Fluid maintenance is key to the long life of any vehicle. Our Airhead Maintenance 101 series continues with a basic oil change on a bike that does not have an oil cooler installed. Please note this does not include the “$2,000 O-ring,” because that particular part does not go on this particular bike.

This series is meant for riders new to Airheads who may not have a lot of mechanical knowledge. In many cases, you’ll be learning right along with our host! The process shown in this video applies to BMWs from the 1970s and possibly the early 1980s and beyond. CHECK YOUR SHOP MANUAL FOR DETAILS associated with your particular motorcycle.

Tools needed:

• • Torque wrench!

• • 8mm allen socket & driver

• • 17mm socket

• • 10mm wrench (stock bolts on the oil filter outer cover)

Parts/supplies needed:

• • New oil filter (we recommend the hinged one, it’s easier to install)
    BMW p/n 11 42 1 337 570 Oil Filter, $21.93

• • Paper gasket for oil filter outer cover
    BMW p/n 11 42 1 338 600 Gasket Asbestos Free, $8.29

• • New crush washer for the oil pan drain bolt
    BMW p/n 07 11 9 963 300 Gasket Ring – A18x22-AL, $1.63

• • 3 quarts of the appropriate weight oil for your bike (refer to manual)
    I use Valvoline VR1 20W50 year-round, it costs about $10 a quart

• • Catch pan for 2.5 quarts of oil

• • Funnel

• • Rags and contact/carb cleaner for tidying up

Unlike other MOA Garage videos, we provide torque values here because they’re unlikely to change – they’ve been in place for 50 years or more at this point, so we feel pretty confident stating them. Having said that, you should always look up the torque values appropriate for your specific motorcycle. There is some variance between models and even model years, so while the torque values and other information provided here definitely apply to a 1976 R 90/6, they may or may not apply to your motorcycle. ALWAYS USE A TORQUE WRENCH!

This video series is made possible by Morton’s BMW in Spotsylvania, Virginia. Help support your local BMW motorcycle dealer! Find out more about Morton’s BMW at mortonsbmw.com.

Thank you for visiting the MOA Garage.  If you’re an MOA member in Virginia and would like to see your bike featured in an MOA Garage video, contact us through the MOA website.