@@vktechtv4244 It feels like a century ago! It was the first video I ever posted on YT and was just supposed to be an experiment to test the process. It is still the most viewed video on my small channel 🤣. I sure do miss that bike-- had some great trips. Thanks for your thoughts!
I just bought a Kawasaki... 1st bike I have ever owned.... I have spent all morning looking for a way to check the oil trying to find a dipstick..... Thank you very much for posting this video and explaining it the way that you did... I liked and subscribed to your channel..
Hi Ryan. Congrats on the Kawasaki! I sure do miss mine. You probably want to unsubscribe, as I did this video years ago, and haven't done any motorcycle ones since. Hope you have as much fun as I did on mine. Commuted with it, and took some great road trips! Stay safe and have fun!
2021 Update! Sit on bike, hold cell phone down and snap picture. You can use the flash if it's in a dark garage and enlarge the photo if you forgot your glasses AGAIN! (Don't ask me how I know that!)
yes, 90% of people watch this on their phone alternative: record a video, put your phone in an old coffee cup pointed at where the window will be when you sit on the bike and pull it up straight and level then you can hold the bike with both hands, and you dont have to reach down this also works to check the tail lights on your car or trailer, when its time for inspection
Thanks, Daniel! This was my first and experimental YT video. Never planned for it to get as many views as it has. The hard bags were standard on the Vulcan Nomad model. Sure do miss that bike!
i use a 2 by 4 about 6 inches long. cut a grove about 1/4 inch across the middle of the 2 by 4. make the cut so your kickstand fits in it. it works for me.
Was sceptical before watching but yes, checking oil on that window is a pain, and got me with that PVC line 🤣. Just came across another post, (telescoping) inspection mirror with light 🤯
That was the very first video I did as a test for TH-cam. I needed a quick topic, so I grabbed some stuff in the garage for a diy thing. 🤣 I had no idea it would be seen by so many people. It was kind of handy though to check the oil. I sure do miss that bike. Had some great road trips.
A great idea of course Kent, I would do that as well. This was the first video I did for YT many years ago and was an experiment in shooting and editing, etc., so it was fun just to fool around and make something in the shop and film it. It's amazing that it has gotten so many views! Gosh I miss that bike... had so many great times with it, road trips, and such.
i just bought a bike and found out that trhe oil level is too high. is it okay if i drain a portion of it to bring it just about the upper level marker? thanks
Here’s the problem for me, I can’t see the oil level thru that window. I just changed the oil, put the right quantity in, according to the book & I still can’t tell where the level is.
You might have too much oil to where the whole site window is completely full. Loosen the drain plug and slowly drained out a few ounces of oil and then re tighten it and then look at the site window
after you fill it you must run the engine for a minute to refill the oil filter space, or it will be over the mark, and if you fill it just to the mark, when you start the engine, the filter fills up, and then you are low but you dont have to check it when you fill it... if it takes 3 quarts it takes 3 quarts, there is no where else it can go, unless you spilled it all over the garage floor
My bike was pretty straight up even when on the kickstand. In either case, that little window was way down there! Miss that bike! Had some great road trips with it, and even commuted to work on it for a few years.
Real. Dang, I miss that motorcycle! I did that video just as an excuse to play around with my camera and editing software, not really thinking folks would go to the trouble of making a mirror stick, but it was very convenient for me to sit on the bike and check the oil level instead of getting down on all fours.
Thanks, L C. Yeah, weird design. But still, I loved that bike and had some great trips. I had just bought a small camera and wanted to make a how-to video about something.
the company with the most reliable motorcycles on Earth uses a sight glass. you dont need to expose your oil to SEE IT thru the window, or wipe oil on your shirt off the dipstick who opens their filler cap everyday to check their oil?! unless your bike leaks oil and you must top it off every time you ride it... When I change the oil on my Vstar bikes, they have lost NO oil during the 4000 mile interval.
13 years later still a great idea. Thanks
I never expected this video experiment to get the views it has had! Thanks!
@@StanFerris Nearly 17 years on, does it feel that long (or short) since you made and uploaded that video?
@@vktechtv4244 It feels like a century ago! It was the first video I ever posted on YT and was just supposed to be an experiment to test the process. It is still the most viewed video on my small channel 🤣. I sure do miss that bike-- had some great trips. Thanks for your thoughts!
This is actually a pretty good idea, and if you modify it by using a telescoping mirror it might be small enough to take on longer trips.
I just bought a Kawasaki...
1st bike I have ever owned.... I have spent all morning looking for a way to check the oil trying to find a dipstick.....
Thank you very much for posting this video and explaining it the way that you did... I liked and subscribed to your channel..
Hi Ryan. Congrats on the Kawasaki! I sure do miss mine. You probably want to unsubscribe, as I did this video years ago, and haven't done any motorcycle ones since. Hope you have as much fun as I did on mine. Commuted with it, and took some great road trips! Stay safe and have fun!
@@StanFerris
Yeah..i.noticed its been 12 years
Thank you
Great idea
I’m making one right now
Thanks for the tip
2021 Update! Sit on bike, hold cell phone down and snap picture. You can use the flash if it's in a dark garage and enlarge the photo if you forgot your glasses AGAIN! (Don't ask me how I know that!)
That's awesome! Perfect update! I do miss that bike. Had some really cool road trips on it! Thanks for the update :)
yes, 90% of people watch this on their phone
alternative: record a video, put your phone in an old coffee cup pointed at where the window will be when you sit on the bike and pull it up straight and level
then you can hold the bike with both hands, and you dont have to reach down
this also works to check the tail lights on your car or trailer, when its time for inspection
Great video thank you. I love your hard cases. Who makes them??
