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Today we’re going to cover how to change the oil and filter on a Triumph Bonneville, Bonneville T100, Bonneville SE, Thruxton, or Scrambler, as per Triumph’s own official factory service manual. By following these instructions you’ll be able to change the oil yourself on any of Triumph’s 865cc motorcycle engines, just like a dealer would, but at roughly half the cost.
We’ll be going through the factory service manual and you can follow along either via this article, or by watching the how to video further down this page. I’ll show you how to do a dealership-level oil and filter change on your Triumph Bonneville, as well as what parts to use, and where I get my parts and tools from.
Tools you need for a Triumph Bonne oil change / Thruxton/Scrambler/T100 oil change
- 3.8 litres of 10W-40 semi-synthetic (or 10W-40 full-synthetic) motorcycle oil
- K&N KN-204 oil filter
- Torque wrench (even this cheap $35 one promises to be within 4% accurate)
- A 17mm bit (if you have a K&N oil filter currently on your bike), or a 66mm 14 flute oil wrench
- A 13mm bit
- A low profile oil drain pan
- Gloves, rags, and other supplies to clean up any spills
- This Black Widow motorcycle table lift isn’t necessary but it sure made the job easy and it wasn’t too expensive (full review here)
You can change the oil and filter on a Triumph Bonneville by following five steps:
- Remove the oil drain bolt and throw out the old washer
- Remove the old oil filter
- Install the oil drain plug and new washer
- Lubricate and install the new oil filter
- Fill with 3.8 litres of clean oil and check the oil level
Before you start your Triumph Bonneville oil and filter change…
There are a few things in Triumph service manual to discuss before we begin.
- Your Triumph should be warmed up, but not hot enough that it could burn you. Triumph recommends running the bike for 5 minutes at idle, and then letting it sit for 3 minutes.
- The oil change should be done with the bike upright, so use a stand, a jack, or a vise.
- You should check the oil level before and after your oil change. Checking before will let you know whether or not your motorcycle was burning or losing oil, checking after will make sure you have the right amount.
- You might want to remove your oil cap before starting to make sure it isn’t stuck in place and you’re left with a motorcycle you can’t get oil into.
Note: If any of the instructions are unclear, be sure to watch the video above, as it might give additional insight. If you still have any questions please leave a comment at the bottom of the page and I’ll be happy to try to help. On the flip side, if you find this helpful, feel free to leave a comment letting me know this worked for you!
How to check the oil level on a Triumph Bonneville
Triumph’s Bonneville service manual says to check the oil level by doing the following:
- Run the bike at idle for 5 minutes
- Turn it off and let it sit for 3 minutes
- Put the bike in an upright position
- Check your oil level sight glass to check your oil level
You should also do this after your oil change to make sure you don’t have too much or too little oil in your Bonneville, Scrambler, T100, Special Edition, or Newchurch Edition Bonneville.
How to change the oil on Triumph Bonneville (865cc Triumph)
Time needed: 30 minutes.
Changing the oil and filter on a Triumph Bonneville is easy. Following these instructions from the Triumph service manual you can do it yourself, just like a dealer would, and save yourself some money.
Step 1) Remove the oil drain plug
The Triumph Bonneville drain plug is directly behind the front wheel, in the center of the motorcycle. If you have a sump guard under your motorcycle you may need to remove it.
You’ll need a 13mm bit to remove the drain plug.
If you have extensions for your socket wrench, they will come in handy, as does a low profile oil drain pan.
Step 2) Remove the oil filter
The oil filter is located under the Bonneville. If you have a sump guard under your motorcycle you may need to remove it.
Remove the oil filter using an adjustable oil filter wrench or a 66mm 14 flute oil wrench.
If your Triumph Bonneville has a K&N oil filter on it, you can use a 17mm bit to remove it.
Step 3) Install the drain plug and new washer
When the Bonneville is done draining, install the drain plug and use a new washer.
You can also wipe the drain plug and opening clean to get any bad stuff out.
I recommend first time DIYers use a torque wrench, which allows you to set the torque for the bolt.
Using a torque wrench you won’t overtighten (damaging your motor casing) or undertighten (causing a leak) your drain bolt.
The torque specification for the drain bolt is 25 Nm.
Step 4) Install new oil filter
First, be sure to lubricate the new oil filter’s o-ring seal, otherwise your filter will seize onto your motor.
If you aren’t sure how to lubricate the o-ring seal, check out the video at the top of the page.
Tighten the oil filter between 8 Nm and 12 Nm with a torque wrench like this one.
Too tight and you can damage the engine casing, too loose and you’ll have an oil leak right in front of your rear tire.
Step 5) Pour new oil in and check your oil level
Finally, pour in 3.8 liters of 10W-40 semi-synthetic (or 10W-40 full-synthetic) motorcycle oil.
Then, repeat the oil level check you did before we started.
If the oil level is above MAX, loosen off your drain plug to let a little oil out and recheck.
If the oil level is below MIN, add a bit more oil into your Bonneville and recheck
Repeat these last three steps until your oil is between Max and Min.
Conclusion
Changing the oil and filter on a Triumph Bonneville (Scrambler, Thruxton, SE, T100) is an easy five step process. By following the steps outlined in Triumph’s service manual, you can easily perform this service work yourself, just like how a Triumph dealer would!
If you have any questions, be sure to check out the video at the beginning of the article, or leave me a comment down below. If you don’t have any questions but just found this content helpful, please leave a comment to let me know I was able to help you. Those always make my day!
Awesome vid! Kept it simple, and easy to grasp. Thanks for not dragging it out.
Stoked to see someone rocking a service manual and a torque wrench! First thing to grab when you get a new ride – the service manual. Appreciate it, good video!
Nicely done. Quick Q: did you snag the service manual from the dealership? Or is there a better spot to grab one of these? Cheers!
Mine came with the bike. You could try the dealer for a new one, it’s a Triumph OEM part, or you could try ebay or some other online classifieds if you’re okay with a used copy.
Great vid! I’d top up the new filter with oil, about 3/4, to avoid the pump starting empty.
Excellent. Super helpful, mate. Totally onboard with the torque wrench idea.