Oil colour after oil change?

[Pravech]

While I can' yet post outside the new member group, I have a technical question regarding an oil change. I had my Versys serviced last week - basically only an oil service - but I notice the oil colour in the inspection window is totally black already, after less than 100km after the oil change. Can this be? Or did they forget to change the oil filter in the process?

[Baron650]

Mine doesn't darken until I've run it hard for a while. Using 10w40 Full Synthetic now, still amber after about 1500 miles.

[Mursili]

You say "totally black already". I assume that it was not very dark when you picked the bike up after the service. If it was still black at the shop, then yes, maybe they did not even bother to change it.

Then again, my oil turns black pretty quickly. From what I understand that is a "feature" of new detergent oils. They do such a good job suspending the dirt that they turn dark quickly. That should mean nothing with respect to how the oil performs, however.

[Fastoman]

I use Motul and unless I push beyond, 5k Km its still not that dark. At 7K Km its when the oil really turns dark-black.

[twowheeladdict]

If they drained the oil on a cold engine and the oil was very dirty to begin with, it would not be uncommon for the oil to quickly turn dark. How far up the sight glass is the oil level?

I always drain the oil from a bike right after riding home from work and then I let it drain while I go in and eat dinner. Even then, I will see some dark streaks in the fresh oil after I warm up the engine for 3 minutes and check the oil level.

[fasteddiecopeman]

Yup - mine 'darkens-up' soon after each change (Mobil1 15w-50). I don't worry about it....

[Pravech]

Unfortunately I didn't check the colour of the oil immediately after the service so don't know if it was dark even then. However I notice the oil level is higher now than when I took it in for the service - it is now at the top mark where it previously was halfway. So at the very least they put some oil in. In future I will do my own oil changes.

[Fastoman]

Originally Posted by Pravech

Unfortunately I didn't check the colour of the oil immediately after the service so don't know if it was dark even then. However I notice the oil level is higher now than when I took it in for the service - it is now at the top mark where it previously was halfway. So at the very least they put some oil in. In future I will do my own oil changes.

Good for you and the Versys will love your kind care.

[hermananuar]

why my handle so high vibration? need suggestion & advice ..

[fasteddiecopeman]

Originally Posted by hermananuar

why my handle so high vibration? need suggestion & advice ..

Try holding on LESS tightly.

[crow]

Originally Posted by Pravech

While I can' yet post outside the new member group, I have a technical question regarding an oil change. I had my Versys serviced last week - basically only an oil service - but I notice the oil colour in the inspection window is totally black already, after less than 100km after the oil change. Can this be? Or did they forget to change the oil filter in the process?

Different oil brands will look different in colour to start with. I like Motul 5100 in most of my bikes... except my WR450f... but it is a darker colour out of the bottle to start with and looks black quite soon after a fresh change in the sight glass. Most oils lose their shear capacities after about 5000km so regardless of colour I change out at 5K anyhow but don't I worry about going full synthetic unless under race conditions for the life of that oil change.