RiderSite.com - Motorcycle Forums

Hi all, just wondering does anybody else's falco use oil, i have a 01 falco with 5k miles on it, i changed the oil at 4k, the oil has moved from max to just above min, in that thousand miles, does anybody else get this? the bike doesn't smoke, isnt mixing fluids, and runs perfectly. Any feedback is appricated!!

I think it might be an issue of the level gauge not necessarily indicating how much oil is in the engine.

My 01 45K Falco uses about 1/2 a liter in 3 to 4 K miles. The gauge goes up and down quite a lot though at different times. I thing you are suposed to ride it for a 5 to 10 miles then stop and check the level.

HisNibbs wrote:I think it might be an issue of the level gauge not necessarily indicating how much oil is in the engine.

My 01 45K Falco uses about 1/2 a liter in 3 to 4 K miles. The gauge goes up and down quite a lot though at different times. I thing you are suposed to ride it for a 5 to 10 miles then stop and check the level.

Yep that's my guess too.

The owner's manual explains how to check it properly

yes the oil glass/gauge aint too accurate, i usually check it by letting the bike idle untill at normal temp, i find this gives same level as riding the bike and then stopping. would the way the bikes ridden make a difference, i dont tend to take it easy, well i think anyway!!!!

Ah - OK - so it's not a reading method issue then.

Guess you must be using some oil. Sorry but I can't comment much as I've not really had an issue with it.

I had this problem after the first (600) mile service.
It turned out the idiots at Clay Cross Powersports had put w10.40 oil in, instead of the w15.50 that should be in
Have you picked up the wrong grade by mistake?

Sounds like mine, especially when I'm doing rather quick weekend trips :)
I use 15w50 agip oil (from rsvr.net), just top it up, or take oil with you. It would do nice to stop drinking oil, but I'm not worried about it.

My falco used a bit of oil in the first 10k miles, after that it was minimal and stayed like that even after 40k.
Personally I wouldn't use full synthetic in my bike unless it was on a track non synthetic oils allow a engine to bed in properly after this it doesn't matter anymore.
It isn't an issue if the bores are coated chemically as I belive many jap engines are but I don't think the falco cylinders are treated this way.

Falken wrote:It turned out the idiots at Clay Cross Powersports had put w10.40 oil in, instead of the w15.50 that should be in

10w40 is the oil recommended in dealers' guidelines. So, all of them will be using it, unless asked otherwise.

Is this the bulletin you are referring to Sab?



If so, it seems to only recommend 10W40 if certain problems exist. It is also dated before they updated the clutch - after which the clutch slip issues seemed to go away.

That said, I know that some dealers do use 10W40 - I recently went to Speedaway to buy some 15W50, was informed that their workshop uses 10W40 and that's what I came back with.

dont think mine uses oil , not much to notice anyway, iv done 5000 since last oil change and still looks ok

ok well thanks for the feedback, i changed the oil with 15w50, i'll just top it up and keep an eye on it and hope it dont get any worse!

Mine uses a bit, but that's down to a minor leak discovered when they did the last service. One of the seals was weeping (can't remember which, a hose or something into the engine) - they didn't have one in stock, but it's minor enough not to worry. I can't see any oil anywhere, but it might be worth checking round some of the connections on the oil circuit to see if there's anything coming out as that's more oil to have lost than might be expected over 1000 miles (at least unless you own a Triumph 675)

D-Rider wrote:Is this the bulletin you are referring to Sab?



If so, it seems to only recommend 10W40 if certain problems exist. It is also dated before they updated the clutch - after which the clutch slip issues seemed to go away.

That said, I know that some dealers do use 10W40 - I recently went to Speedaway to buy some 15W50, was informed that their workshop uses 10W40 and that's what I came back with.

Actually, I was told that by a Kentish Aprilia dealer. They have no 15w50 oil at all and they run a BIG Aprilia service. Saing that, as I may have mentioned before, I trust dealers wholeheartedly.