Motorcycle Repair: oil changes, rubber gasket, dyna jet

Question
hello mike iwas wondering if you would help me with how to change the oil on my 1200xlh sportster(2002)i had the dealer do it the first 2 times now i bought my own oil and filter and i am kind of lost also i had drag pipes put on last summerthey seem o.k is there anything else i can do to improve performance thanks Ray

Answer
To change the oil. First, start the bike and let it warm up. Shut if off and locate the drain hose. It should be under the bike. You can find it by following the oil lines from the tank. Drain the oil. remove the filter. Install the new filter. use some of the old oil and take your finger and put some on the rubber gasket. This will keep the gasket from pinching. Install the filter a little tighter than hand tight. Put int he new oil and start the bike, checking the oil light to make sure it goes off.
On the pipes. Installing drag pipes hurts the performance, not helps it. Drag pipes are designed for hight RPMs, hence the name drag pipes. You need to install a exhaust system that is less restrictive than the stock ones, like Cycle Shack brand. Also, add a hight flow air filter kit. Another thing you can do is add a Dyna-jet kit. You bike came from the factory lean and changing the exhaust and air filter will make it leaner, just like the drag pipes did. Adding a Dyna-jet kit will richen up the bike where its suppose to be. All three things you should be able to install yourself with little trouble.
Happy holidays
Mike