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oil lamp came on after a 60 mile high speed ride

brownie0486

Well-known member
2012 R1200GS,

Pulled into the driveway, left it running while I open the garage door, got back on the bike, the oil can emblem appeared on the display, but no yellow or red triangle which would indicate [ according to my manual ] not enough oil pressure. Ran it into the garage, shut it off, and put on side stand.

5 minutes later, center stand and the oil is just at the top of the sight glass. I just had the oil changed and full serviced at 23K, today it reads 23,142.

I've not seen that lamp come on before, suggestions as to why it did, what to watch for on next ride if anything? Oh, the temp bars were normal operating temp, not an extra bar or anything regarding temp of motor. I let the bike cool down for 30 minutes, started it back up and no oil lamp shown on the display board at that time. Hmm

Thanks
 
Update, took the bike out and let it warm up to the normal operating temp bars after it sat for a few hours. No oil symbol on the display from start to finish of the ride.

I just wondered why that came on without either a yellow or red triangle.
 
Update, took the bike out and let it warm up to the normal operating temp bars after it sat for a few hours. No oil symbol on the display from start to finish of the ride.

I just wondered why that came on without either a yellow or red triangle.

Seems like on my 2011 K1300S when the oil was down to the add mark I would get a oil can on the dash without a yellow triangle.
With the bike running on the sidestand the oil level was probably below the bottom of the window and the bike read that as low oil.
 
Thanks, strange though as when I did the glass check after 5 minutes on the side stand, it was at the top of the glass on the center stand. :dunno
 
it was at the top of the glass on the center stand. :dunno

When it's on the sidestand the oil is a lot lower in the site glass.
If you want to see how much the oil level drops, start the bike while on the centerstand and look at the site glass.
 
Not specifically familiar with this, but isn't the OIL LEVELING SWITCH (is this the alternate name for the sensor?) on the right side? So if the bike is on the sidestand, maybe that piece wasn't seeing oil; doesn't quite answer the Why.
 
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I talked to my mechanic a short time ago. He couldn't state why the oil lamp emblem came on either. Told me to keep an eye on it, if it does it again, bring it to him.

Thanks for the replies :thumb
 
On a recent trip my low oil indicator, but no red or yellow warning light, came on. I immediately checked and there was oil in the sight glass but at the lower limit (exactly where it was when I left). Knowing there was actually some oil in there I just kept going. Twenty miles later the indicator shut off and stayed off for the rest of the 200 miles of the trip. Got home and the oil level was right where it was when I started that morning. I have no idea why it came on but it immediately after a stop where it was on the side stand for 20 minutes. I would think the oil level would get higher on the side stand as the bike leans that way.

My RT seems to burn zilch for a couple of thousand miles, it loses 200 ml in one day, then zilch for another couple of thousand miles. Makes no sense as I can't correlate it to any one factor like hard riding, high temperature, or whatever. It's like the oil just evaporates and then it's fine.

I check it all the time but don't worry about it. I do very carefully add oil and it consistently loses about 6-7 oz per thousand miles. That's well within limits.
 
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Here's one of the answers on advrider's site to the same question

It's a level type of sensor, I can't recall but I believe somewhere on LH side near the bottom (wanted to install one on my other donkee which doesn't have it although a hole is there). The false reading in this case may have been caused by high speed run on the hwy and oil was all over the crankcase as well as in the oil cooler thus the sensor picked up "low" oil at the time at the bottom. Once the bike was parked and oil checked, all was a-ok so I'd just archive this experience at that..

Comments, opinions?
 
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