How to Change Your Own Oil on a Honda Rebel CMX250 Motorcycle

Owning a motorcycle can be a very rewarding and fun experience. Doing the proper maintenance will keep it running strong for a very long time. Avoid the dealer markups on service and learn to do this simple and rewarding task on your own. Doing your own general maintenance helps you appreciate and better take care of your motorcycle.

Tools Needed:

· 17 MM open ended wrench or socket

· 2 quarts oil

· 1 new Crush washer

· Oil container to hold old oil

1. Drive the motorcycle around to get it to its normal operating temperature. This ensures the oil is warm and will flow easier out of the engine.

2. Park on level ground.

3. Take your 17 MM wrench with your Oil catch container and slide it under your motorcycle. You do not need to lift the cycle to do this. Keep it on its side stand as this is the side the drain bolt is located on. It would be a good idea to also have some old towels or rags around the area so none of the oil splashes out and stains your pavement. Place the catch can directly under the oil drain plug. You can choose to wear work gloves during the rest of these steps or not. Take caution as the exhaust pipes and engine are most likely very hot right now. Take your wrench and loosen the plug slightly.

4. Now carefully with your fingers remove the bolt slowly and let the oil drain into the container. The old crush washer is most likely still stuck on the engine or has fallen into the drain container. You can pick it off after the oil has drained, or grab it out of the container. We will not be using it again though.

5. While the oil is draining from the oil pan, remove the oil cap and if you want you can also remove the dip stick. This will help release pressure from the engine and allow better flow of the oil.

6. Let the oil drain a sufficient amount of time (10-20 minutes). You can lift the bike straight upright and then back on its side stand to allow more of the oil to be removed.

7. Once all of the oil has been sufficiently drained, replace the crush washer on the drain bolt and replace the bolt by hand being careful not to cross thread the bolt.

8. Tighten the drain bolt with your wrench being careful not to over tighten it. It does not need to be superman tight, just snug it up pretty good.

9. Take your funnel and stand the bike upright. You can do the while sitting on the bike or having someone else hold it up. Pour in one quart of oil. Place the dipstick in (do not thread it in) and pull it out to check the level. Add more oil until you are reading the correct amount on the dip stick. The oil capacity is 1.6 quarts of oil per the owner's manual.

10. When you have the sufficient amount of oil in the crank case, tighten the dip stick up, clean up and you are done! Drive the motorcycle around to get it back to operating temperatures and then check for any leaks.

Congratulations on changing your own oil! You have taken the first step in properly maintaining your motorcycle.