[Tubbs]

Hi just wondering what some of you mechanics recomend for engine break in?I pick up my new bike tomorrow and just wanted a heads up.

I am one who tends to follow what the manual says.However I have heard to run it a little hard on the first 20 miles or so to help seat the rings.

Anyhow care to comment on this subject?


Thankyou guys,


DD :smile:


PS-I also need to break in my brakes and tires too!!!

 

[DrBob]

There are two schools of thought: those that say to baby the motor for the first 200 miles, and those that say to run it hard for the first 20-50 miles. Both schools of thought claim to have perfect results breaking in a motor their way. Both have one thing in common: they say not to run the bike at a steady RPM and speed for the first 20-50 miles. So my personal guess is that it really doesn't matter which way you do it, as long as you don't idle in traffic or cruise at a steady speed on the interstate. I usually run up a back road to the mountains where the RPM varies greatly, and put about 300 miles on it the first day. My last new bike went 130,000+ miles, so I guess the break in worked.

 

[Tubbs]

I also heard from someone that I shouldn't ride it for more than an hour at a time.
What do you guys think of that?Does something in the engine need to cool off in order to seat or something?


DD

 

[inspiron]

The most important points are to take it through all of the rpm ranges, and change the oil after the first 1000 miles. The engine needs to get warm (not overheated), and then cool down again, but there is no timeframe that I'm aware of. If something is going to fail (due to a manufacturing problem), it will fail regardless of how you break in the engine. If you want the rings to seal properly, just make sure that the engine is run well - don't leave it idling for long periods and don't run constantly at any RPM level.

There is no reason NOT to take a new bike on a half-day ride, keeping in mind that everything is new - you have to be careful with new tires. You can't take brand new tires and expect 100% traction until you have worn off the production coatings - and that can only be done by riding them gently (and gradually increasing your lean angles) for the first couple hundred miles.