I use pre-compressed air usually compressed it up to about 5 times of what air  pressure I want to use. when I got new tires for my car they wanted $8 a tire more for the nitrogen stuff so I told them no just pre-compressed air would do me.

Despite all the things that Bill doesn't like about his s-40, he ain't sell'n it,.....because there ain't nothin any better for us ole guys !

Getting back to the topic at hand,........
My bike fell on the left side when I let it back down after checking the oil, and it rolled off the stand.
But how many times would it rather fall on its right side while holding it w/ 1 hand, and nearly standing on your head trying to see the site glass ? If that would have happened to me, I'd still be there,.... pinned to the cold hard concrete by 400 lbs of cold hard steel ! I can't believe Suzy has not got sued over this, and that they still use the same oil checking instructions yet today ? Un-be veeve-able !

Suzuki GR 650 had the window,I think the GN 400 had it ,My Suzuki 1500 has it. So I've been using it for 30 years.

Apparently the oil check window is pretty common. My Yamaha 250 Star (nee 250 Virago), my Suzuki S40 (nee Savage and first produced about 1985), and my Kawasaki 250 Ninja all have them, and all are designs many years old. A quick Google check says a lot of Hondas have them, too. And as far as I can tell, the procedure for all of them is the same. Start the engine and let it run for a couple of minutes; shut it off and let the oil drain back down for a couple of minutes; hold the bike level and behold the oil level in the window.

I think one would have a mighty tough time suing a manufacturer for the "low reserve amount" of oil in the engine. All they would say is "When did you last check it?"

Poll says 3 people got at least a neck/back strain out of it, so no, I don't think so either.

Whole thing drives back to the root question -- which is the Suzuki/Clymers goof this time -- the 2.5 quarts of oil or the checking method?

one of them is a screw up -- and it needs to be added to the Clymer's screw up thread in Tech Section.

Yamaha is even more insane than Suzuki -- warm it indeed.  

They could say "only check it cold' or "only check it hot" but oh no, it's gotta be "warm".

Then you gotta wait a few minutes (say 10-15) for it to dribble back down from everywhere .......



Visions of testing baby bottles on the inside of my arm for proper "warm".

If any of you guys live near a farm,just take it there and put it in a cow stall like they use for milking cows.then get down like your were going to milk a cow,but check the oil instead.