Okay, here’s my blog post about changing the oil on my KTM Duke 390:
Alright, folks, so my Duke was due for an oil change. I hit that mileage mark, and it was time to get my hands dirty. I’m no mechanic, but I like to do things myself whenever I can. Saves some cash and, you know, it’s kinda satisfying.
Gathering Supplies
First things first, I gotta get all the stuff together. Here’s what I used:
- Oil: I went with Motorex, ’cause that’s what the manual says. 10W-50, full synthetic.
- Oil Filter: Got a genuine KTM one. Don’t cheap out on filters, man.
- Wrench: For the drain plug, and another for the oil filter housing. check your sizes for your bike.
- Drain Pan: To catch the old, gross oil.
- Gloves: ‘Cause I don’t wanna get oil all over my hands. (Though I still did, somehow…)
- Rags: Lots of ’em. For spills and wiping stuff down.
- Torque Wrench: important for tightening things up properly.
Let’s Get to It
First, I warmed up the bike for a few minutes. Warm oil flows better, gets more of the gunk out. Then, I put the bike on its stand, making sure it was nice and stable.
Next, I located the drain plug underneath the engine. Slid the drain pan under there, and carefully loosened the plug with my wrench. Be ready, ’cause that oil comes out fast when you pull that plug!
While the oil was draining, I went after the oil filter. It’s on the side of the engine. Unscrewed the housing, and yup, more oil came out. Pulled out the old filter. It was pretty dark, so definitely time for a change.
I let it all drain, it took a while and got most of the oil out.
Putting It All Back Together
Once the oil stopped dripping, I cleaned the drain plug and put on a new crush washer (always use a new one!). Then I screwed the plug back in and tightened it to the right torque with my torque wrench. Don’t over-tighten, or you’ll strip the threads!
Next, I lubricated the rubber gasket on the new oil filter with a little fresh oil. Then I screwed the new filter into the housing and tightened that up, too. Again, used the torque wrench for the correct tightness.
Finally, I poured the new oil into the fill hole on top of the engine. I used a funnel to make it less messy. I added the amount specified in the manual, checking the sight glass on the side to make sure I got the level right.
Once I had enough oil in, I put the fill cap back on, started the bike, and let it run for a few minutes. Checked for leaks around the drain plug and filter. All good!
I checked the oil level in the sight glass one more time after the engine had been running, and added a tiny bit more to top it off.
Done and Dusted!
And that’s it! Oil change complete. Not too hard, right? Now my Duke is running smooth and happy. Remember to dispose of your old oil properly, folks. Most auto parts stores will take it for recycling. Ride safe!