Checking the engine oil level

When to do it

• Weekly, or before a long trip
• If the engine ticks or runs hot

What you need

• A clean cloth
• Oil of the grade in your manual, for topping up

Step by step

1. 1

   Work on flat, firm ground away from traffic, with the engine off and the key out.

2. 2

   Look up in the manual how your bike's oil is checked — warm or cold, on the centre stand or held upright, dipstick screwed in or just resting. It differs between bikes.

   Straight after a ride the engine and exhaust are very hot — mind your hands.

3. 3

   With a sight window, hold the bike upright and read the level in the glass.

4. 4

   With a dipstick, pull it, wipe it, refit it as the manual says, then pull it again and read it.

5. 5

   If it is at or below the lower mark, add oil of the same grade a little at a time; do not go over the upper mark.

6. 6

   If the oil is very black, milky, or has metal flecks, show a mechanic.

What normal looks like

• The level is between the upper and lower marks.