I recently took two rides one being 500 miles round trip the other about 400, both were on 100°+ days. I had checked the oil before the first trip but not again until I was back from the second, to my surprise I was WELL over a quart low. I never noticed any lights come on, but then again I relocated my speedo off my engine mount so the gas tank hides some of it.

At what point will the engine light come on? And what signs will there be if It did cause damage?

Thanks

 

You still have the same amount of oil. Read up on checking oil hot and checking it cold.

 

If its showing on the dipstick when hot, you are fine.

Check your oil EVERY DAY.

Make it a habit.

 

The oil light comes on only when you have a loss of oil pressure, not when your oil level is a quart low. Of course, if you run it out of oil, you'll loose oil pressure and the light will come on.

 

To answer your question, the Oil light is for oil pressure, not oil level.

The light should be on when the engine is not running with the key on. If it is not, replace your pressure sensor. (or make sure the wire is attatched)

If it is on while the engine is running, check your level and if you have pleanty of oil, change your pressure sensor.

 

I know I screwed up this time by NOT checking my oil, im just wondering what kind of damage I may have done. I put a quart in and it still doesn't read on the dip stick so I was probably running 2 quarts low.
I know this is the most basic of maintenance but I guess I just neglected it since every other time I check its as if it didn't burn a drop.

 

Did you even read any of the posts in this thread? Did you check the oil hot or cold?

 

Cold when I checked last, but either way I was running extremely low since I've already put one quart in and it still doesn't read.

 

Any oil on the bike in places it shouldn't be?

 

Not a drop that I could see.