold over a quart in the filter, and 7.3L Powerstrokes hold nearly 2 quarts. That's a long time for that motor to tap away dry. It's 10 seconds of work to help guarantee longer life in your engine.

Stepping off soap box...for now.

 

[c_law23]

so about mixing those tires?

 

[rusty360]

2 oil changes and mine is 4-3/4 quarts and it's almost to the top mark on the dip stick showing full. I have read a lot of guys mix tires, might have to dig around in the tire section.

 

[new kawi rider]

so about mixing those tires?

Do not mix biasply and Radial tires ! Thats a fact and I am sticking to it.


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[diehard rider]

For oil, how thoroughly you drain the oil will determine how much it takes to refill it. I drain mine in the completely vertical position. Once flow stops, I tilt it onto the kickstand and oil flows again. I repeat this until no oil drains. After this, I put in about 3 qts, put the cap on and fire it up. I rev it a few times to circulate the oil into the filter, then shut it down and add some more oil. I add another 1.5 qts for 4.5 total, then check the level and add more if needed. Mine takes around 5 qts total.
For tires, Michelin Commander II is the best option IMO. 130-90-16 for front and 180-65-16 for rear. I have over 10,000 miles on the rear, and it still looks great.

Do you know the manual states not to rev the motor when you start it after a oil change, I would imagine that's because the oil hasn't circulated thru the motor yet. I don't understand the concept of only putting in 3qts of oil which is another reason why not to rev the motor, but that's up to you!

 

[c_law23]

Do not mix biasply and Radial tires ! Thats a fact and I am sticking to it.


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Fair enough, however I do not know much about motorcycle tires. When I check the description on the Avons for example how do you know if they are radial or bias ply?

 

[Luciferiad]

Do not mix biasply and Radial tires ! Thats a fact and I am sticking to it.


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Actually, bias front and radial rear is a common set-up on motorcycles, especially stuff with skinny front tires. And not to crack open a second can of worms when we already got one squirmin' about, but all the 900 riders who've gone Darkside are doing exactly that.

In the case of automotive application, you can mix bias and radial as long as they match across an axle. e.g. radial front, bias rear or vice versa. You only get handling issues when they're mismatched on the same axle.

 

[tstorey823]

"Do you know the manual states not to rev the motor when you start it after a oil change"?

Please advise me where that is in the owner's manual. I would love to read that for myself. By the way, I am not talking about hitting the rev limiter, I'm only talking about bumping the throttle a few times. I don't really care what anyone does to their own bike. If you're going to preach about what I do to mine, don't try to justify your opinion by saying "the manual states", unless it really does.

 

[pacomutt]

"Do you know the manual states not to rev the motor when you start it after a oil change"?

Please advise me where that is in the owner's manual. I would love to read that for myself. By the way, I am not talking about hitting the rev limiter, I'm only talking about bumping the throttle a few times. I don't really care what anyone does to their own bike. If you're going to preach about what I do to mine, don't try to justify your opinion by saying "the manual states", unless it really does.

This is from the VN900 factory service manual(albeit,not the owner's manual). I don't have a Vaquero manual, but since the engines are similar with plain-type bearings, I would assume the advice would remain the same. Start with the line above the "notice". No preaching here, just the written word.



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[c_law23]

Ok so... I have an Avon cobra on the rear with plenty of life left and would like to put the commander II on the front. Is there a conflict here? And if I decide to go with an Avon cobra on the front then is mt90hb16 the correct size on the vaquero?


Thanks

 

[pacomutt]

Ok so... I have an Avon cobra on the rear with plenty of life left and would like to put the commander II on the front. Is there a conflict here? And if I decide to go with an Avon cobra on the front then is mt90hb16 the correct size on the vaquero?


Thanks

It's taken until post #19 to get the info on your bike. If you didn't get an owner's manual, there should still be a sticker on your bike with the tire sizes. Look near the swing arm. Anyway, pulling up your bike's owners manual on Kawasaki.com:

http://www.kawasaki-techinfo.net/showOM.php?view_lang=EN&spec=US&book_no=99987-1662&lang_code=EN

shows that the front tire is a 130/90B16. And, if there's a "B" after the size, it's a bias ply tire. If it has a "R" after the size, it's a radial.

For future reference, if you don't the thread to deteriorate into an oil thread, don't mention "oil" in the thread starter. However, that doesn't guarantee that it won't happen anyway!