Dip-Stick!

[Teflon-Mike]

WHO had the Bright Idea, to make one out of BLACK plastic?!?
I mean!
WHAT colour is oil?
Right - BLACK!
So, you make the dipstick out of plastic the same colour as what its dipping........ HOW the feck are you supposed to see the level?
Especially at 6am on a dark winter morning!
Wouldn't be SO bad!
The engine's painted black too....... BUT... they made the TOP of the dip-stick a nice contrasting light GREY colour so you could find the thing!
Just not USE it!

Rant Over!

Any other annoyingly 'stupid' oversights of user friendliness any-one wishes to air, contribute or rant on about?
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Frost]

[Knightsy]

1. get one of those plastic long white spoons
2. turn it up side down
3. use that instead
???
4. Profit!!!
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09' Versys 650 | 07' FJR1300A

[temeluchus]

Mike. You need to change your oil.
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Some shite cruiser. Now with guns and FREEDOM!

[Werny]

It doesn't matter what colour your dipstick is, or what colour your oil, you are going to struggle to see it in the dark.

Plan ahead instead and check it the day before during daylight hours maybe?

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

[nowhere.elysium]

I'm amused by the fact that you hoard 125 SuperDreams*, and yet you elect to complain about the colour of dipsticks.

*Which are akin to abominations in my eyes, and for good reason: I've worked on one or two of them, and they're trash. Designed and implemented by people who have never ridden bikes, nor been near a road that was longer than, say, 100 metres.
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'10 SV650SF, '83 GS650GT (it lives!), Questionable DIY dash project, 3D Printer project, Lasercutter project

[Killer Rat]

That got me thinking Mike.

Anyway the colour of the dipstick can be changed by either chemical or paint process?
I did wonder if it would be easier to just drill a tiny hole at the oil level line on the dipstick, oil would seep into the hole and maybe give a better indication of oil levels in the dark? I'm going to try that idea as i don't want any foreign objects,chemicals fitted to the stick that may loosen into the oil.
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No! No more talk! We go in! We kill! Kill! We kill 'em! They kill us, we kill them! Kill 'em! Kill 'em! Kill! Kill!
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cbf125 09', cbt passed 4/6/2010 - 28k miles - 1 major breakdown (stator)

[Acemastr]

My oil is red
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2017 KTM 350 XC-F - 2014 Yamaha R6 - 2005 Yamaha YZ125
2016 Toyota Tacoma Limited

[stinkwheel]

My dipstick is made of chromed steel. You can't see the oil level very well on that either.

On the user friendly point. Why does nobody make motorcycles with enclosed chains anymore, an item that needs adjusting and lubing less frequently than the tyres need changing?
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Asharin]

[Zen Dog]

[nowhere.elysium]

[Fisty]

Real bikes have a sight glass.
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Quietly and consistently taking the piss.
TL1000R | Hayabusa | ZXR400 | TL1000S | Bandit 400 V
Fatter and faster than Fret

[stinkwheel]

[sickpup]

[Alpha-9]

I took my enclosed chain guard off the CG, was FULL of water the chain had just been hanging in as it was poorly adjusted

I would have thought there was at least drainholes but i'm guessing they get blocked by chain fling off in no time



Wouldn't be hard to make them out of white plastic at least
You can't see it very well anyway as in a film oil is pretty much transparent, the trick is to use tissue and dry it off completely then dip & dab to see where the oil comes to, or use your fingers if they're not already oily!

JUST REMEMBER! Time on a dip stick is RARELY wasted!
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Fzr-600 1999

[Teflon-Mike]

[Lone-Wolf]

[Teflon-Mike]

[stinkwheel]

Real bikes don't scavenge.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Skudd]

Real bikers don't check oil, they just know when to top it up.
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Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[moggie]

[Derivative]

I have to say it did rather annoy me that my CG125 came with enclosed chain, and the CB500 didn't.

It's a machine intended for basically the same purpose at higher speeds. Why?

[kawakid]

I've only been in to biking 8 years and I didn't realise until now that some bikes have a dip stick. My oldest bike was an X reg, but I did manually have to turn the lights on that.
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I've a twin and a 4.