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Hopefully not a stupid question this time!

When measuring engine oil should the dipstick be fully seated in its 'sealed' position? Be very useful to know as I don't want to overfill

Thanks

Martin

Hi
Fully in is the way I've always done it. Top mark on my bikes corresponds to measured 3.0L oil put in after an oil change.
Mine are 1978 bikes with the overstamped bit in the riders handbook saying 3 litres instead of 2.5, so it was many years later (probably after 20 years!) that I saw that the factory had reverted back to 2.5L and changed to that.
Now have dipstick marked with 'top' where the oil gets to after a 2.5L fill, fully home.
Regards,
George

Thank you George I’ll measure from ‘fully in’

To fill I use an old 1 litre gearbox oil bottle with a olastic extension tube. Easy to twitch and miss though. I use 2.5L
John

Spot on John, on any old vehicle never assume the accuracy of the dip stick, its the sort of thing that gets mixed up in boxes of parts or lost and replaced with the wrong one and yes there are different dipsticks for morinis. I have glass 1 litre measuring cylinder.

I can´t find a foto I´ve made years ago with a bunch of dipsticks with marks of diferent heights.
The best way is to fill in 2,5 l, then insert the dipstick and make a (new?) mark at that point. Then you know that that is the minimum > fil in always a little more (about 10 -15 mm).
Most dipsticks have two marks (I guess 2,5 and 3 l) but you should not trust them. The Enduro sticks are bound to be easier pulled out because of the excape pipe. So who knows wether yours have been bound and then dredged? I even have straight and bound ones with a lot of diferent marks. Controling is the ony way to be sure.
Often you still find stickers on the little chain protector, indicating that the plastick top of the stick should be put in 90° to the bike direction. For aerodinamic reasons I´ve never done this. But make sure that that the stick does not have any contact with the gearbox! There are some longer sticks (so cut them) that may touch!

I always catch my hand on the heatshield on the “enduro”style pipes. These curved dipsticks should be inserted with the handle sideways as per that little sticker.
On my Sport the dipstick is not curved.
I do find it tricky to see the level when the oil is clean though.

With fresh oil I use the folds of my finger. If you put the mark of the stick on a fold of the finger of the other hand, you´ll see

Or use a tissue!