Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Good to know, thanks.

Hey folks. I just bought an 84 Honda Nighthawk 450. New to motorbikes, kinda handy, I'm gonna work on it myself. What oil should I use? Any idea on the filter?

As a motorcycle mechanic working in a shop ill give my 2cents worth. Changing oil is easy but i havent seen many correct anwsers on how to PROPERLY change oil in this thread yet.
1. go buy the the service manual for you bike. it has many helpful hints: like drain plug torque specs, checking oil levels, etc...
2. buy a cheap torque- $15 at sears is fine.
3. Use it.
really 1/4 turn passed no leaking, what is that. thats nuts. tighting the filter as hard as i can: then i had trouble removing it? you think. After lubing the the O-ring 3/4 to 1 turn after contact of the o-ring is ussually fine, you dont have to kill it. The 17mm nut on K&Ns doesnt work well. im only 1 for 3 in removing them lifetime. the "nut" isnt a nut its stamped steel, but not squared up, its kind of trapizoidally shaped and the sockets dont grab it well. then they round off because the filter was way over tightned on installation. hoped you warmed the oil up before you drain it. warm oil take the dirt and metal with it. cold doesnt.
By the way ive never seen any of those TV programs before. I dont have cable. But i know Billy Lane is a turd. Hes in a florida jail now for driving his pick up truck drunk and then hitting a biker and killing him.

if it is in the manual and i can do it myself without getting in over my head i do it myself, and if/ when i get stuck i go crying to my uncle who has biked on and of since the early 70's and is a jack of all trades type. 2 priceless sources of info.

What? You have to change the oil. Ha ha. Put Mobil One Synthetic Oil in your bike and change it every 7,500 miles. Change the filter more often though.

Only if I have to. It's a pain in the neck disposing of it. I'm happy to let them do it at the service. If it starts to get too grubby inbetween-times, then I give a big sigh and get out the spanner...

sv-wolf wrote:Only if I have to. It's a pain in the neck disposing of it.

I'm fortunate that our town maintains an oil recycling drop not half a mile from my house. I could walk the used oil there in 10 minutes, it's that close. Changing oil on the Bonneville is simplicity itself, changing the V-strom requires unbolting a few parts - thank you, Suzuki!

I found out the local Advance Auto now carries motorcycle oil. Last year I mail ordered oil. The only alternative in town was the local Honda dealer.... They also now accept oil for recycling free.

I change my oil on all but three of my bikes. (two are 2-stroke and the old Harley has a constant loss system)

I have noticed that every year it is harder to find motorcycle oil (even in bike shops) especially for the old Harleys (I run 70wt in summer)

Where i live Autozone or Checker (O'Riley) will both take used oil with no charge. In Pueblo (about 40 miles away they will buy used oil for 10 cents a gallon but will only accept full 33 0r 55 gallon drums)

slimcolo wrote:I change my oil on all but three of my bikes. (two are 2-stroke and the old Harley has a constant loss system)

You have an original Knuckle? What bikes are the 2-smokers?