It's definitely hard to get a consistent oil level reading, more so when draining/refilling. Each bike seems to be different, but for mine I get a consistent reading by
1. Ride until fully warmed up, at least 10 minutes
2. Let it idle for 10 sec or so
3. Wait about 3-4 minutes for the oil to settle
4. Check level with bike upright
This is most easily done when stopping for fuel. Fill the bike, go and pay, and check the oil level when you get back. I keep a bit of kitchen roll handy somewhere for wiping the dipstick.
Until I learned to trust this method, I have previously drained out around 3 litres and then refilled with a whole 4 litre can, and still had nothing on the dipstick. Of course, it all went in the airbox until I drained it out and started again.
With the above method, I have had a completely consistent reading for the last 15k miles - it drops about 5mm between oil changes. I'm happy with that.
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