David-in-LA
New Member
I just bought a '04 XL1200R (my first HD) from a good friend who rarely used it (only 6k miles) and probably hadn't serviced it for quite some time. I decided to do the 5k service and changed the engine oil, filter, and changed the primary drive oil. The owner's manual says 3.6 quarts, less 4 fl oz for the filter. I found that when I put that much into the tank, the oil was right up at the top of the tank, completely covering the dip stick. My instinct is that this is too much oil, so I syphoned out approx 1qt and the level is now where it should be - just touching the bottom of the dipstick when cold. I haven't ridden the bike yet, and before I do so, I was hoping somebody might know if this is unusual. Is there a mistake in the manual? I am certain that I drained all the oil out, so I'm a little puzzled.