Oil consumption or overly paranoid?

[J.Wilson]

I have a 2006 gl1800 with 65000 on the odometer. I changed the oil and filter last week using valvoline 10w40 motorcylce oil and a HiFlo oil filter. Im not sure what type of oil has been previously used as this is my first time changing the oil myself on the bike. After the bike warms up the engine seems to be louder than normal so I checked the oil today after riding for maybe 20 miles. As stated in the manual I let the bike sit for 3-5 minutes then checked the oil and it was just showing up at the bottom mark of the dipstick, I began to worry. I waited another 30 minutes (bike was still warm but not at operating temp anymore) and checked it again and it showed up to the full mark on the dipstick. Now Im just confused. Should I be worried about the engine being louder and showing up low oil while at full temp? I cant see oil leaking anywhere nor is there any on the garage floor. The bike has not overheated since ive owned it.

[PastoT]

If you checked the oil on the center stand both times and you put in 3.9-4.0qts you should be ok. Something may be a silent player here if the oil that you drained out was really messed up; hopefully nothing plugged up with lacquer or deposits. If the oil drained clean and smooth I'd just check it once a week. The change in engine noise maybe the different in the old and new oil. Mine shifts smoother and runs quitter after changing but I know what the last I used in the last 6 oil changes and use Lucas extender with Mobil T-1 full synth. I periodically check the dipstick and its always sat a 1/16th inch up the stick except after a 1200 mile desert ride with temps reaching above 120 degrees and it only dropped slightly (I have an 02 and had about 75k on it). If oil gets too low you'll get an F-1 light and it will shut down or prevent it from starting, so there are a couple precautions built in to cover our backside. It could be the last oil had a supplement added like mine, and using pure oil might just be a bit thinner. Synthetics will start out in lighter weight until the engine warms up, I suppose that it could be a bit noisier as a result.