Fork oil? Final Drive & Shaft Oil?

[Anonymous]

How do I change it on a '81 650GL? All I can find is a small screw at the bottom of the forks. When I pop the cover off the top of the forks, there is no air valve or anything. I had another motorcyclist look at them and said he's couldn't find a way to put oil in either.

How much oil does the final drive and shaft take? Looking, my guess is two quarts, but I'm not sure.

[Billy Ricks]

You probably have the type of caps on the fork tubes that are held in place with a clip. You have to push down hard with a big screwdriver or something then use a small screwdriver to get under the clip and pry it out. Do this with the bike on the centersatnd and the front end up in the air to fully extend it. 10W is usually what came stock. If you feel you need more damping go with 15W. Can't give info on the other lubes.

[Eliseo Monteverde]

On the final drive, the oil is SAE 80w90 for hypoid gears.

[argonsagas]

The final drive only takes a bit of oil...not two quarts.


On the transmission, remove the mid-level bolt and the filling bolt on top. Pour in the oil from the top, and when it begins to dribble from the mid-level, you are done.

ALL oil changes should be done with the bike on the centrestand.




The gear oil usually comes in a bottle with a nozzle-cap. Fit the nozzle into the fill hole and pour in the oil until it fills and dribbles back out. Quit pouring and replace the bolt.

It is as simple as that.


If you are doing oil change, however, you might consider taking the extra step of pulling the rear wheel and putting a small amount of grease on your finger and smearing it across ALL of the final drive gear splines. They will appreciate this greatly, and will live much longer because of it.

[Anonymous]

The final drive only takes a bit of oil...not two quarts.

I have a shaftie. I thought the oil in the shaft and the final drive was the same. Am I wrong?

[Eliseo Monteverde]

On the transmission, remove the mid-level bolt and the filling bolt on top.

Where is it?

Are you reffering to the final drive?
Or in a place near the gear box?
Mine "kat" 650 has two drain plugs in the oil pan, one of them is located exactly under the secondary bevel gear, and the other drain plugs in the oil pan?s center, like is commonly.
I mean, 2 drain plugs, and one hole to refill the oil ?, or there is another hole to refill which I havn?t found? :?

[Anonymous]

I have a shaftie. I thought the oil in the shaft and the final drive was the same. Am I wrong?

There is NO oil in the shaft.
On the 650's, the gear oil is restricted to the final drive. Engine oil lubes the transmission end. You don't need more than a quart to change the final drive oil. Take the bike for a spin to warm it up, then pull both bolts on the drive and drain the old oil. Replace the bottom bolt, and slowly fill the drive back up with 80w90 until it comes out of the hole (bike on the centerstand), wait a few minutes for it to fill up all the little cavities inside, and do it again. Replace the bolt and you're done.
Ron's suggestion of removing the rear wheel to grease the splines is a good one. Better to use a few pennies worth of grease than more than a few dollars replacing the drive or wheel.

[argonsagas]

Thanks, Andy. I have not worked on the 650GL. Certainly the shaft itself needs no oil. Only the final drive and the transmission are deserving of such treatment.

The larger shafties (such as my 1100s) have their own transmission oil, (separate from the engine). The top or fill bolt is on the top (how curious the Japanese engineers are, at times) and you remove the side plate above the shift lever for access to the other bolts.

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys. Got the fluids changed (all but the fork) on Friday. The bike was running perfectly until about 9:15 that night.

That's when I slid it underneath a car that pulled out in front of me. The poor girl that pulled out in front of me is only 16 or 17 years old. When I hit the brakes, the front locked, I hit the ground, and the bike hit the back driver-side fender of her car and flipped around the back. I have a few scrapes and a sore knee and ankle. I think when I laid the bike over, I may have landed it on my leg. Save the bike at all costs right? j/k. Helmet has no scratches on it, but I will ask that it be replaced under insurance. My jacket did not get damaged either.

Bike now has a bent fork, torn front fender, the fairing is cracked up, and there are substantial scratches down the right side. The scratches are mostly in the saddlebag and the fairing so it doesn't appear to have much structurally wrong with the bike. They may still claim the bike as being totaled.

She claimed that she never saw me. She heard my tires squeal when I locked them up and felt me hit her car. Only after she started to pull over and park did she see my bike in the road. She said her parents ride so I think that made it a little tougher.

If they claim the bike is totaled, I'm going to try and get a check and the bike back. If I can get the bike back, I'll try to repair it, which means probably a few more postings on here looking for help. I was a member 2 years ago and you guys were a great help back then just as you still are. I hope that I'll be able to get my GS back up and running soon and be able to join you on the road again.

[SqDancerLynn1]

REMEMBER DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING until you are satisifyed with the settlement hint at a lawyer for the sore knee/ankle if need be to get the settlement you want