I have two challenges... shifting down and checking the oil level

[Pterodactyl_imp]

1) If I'm at a full stop and am still in second or third gear, it is generally impossible to downshift without some clutch work and it's annoying. I don't often get into that situation, but a quick stop can find me there. Am I doing something wrong? Everyone talks about the buttery transmission, but I'm not really feeling it. Often when I am slowing, it'll get stuck in third or second while still in motion, and then I'm fishing around for a gear and tweeking the clutch and trying not to hit the guy in front of me and that ain't right.
This is a '13 with the five speed.
2) I can't see a thing in the oil window. Maybe I need new glasses, but it is so small and it is too dark to tell whether there is oil in there or not. Even leaning it way over either way reveals nothing. Must be some oil, as it hasn't eaten itself yet. I tried a flashlight, but still can't be sure of anything. Suggestions?

Thanks for listening. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Bob, run the engine until the oil is hot. Shut it down. Put the bike up on the centre stand on a level surface. Make sure the sight glass is clean by cleaning the outside of the glass and then rotating, with a flat screwdriver, the interior glass cleaning device. Using a torch (flashlight?), check the oil level while the bike is on the centre stand and the engine has been shut down for a minimum of two minutes (I think the Owners Manual gives advice on this). Ideally you should see oil, dark or light brown, up to a level between the full and refill lines. Above this you should be able to see a metallic (silver) background. Just as a check, if you can't see see the metallic background then put the bike on the side stand. This should allow the oil to drain to the left side of the sump (?). If you still can't see the metallic bit the bike may have been grossly overfilled. If you can see the metallic bit while the bike is on the side stand the oil has been overfilled, but not grossly. In either case drain some oil off. If, while the bike is on centre stand, all you can see is the metallic background then the oil needs topping up. The metallic background is very easy to see and the oil level is quite apparent if the glass is clean so you should not be in doubt as to the oil level.

Hope this helps.

Cheers.

Bob, run the engine until the oil is hot. Shut it down. Put the bike up on the centre stand on a level surface. Make sure the sight glass is clean by cleaning the outside of the glass and then rotating, with a flat screwdriver, the interior glass cleaning device. Using a torch (flashlight?), check the oil level while the bike is on the centre stand and the engine has been shut down for a minimum of two minutes (I think the Owners Manual gives advice on this). Ideally you should see oil, dark or light brown, up to a level between the full and refill lines. Above this you should be able to see a metallic (silver) background. Just as a check, if you can't see see the metallic background then put the bike on the side stand. This should allow the oil to drain to the left side of the sump (?). If you still can't see the metallic bit the bike may have been grossly overfilled. If you can see the metallic bit while the bike is on the side stand the oil has been overfilled, but not grossly. In either case drain some oil off. If, while the bike is on centre stand, all you can see is the metallic background then the oil needs topping up. The metallic background is very easy to see and the oil level is quite apparent if the glass is clean so you should not be in doubt as to the oil level.

Hope this helps.

Cheers.
In addition to the above - the internal cleaning device is a single blade wiper. Turning the wiper to the down (6 o'clock position) assists in determining the oil level.

You should see something like this:



Or maybe this:



Mmmmmm. Help me Tink!

Cheers