Checking the oil - tip

Before a long trip last year, thought I'd better check the oil - which is not exactly easy on your own on the M800!

Check out my tip (apologies if it's been posted before, but I thought it was a cracking idea). Cheers

Naturally you need to have the bike standing level, so as soon as you lean it on the side stand your in a pickle.

I asked Mrs Bigmal to lend a hand - but she should be called Mrs Notverybig, and she's only a wee slip of a girl, and couldn't safely sit on the bike, and put her feet on the ground to steady it. We tried wooden blocks either the side, but the whole setup was looking a trifle hairy!

Plan B was for me to lean the bike on it's side stand, bend down in the correct oil checking position, and pull the bike towards me till it was level... that was EVEN hairier!

So plan C.......... spent a couple of quid on one of these

Now I can happily do the oil solo - just sit astride the bike, hold it steady, and deftly hold siad item in position.

Good idea mal

Another way around this issue is to position a small mirror on a wall or similar object. I have one on the outside of my workshop where I usually park my bike before putting her away.

On the C50/C800/VL800 if you look very carefully you can see the reflection of the oil level inspection window in the exhaust pipe while you are sitting astride the bike with it level and jleaning over and looking down at the pipe. Not real easy to spot at first until you are used to it because of the distortion if the reflection caused by the curve of the pipe but if you jiggle the bike a bit the first time you do it you will notice the unmistakeable movement of the oil level. By far the easiest way to check the oil level if you can master it.

I use "honey, can you pop around to the garage and hold the bike still for me" tool.
Works quite well