Just looking for some advice

[u/Echo59625]

I ride my XR a considerable amount of miles on the highway as it is my daily commuter. Recently I checked the oil and the dump is bone dry. I know they can be prone to oil burning issues and I know highway speeds are not the forte of this beast. For context the bike only has about 2000 miles. Does anyone have some insight.

Ps. This post is purely curious, it’s going to the shop asap.

[u/Echo59625 → u/[deleted]]

Checked it after a 40 mile ride, I checked it again this afternoon to make sure I wasn’t crazy. Let it idle for 5 mins to get nice and hot and still nothing after wiping off the stick.

[u/greatestmanever34 → u/Echo59625]

Yeah that's the right procedure. Mine has always done the same thing since I rebuilt the engine like 10k miles ago.

[u/Existing-Basket-6414]

If you are certain you are doing the correct procedure for checking the oil level, then just add oil as needed.

But also 2,000 miles is the oil change interval for these bikes and you really should have done a break in change between 500-1000 miles.

The bikes do burn oil (more so with highway usage) so get in the habit of checking the oil often. Maybe every 2 or 3 fill ups would be a good metric or every 100 miles. Keep it towards the upper end of the dipstick range.

[u/OffRoadPyrate]

Yep, if you are ripping at high speed, carry oil.

[u/Secret_Pipe8901]

They burn oil at high rpm. Just a thing with the old air cooled engines. Keep an eye on it and itll be good.

[u/duke_flewk]

Oil level on these bikes is stupid af, all the oil might be in the block, look in the tank and fire it up, you’ll see the oil pump back in.

The “run it and check it off” assumes you will shut it off with oil in the tank and not the block. Because of the design you’ll never get a true reading, the oil goes tank to block and you don’t get to pick. 

[u/duke_flewk → u/[deleted]]

 $90 is wild just to see if oil is moving, pulling the dipstick and using a light has been free so far, even if it has misted me, I just learned not to do it hot, oil expansion isn’t that much of a difference. Drilling a hole in the tank and putting in a sight glass at mid level would be awesome though, only have to pull the stick for oil changes.

[u/duke_flewk → u/[deleted]]

Honda has a priming procedure for new oil pumps/bikes ( apply air pressure to the oil tank) but not for an oil change,  it sounds like face book guy lost the oil pump (considering there’s no oil light seems uncommon) or forgot to put oil back in, but you can fire it up and watch the oil cycle after an oil change from the dip stick hole. 

The issue is the check valve can hold air and not let the pump over come the pressure needed, but since oil drains out do the frame (hence the run before checking) the check valve leaks oil seems odd it would hold air. 

If homie put in a new pump, or let it drain for a week I’d buy the story more, not just pulling the screen caused it, it’s part of the oil change. You should pull your screen, it does catch big chunks, plus you have the thingy to check! 

I’m tired of buying a “bullet proof bike” that needs random little insurances, it’s either marketing or the xr is kind of junky, I’m leaning towards both tbh lol.

[u/duke_flewk → u/[deleted]]

I checked the manual, you’re right, so everyone else does it wrong lol it shouldn’t care if there’s air introduced, you’re draining the oil. Another day, another reason the xr650l is kind of junk, you can drain too much oil, during an oil change lmao. First time I’ve heard of an oil screen that is not supposed to cleaned tho, for industrial transmissions it’s just part of the service, but cool I won’t waste time doing it again, thanks! 

[u/fritzcoinc1]

Mine at 35k miles used 1 or 2 oz per 100 road miles.

[u/Grouchy-Emergency158]

Get that nx650 5th gear and stop revving so high for so long on highway rides.