Thanks, Daniel! This was my first and experimental YT video. Never planned for it to get as many views as it has. The hard bags were standard on the Vulcan Nomad model. Sure do miss that bike!
i use a 2 by 4 about 6 inches long. cut a grove about 1/4 inch across the middle of the 2 by 4. make the cut so your kickstand fits in it. it works for me.
Was sceptical before watching but yes, checking oil on that window is a pain, and got me with that PVC line 🤣. Just came across another post, (telescoping) inspection mirror with light 🤯
That was the very first video I did as a test for TH-cam. I needed a quick topic, so I grabbed some stuff in the garage for a diy thing. 🤣 I had no idea it would be seen by so many people. It was kind of handy though to check the oil. I sure do miss that bike. Had some great road trips.
Creat stuff very clever, I have exact same bike and problem with checking oil
I sure miss that bike! Had some great trips.
Thank you ! I wondered ... and just checked your video. Great idea !
That's pretty clever...
FYI- They make a thing called an "inspection mirror. Harbor freight or E-bay.
Pretty cool device..I just wanted to know how to check the oil.
Thanks, Vinny. I had such great trips on that bike.
I used a selfie stick, works great, thanks
Great idea!
i have a 07 ultra classic to check oil level should bike be straight up or on kick stand
Excellent idea bud. Thanks for that great tip
Just use a Telescoping Inspection Mirror. Costs about 10 bucks at harbor freight. and it's small enough to keep in your saddlebags.
A great idea of course Kent, I would do that as well. This was the first video I did for YT many years ago and was an experiment in shooting and editing, etc., so it was fun just to fool around and make something in the shop and film it. It's amazing that it has gotten so many views! Gosh I miss that bike... had so many great times with it, road trips, and such.
Brilliantly simple idea
my Road King 08 manual says check the oil while it's on the Jiffy stand? am I missing something?
Just as long as the bike is vertical and warm. (But can anyone our age see that far? LOL) and should the bike be off i assume?
I just noticed, your bike has the sight glass. Mine has a dip stick. I was confused.
Great idea. Thanks!
Brilliant
that's my "secret" for lots of hard to see things. Works well as a magnifying glass to read small print too.
i just bought a bike and found out that trhe oil level is too high. is it okay if i drain a portion of it to bring it just about the upper level marker? thanks
how much too hi?
a little bit is ok
you can pull some out with a turkey baster and a short tube stuck on it, thru the filler cap opening
Also great for looking up girls skirts.
Good idea …think I’ll just get a telescopic mirror and mount a small flashlight to it …👍🙂🇺🇸
Good idea, David. I sure do miss my bike and the wonderful road trips.
You got that idea from my proctologist 👍
thats a great tip.........! If you have anyothers post them
genius idea
Freaking Genius
I miss that bike!
great it works.
Just an odd project... sometimes you just feel like messing with stuff in the shop instead of buying something. Thanks Rich.
Here’s the problem for me, I can’t see the oil level thru that window. I just changed the oil, put the right quantity in, according to the book & I still can’t tell where the level is.
You might have too much oil to where the whole site window is completely full. Loosen the drain plug and slowly drained out a few ounces of oil and then re tighten it and then look at the site window
Ron Johnston - thanks for the advice!
after you fill it you must run the engine for a minute to refill the oil filter space, or it will be over the mark,
and if you fill it just to the mark, when you start the engine, the filter fills up, and then you are low
but you dont have to check it when you fill it... if it takes 3 quarts it takes 3 quarts, there is no where else it can go, unless you spilled it all over the garage floor
I thought you were supposed to read it while it’s on kickstand
My bike was pretty straight up even when on the kickstand. In either case, that little window was way down there! Miss that bike! Had some great road trips with it, and even commuted to work on it for a few years.
Patent a better version of it...I’d buy it
Haha nice
Thanks, Skott! This bike is long gone now, but I do miss the long rides.
Or I have my wife sit on the bike while I’m checking the oil level
or you could buy an inspection mirror at the local auto parts store for about $5 and spend all the time this guy spent manufacturing, riding....
Is he for real? Is that MacGyver?
Real. Dang, I miss that motorcycle! I did that video just as an excuse to play around with my camera and editing software, not really thinking folks would go to the trouble of making a mirror stick, but it was very convenient for me to sit on the bike and check the oil level instead of getting down on all fours.
Photo by iPhone is quick To
Yes!
Sight glass - no dipstick - unforgivable design flaw - complete deal killer lol
Thanks, L C. Yeah, weird design. But still, I loved that bike and had some great trips. I had just bought a small camera and wanted to make a how-to video about something.
that shit look like use for cooking
vincent yap yeah, at night with a real small quail egg!
10 minutes of my time!!!! No WaY!!!!
Get a Harley. Put the kickstand on a piece of wood. Pull out the dipstick. Who makes a bike you gotta bend over to check the oil?
I know, right?
GeT a HaRlEy
the company with the most reliable motorcycles on Earth uses a sight glass. you dont need to expose your oil to SEE IT thru the window, or wipe oil on your shirt off the dipstick
who opens their filler cap everyday to check their oil?! unless your bike leaks oil and you must top it off every time you ride it...
When I change the oil on my Vstar bikes, they have lost NO oil during the 4000 mile interval.
Or lean the bike and take a picture with your phone. Then you don’t have to get your head down there!
That would work now, but I don't remember if 16 years ago when I filmed this phone cameras were a thing.