oil low after 300 mile trip

This weekend I took my bike for a 300 mile round trip, and aside from almost running out of gas once the bike ran perfectly. But one thing I am concerned about is the use/consumption of oil on the trip.. I started out with clean oil showing in the middle of the sight glass before I left. My destination was 150 miles away, with large mountain passes in between... The bike didn't run funny at all, and the oil light never came on, but when I got there the sight glass had no oil showing!!! My heart skipped a beat-- I got a ride to the parts store, got a quart of oil asap and poured some in.. It was about a 1/2 a quart left in the bottle when oil was midway in the sight glass.. I drove it back the next day (when I almost ran out of gas) and noticed about 40 miles from home there was just a tiny bit of oil left in the sight glass... I also noticed a tiny bit of oil residue on the manifold, down from the #3 carb... Any ideas on what's going on? Gonna do an oil change today..

 

what bike are you talking about? the xj 700 in your photo? would you put that in your signiture line
check your valve cover for leakage. check at the tach cable for leakage at the motor if your tach is mechanical.. could be the oil filter cover, could be the oil sensor seal, did you look under the bike for oil on pan and frame
oil above or below carb 3 this could be head gasket
can you post pic of the spot

 

Ok I'm kind of embarrased...

I took a closer look at the darkened area around the manifold and realized that it was brake dust from going down the mountains lol... I could rub my finger on it and dry, spongy residue came off.. The oil filter and drain plug area look wet but no leaks at all..............

The funny thing is-- now the oil level in the sight glass is set in the middle again, and I didn't touch it since yesterday when I added oil on my return trip.. When I looked on my way home yesterday the sight glass was super low, but the bike had been only been shut off for a few minutes... It sat all night and I just now checked it-- the oil looks dirty but not low....

 

just to be clear oil is checked with bike on center stand.

it could be exhaust carbon as well when my exhaust got loose the carbon built up on the side fins of the head.

just a few drips will equal half a quart quickly you have to keep bike running when you look for the oil to drip

it takes a while for the oil to settle into the sight glass when engine is shut off or when placed on the centerstand.
i add the spec amount of oil when doing a change and then add 2 oz to make noise go away and fills sight glass to top of line leaving an air bubble

just keep an eye on it, hopefully it is a leak and you are not burning oil

next time you have the filter cover off get it real clean with degreaser so you can tell if it it leaking . there is a replacable o ring on that bolt

you could clean it on the bike and then buff it with a small fine brass brush that will fit in a drill

 

What he said^^^
You have to set the bike in the center stand, level ground, engine off, for five minutes before you'll have an accurate reading on the oil level.

 

I want to add that when you change your oil the next time you should test the oil level sensor. with oil drained it should have continuity which would activate the lite. do you see the oil light come on when you first start bike?

gas station pads are a good place to check oil. center stand it fill tank go pay ( i still have a pay after pump station I go to) and check the oil every time

 

K-moe and XJ550H,

The bike was on level-ish ground, but the gas station idea sounds like the best bet. When I noticed the oil low at first I started the bike and looked for the oil light to come on, which it did.. Ill make sure to check the oil light when I actually do change it though.. I was kinda busy today but Ill double check the residue on the manifold--

 

Also--

Thank you very much guys for helping me out, I trully do appreciate the info!!!

 

the oil light will come on with the switch not working when you press starter button.
it should also come on with oil drained and key on
you can put a few ounces of seafoam (it will degunk the switch) into the oil if switch is stuck in an open state
when my bike went 1/2 quart low light came on while riding. but they are different bikes

 

When you top it off, set the oil level to just at the upper mark. That will make it easier to tell how fast the level is dropping (if any).