[Otto_Ing]

I can assure you I will take great care and think a few times before drilling any holes

I tried all sorts of methods to measure the oil level and don't find them to be consistent enough. It feels like a design flaw, therefore I want to reconsider it. This kind of things are my job by the way.

[HUdson51]

You will get a consistently accurate reading by putting the bike on centerstand on a level floor , let it run a few minutes , shut off and let it sit so oil has a chance to drain down and level out.

[caricabasso]

The difficulty of reading the proper oil level in the sump does not depend on spy glass but by the fact that about 800 cc remain inside the chamber rod.
When to turn off the engine in certain cases it may happen that the last turn of the crankshaft fails to catapult the oil contained in the chamber of the connecting rod toward the gearbox and then to the sump.
In this case the oil level is excessive, but it is not, just turn on the engine for a few seconds to flood again the chamber rod and re-establish the real level.
Then the oil level is correct with the rod chamber flooded.

[JohnDL]

You will get a consistently accurate reading by putting the bike on centerstand on a level floor , let it run a few minutes , shut off and let it sit so oil has a chance to drain down and level out.

Exactly. Just as it states in the handbook. 

John

[Otto_Ing]

Fine my goal is to look every morning in the glas, see oil, happily start the engine and ride off. If it's doable without any harm being taken, than why not looking for a way to do it.

http://www.slideshare.net/classicmw/royal-enfield-uce-lubrication

although it may not be that easy looking at the lubrication system. (good presentation from classicmotorworks). Damn they´ve built 3 diffrent oil levels in the engine!

Atleast the clutch side has a big oil return hole. I would not be surprised when they were making the decission to put the 3rd drain plug in the the crank housing if they were concidering leveling the crankcase but decided to go for the plug to save testing and validation cost. I don't believe anybody can get consistent oil level reading out of this ever, what if you give little throttle before shutting off the engine, will you get higher oil level or lower? ... is the pump faster or the flywheel in splashing the oil?

[SteveThackery]

After sitting the motorcycle on the center stand, on a very level surface, all one has to do is to start the engine, let it idle for a little while, shut it off and wait about 30 seconds.  Then, look at the window.

Exactly, and what a ridiculous palaver!!  On all my other bikes, you just sit the bike upright and look at the window.  It makes it easy to check every morning before setting off, and takes a second or two.

[JVS]

It shouldn't be this complicated at all. Not sure why this is such a big issue After you come back from a decent ride, keep the bike upright and put it directly on the centerstand, obviously on a flat surface. Wait approximately 2-5 mins and check the level. If it isn't between the lines, you have to top up.

And if you've parked it on the centerstand and are not riding till the next day, the level remains constant after a short period of time as it settles down. So basically, the next day, you come to your bike and have a look at the sight glass. If it's still not between the lines, you have to top up..

These UCEs do not 'drink' that much oil. Over the past few service intervals, I've noticed the oil level to be almost at the same level all the time. I park it on the centerstand always.

[Otto_Ing]

These UCEs do not 'drink' that much oil. Over the past few service intervals, I've noticed the oil level to be almost at the same level all the time. I park it on the centerstand always.

Ok, again my question. Do you have the model with 2 drain holes? Might they have replaced some leveling hole with a third drain plug?

This could protect the engine if the user forgets to top up oil for a long time. Which is likely to happen not only in India.

[JVS]

Ok, again my question. Do you have the model with 2 drain holes? Might they have replaced some leveling hole with a third drain plug?

This could protect the engine if the user forgets to top up oil for a long time. Which is likely to happen not only in India.

I have a 2011 Bullet 500, with 1 primary drain hole (The main one with the plug, along with the secondary suction filter side).

There was a good discussion on this topic in this thread: http://forum.classicmotorworks.com/index.php?topic=21436.0

Apart from that, to be honest, I've never really thought twice about the oil level issue. And sorry, what do you mean by "might have replaced some leveling hole with a third drain plug?". I'm a newbie to most of the things myself, so forgive me 

[Otto_Ing]

Thank you, I don't mean to offend anybody and i am not being offended. Just trying to figure out why some people report consistent oil levels and others dont.

In the later models RE introduced an third Oil draining plug (if you count the suction filter) directly at the crank housing. Which does not seem to be pressent at your bike if i read correctly. That would suggest that this problem has indeed been introduced togeather with the third oil plug and lets me wonder what else has been changed in the casing.

[JVS]

Hey, no worries at all. No one is being offended here 

The interesting thing to note is that, even before the second drain plug (third hole) was introduced, there were similar cases of inconsistent oil level measurements. There have been various posts about it. The only thing I can recommend at this stage is trying to note the level after you come back from a decent ride. Then repeat the same process the next day and note the level.

Maybe make a log book, or try taking a picture of the level every time you check the sight-glass before a ride. I hope you have a cell phone with a camera  And make sure you note the level on a flat surface. Try doing it for a week, or multiple weeks, and scroll through your pictures. I'm sure you'll observe a nice similar pattern 

[2014BulletC5]

I do normally park the bike on a level surface on the center stand and my normal morning start up procedure is as follows:

1.  Start the bike and let it idle until the jug is warm to the touch.
2.  Shut the engine off and let the bike sit while I put on my helmet and gloves.
3.  Check the oil level in the sight glass

This normally shows an oil level between the high and low marks and works probably 90% of the time.  But there have been a few occasions when I've let the bike idle too long and the sight window will be totally black.  Also it seems that there has been more than a number of occasions where the sight window is black before start-up and stays that way even when using the procedure listed above.

 

[Otto_Ing]

thats more or less what i doing. However i would prefer not need to.

[Arizoni]

When all is said and done, the way I figure it is, my motorcycle does not burn oil.  There is no trace of a smoky haze or a cloud of smoke coming from the exhaust.  If the oil level was good last week it will be good today.

There are no signs of an oil leak anywhere on the engine (if one ignores the small accumulation of oil that was thrown off of the rear chain, below the drive sprocket.

When I filled the oil at the last oil change, the oil level was right where it should be.

With no external leaks and no vast clouds of smoke following me down the road, there is no way there can be any significant oil loss so I usually don't worry about it.

Only occasionally, do I look at the oil level sight glass.
If it looks black (from the dirty oil), all is well.
If no oil is visable, I'll start the engine for a moment, shut it off, give it a chance to drain and look at the window again.
It never fails to either show the oil level above the bottom of the glass so, what's to worry about?

I sometimes worry about you people who think the oil level must be measured to the nearest mm. before you can safely start the engine.

I'll bet 98 percent of you haven't checked the oil level in your car for over 2 months. 

[Ducati Scotty]

If the engine isn't really hot it seems to be very difficult to get a consistent reading on the oil level.  I got to checking mine when I get back rather than before I leave. 

Get back from a ride and park it on the center stand.  Put away helmet, gloves, jacket and take off boots, that takes a few minutes.  Then check the level.  It was always consistent for me this way, and it's ready to go next time you head out.

Scott