Hi,
I was riding down my road in 4th gear at about 40mph on my ’98 XL1200C when I suddenly lost oil pressure (engine started rattling and oil light came on). The oil level was fine. The bike has about 25k miles on it without a hiccup before this.
Is it the oil pump? What would cause this?
Thanks

 

sounds like the pump to me.

 

Yup, sounds like the pump. Could possibly have sheared a key on the pump shaft. Question, Did you change theoil lately and perhaps get the wrong filter? If the filter is too fine of a filter
( 1 micron vs 5 micron ) will cause the oil to "back up" and not reach the motor and would give the same symptom. Hope you get it figured out.

 

Thanks for the replies! No, I haven't changed the oil or filter lately; in fact, I'm probably overdue. The filter is a factory HD chrome filter, and I've used Mobile 1 15w-50 in the engine and transmission since I got the bike in 2003 with 2k miles on it. I haven't riddenit much in the last year; I’ve mostly taken it on short rides every couple of weeks to shake the cobwebs out. It had been about three weeks since I last rode it. I warmed it up for five minutes or so and had ridden about one and a half miles when I heard the engine start to rattle; I almost immediately squinted to cut the glaring sun on the instrument lights and saw the oil light on so I turned the key off and coasted to a stop.

 

I hope it ain't too serious, but it does sound like a pump. Hope you can get her back running soon.