What causes oil to look foamy?

[hoodlum]

i just changed the oil (M1 20/50 syn) and installed a jagg 10-row oil cooler.   i was going through the final steps for oil cooler install and getting the bike up to op. temp. (i just ran it in the garage for about 7 min.) and went to check the oil level about 10 min. later and it a lot of tiny air bubbles in it at the very top of the dipstick.  is it just cuz i haven't really ran it yet or did i not get it up to op. temp?
tia

[V24me]

If the foamy oil looks like a milk shake it can be water in the oil, but in your case, I think the air in the new oil cooler got churned up causing bubbles.  Give it a few miles and it should go back to the normal few bubbles on the top of the dipstick.

[KingofCubes]

Have you done any performance upgrades? Anything to make the bike rev faster?

[Faast Ed]

went to check the oil level about 10 min. later and it a lot of tiny air bubbles in it at the very top of the dipstick.

You didn't say what kind of bike you have.
My Softail does this regularly and it is nothing to worry about, if the bubbles are only on the surface as mine were.
I proved it by doing an immediate drain once and all the oil was solid but the surface.
On the softail the return line aim's right at the back of the tank which causes it to splash hard against it.
I have no clue what the guys are experiencing on the other models.

Got a Softail by any chance?

[dakota224]

Have you been using Amsoil

[hoodlum]

If the foamy oil looks like a milk shake it can be water in the oil, but in your case, I think the air in the new oil cooler got churned up causing bubbles.  Give it a few miles and it should go back to the normal few bubbles on the top of the dipstick.

I believe that this is exactly what it was.............i rode to work today - about 30 miles - and checked the oil after the bike cooled down and all was well. 

fyi, it's an '05 flht, 50k, 95 ci, 37G, 82cc heads, supertrapp,etc.............