I took my ride (04-883 STD) and the wife's 02/883 Hugger out and gave it the once over before we took off. I rode her ride about 10 days earlier when mine was in the shop and it had oil it it. It sat in the garage until I took it out for my wife to ride.

So I check the oil and it is not even on the dip stick. I filled it to the lower mark, ran the engine for 10 min, and pop the dip stick out only to have the oil overflowing. I pumped about the same amount out as I added but I would like to know where the heck it was hiding. Since then I have not had a problem, but then again the longest it sat was 2 days. So can something happen when it sits longer?

It sometimes flows past the check valve and stays in the case. Mine has done it for about 5 years now. I know I have oil so I don't worry about it. If you have a warranty make them fix it. Otherwise, check your oil while the bike is running like you are supposed to.

It sometimes flows past the check valve and stays in the case. Mine has done it for about 5 years now. I know I have oil so I don't worry about it. If you have a warranty make them fix it. Otherwise, check your oil while the bike is running like you are supposed to.


Thanks, I knew it didn't go back into the ground but I never seen it happen before. I know that not all the oil is filtered in one pass, just a fraction of it each time so I can see now how a check valve can stick open or just wear out.

Not under warranty and I can live with it as long as I kown it is just a Sportster thing. I do check the oil hot but I also check it cold to be sure I have oil. Just a weekly pre check along with lights, belts, and so on.

Next time I will know that if I don't see oil start it and then look into the oil tank. Again thanks.

It happens on all the sportys. No fix for it. Never check the oil when the engine is cold.

Yup a sporty thing,the older Ironheads had a crankcase breather vent tube that just vented to the atmosphere with no hose to the aircleaner.
When the bike sat for a while it would sump oil to the crankcase as yours did but when you would try and start it the oil would spew out the breather tube on to the ground and make a big mess lol.