'80 GS850 oil capacity

[Dave_A]

Well, how many qts of 10W40 do I need, assuming a complete drain & refill with filter change?

450 = ~3, I assume the 850 needs more...

[chuckycheese]

4

My 750 takes 4 quarts with a filter change. I imagine yours is the same but......I bet you'll soon find out. (Just be careful not to over fill it).

[lhanscom]

I don't think it is, I think it's less. The amount in mL should be stampted on the case right next to the oil cap.

[chuckycheese]

Good

Good suggestion, Luke, and you may well be right about it holding less oil than mine. 8O

[Anonymous]

With the 850..........To refill when changing the filter its 3.6 litres. Without the filter change its 2.8 litres !

[Anonymous]

There's a better method than worrying about precise measures. Fill it until the oil is at the right spot on the view window. Start and run the engine for a few minutes. Shut off the engine and wait a few more minutes. Then add more oil until the level is once again correct on the view window. The reason for running it is to fill the oil filter chamber. Of course, this should be done while the bike is on the center stand and on a level floor. You should use about 3.8 quarts, total. I just save the extra for the next change. The level in the view window is what matters and it should not be either over-filled or under-filled.

[Anonymous]

That's exactly what I've been doing for 18 years of GS ownership, Karl. I don't pre-measure the oil either.

Nick

[saaz]

For 24 years on the same bike I measure the oil amount as per the specs...usually just in a 4 litre oil container with measurements on the side. Usually it is about midway on the sight glass, but I run an oil cooler so it needs a touch more oil if you prefer to run it at the top mark. Also I change oil and filter at the same time.

I don't bother trying to get it exactly at the top. If you have a bike long enough you know what it takes to get it up near the right level first time, any adjustments are over the next few thousand kms.

(You can get away with rough measurements on the roller bearing models. Don't do it on the plain bearing models. They need oil pressure for the plain bearings to work.)