Typically my bike, 2005 Road King Classic, does not have to have any oil added b/w changes.

I checked my oil level after a long highway ride. It was down, I was surprised, but it was a hot day and I drove at a fast pace, so......

It was only down a third of a quart. I topped it up.

Drove home, same length of ride. Checked the oil the next day when it was cold. It was now 1/3 a quart over full.

I checked the oil always when it's cold.

So.....

Where did the 1/3 of a quart go?

 

You added a third of a quart, checked it and it was a third of a quart over.

 

You can't compare the oil levels between a hot and cold engine check.

I always use the hot check and worry about levels associated with it. I only use cold check procedure immediately after doing an oil change.

 

I always check it hot. In dry sump systems you need them at normal operating temps to see how much is really in the tank. Cold will always be misleading.

 

That 1/3 quart was up in your engine when you checked it warm. It had all drained back down when you checked it cold. That's why you have to be consistent; either always use a warm check for your baseline, or always use a cold check.

 

That would make sense, but all checks were done 'cold', even the first one.

 

pull your spark plugs and examine them, looking for evidence of oil fouling.

 

Maybe the oil wasn't scavenged properly from the crankcase prior to shutdown and it was hiding in the crankcase. Then when you got home you let it idle a little bit longer and the oil was scavenged back to the oil resevoir.

 

This makes more sense than anything else.

 

Hot vs. cold reading; is what I'am reading.