Picking up my bike from the dealer in AZ!!! Need advice...

[b3nji]

Ok, now that I've got your attention...

I'm not really picking up the bike RIGHT NOW This is a thread in anticipation of the day when I do pick it up, which hopefully will be sometime this year. Although break-in topics will likely be covered, this is not intended to be another "breaking-in your S10" thread, there is already one on this forum. All I need is some advice as some of you may be in a similar situation.

Okay, now for the matter at hand. I live in a very rural and remote location. My dealer is 70 miles away with the travel route composed of 45 highway miles (75 mph speed limit), 20 miles of curvy rural roads (35-45 mph) and the last 5 miles being a dirt road. Since this is going to be my first new motorcycle (all my previous ones were bought used with several thousand miles on the counter), I'm eager to do the break-in properly. Here's my predicament, how should I pick up the S10 from the dealer? I've narrowed it down to three options.

Option 1: Pick up bike from dealer and ride it like a bat out of hell on the freeway all the way home without any stops.

Option 2: Pick up bike from dealer and ride it back, taking every freeway exit on the way to avoid sustained rpms. Freeway exits are approx. 5 miles apart.

Here's a note regarding the whole motoman vs manufacturer-recommended breaking in debate. With either of the two above methods, I don't believe freeway riding is recommended. Additionally, if I do decide to go the motoman way, I don't feel comfortable aggressively accelerating and decelarating on a trucking route with heavy traffic of 18 wheel semis all day long. So this leads me to Option 3.

Option 3: Tuck my tail between my legs, rent a u-haul motorcycle trailer and tow the bike home.

Thoughts? Other options you can think of? What would U do?

Thank you.
b3nji

 

[HoebSTer]

I have a 60 mile jaunt from where I am picking up the bike. I am going to do what I can to ride some miles, like 20 or so to break in like motorman and then change oil before riding the miles home on the slab. From there to here there are no side roads at all. It can't hurt to run it through the gears and rpm range for the first few miles.

 

[rem]

Well, I've read everything from crank it as hard as you can to limp it home in second gear. If it were me, I think I'd give it as much variation as possible. I wouldn't do any jackrabbit starts, but I wouldn't be afraid to rev it up to reasonable rpm's in all six gears.

And I would change the oil fairly soon. Just to get any leftover factory crap out of it.

I thing the variety of road you describe is perfect for a first ride. Good luck with it. RR

 

[JonnyCinco]

this is not intended to be another "breaking-in your S10" thread, there is already one on this forum.

do these questions not directly pertain to a break-in.....??????? ???

Option 1: Pick up bike from dealer and ride it like a bat out of hell on the freeway all the way home without any stops.

Option 2: Pick up bike from dealer and ride it back, taking every freeway exit on the way to avoid sustained rpms. Freeway exits are approx. 5 miles apart.

Here's a note regarding the whole motoman vs manufacturer-recommended breaking in debate. With either of the two above methods, I don't believe freeway riding is recommended. Additionally, if I do decide to go the motoman way, I don't feel comfortable aggressively accelerating and decelarating on a trucking route with heavy traffic of 18 wheel semis all day long. So this leads me to Option 3.

Option 3: Tuck my tail between my legs, rent a u-haul motorcycle trailer and tow the bike home.

that said....i am riding mine from WV to Richmond, VA

 

[Chadx]

No matter which method you choose, just get that first oil change done early. Have you considered riding it around near where the dealership off and on for a few hours then having them do an oil change? Or you could go ahead and trailer it home so you can do the break in exactly as you choose (no matter which method). In the end, though, all the manual says is avoid sustained rpm over 4,000, but you'll also want to vary the rpm as you ride. You can at least vary a little bit (use a different gear and different speed for each section of highway) without driving too erratically. Your ideal of getting of of each exit isn't a bad one. Deceleration (read: high engine vacuum) is important for break in as anything. You could always do 100 miles of around town and rural where your dealer is then head home. Or take the long way home to avoid the highway. Good excuse to put on a couple hundred miles on the way home. Just make sure you have oil and filter waiting for you at home and drain it right after you pull in the driveway.

If it were me, I'd bring a trailer, take it for an around town spin near the dealership (maybe 30 or 40 miles) then trailer it home. Do another short around town spin at home (30 or 40 miles) then do your first oil change. That gets you two heat cycles and fresh oil and filter. Then go ride those country roads where you can keep varying things (whether that is hammering on it motoman style or taking it easy on it as some folks do) until you get a couple hundred miles on it. I'm lucky because my dealer is 16 miles from my house. I'll ride it home, let it cool off a bit, go for a country road cruise, maybe stop once or twice and let it cool off a bit, then go home and do an oil change, then go out again.

 

[ptfjjj]

I would just do the motoman breakin in the dealer area and have them do an oil and filter change before you head home. Pick it up on a day off and take the time to do it right there as you pick it up and then it is done.

 

[markjenn]

I know its still winter and this has been a long wait, but aren't we being a little obsessive here? Computing miles between exits on the interstate? Devoting a day to riding around the dealership then trailering it home?

These things are garden-variety consumer vehicles, not the Space Shuttle. Go buy the bike and ride it home. Don't go 100+ all the way, but don't baby it at 50 all the way either. Change the oil when Yamaha says.

Yamaha doesn't prohibit freeway riding during break in. All they say is to not hold sustained full-throttle or RPMs over 3900. That's it. And 3900 RPM in sixth will get you nearly 80 mph. There is absolutely nothing wrong with driving a couple hundred miles on the freeway, although it's probably better if you can vary speeds a bit (which is not hard to do).

I'm going to pick mine up and embark on a 2900+ mile tour to go home. I don't plan on riding it any special way, just enjoy the ride. Life's too short.

- Mark

 

[Brntrt]

No matter which method you choose, just get that first oil change done early. Have you considered riding it around near where the dealership off and on for a few hours then having them do an oil change?

+1 I'm picking up my bike in WV, a 500 mile ride home. My plan is to ride it around the dealer the first 50 miles with lots of roll ons and engine braking(3 or 4 rides). Drop the oil and drive it home varying the rpm's and driving fairly conservative. Drop the oil and change the oil again when I get home(approx 500 miles) and again at a 1000 miles. After that i follow the recommended intervals.

 

[20valves]

These things are garden-variety consumer vehicles, not the Space Shuttle. Go buy the bike and ride it home. Don't go 100+ all the way, but don't baby it at 50 all the way either. Change the oil when Yamaha says.......I don't plan on riding it any special way, just enjoy the ride. Life's too short.

+1

 

[colorider]

These things are garden-variety consumer vehicles, not the Space Shuttle. Go buy the bike and ride it home. Don't go 100+ all the way, but don't baby it at 50 all the way either. Change the oil when Yamaha says.

I'm going to pick mine up and embark on a 2900+ mile tour to go home. I don't plan on riding it any special way, just enjoy the ride. Life's too short.

- Mark

I'm completly with Mark on this!!!!

 

[Koinz]

These things are garden-variety consumer vehicles, not the Space Shuttle. Go buy the bike and ride it home. Don't go 100+ all the way, but don't baby it at 50 all the way either. Change the oil when Yamaha says.

- Mark

I with Markjenn on this. I picked up some yamalube and I'll get 1 or 2 new oil filters when I pick up the bike.

The only thing I disagree with is the comment describing our new bikes. "garden variety?" . I guess I'll have to mount some rockets on it.

 

[Chadx]

In the end, there is probably not a huge difference in performance, mileage or longevity no matter which break in method is used. Everyone should do what makes them feel good and then you won't have to deal with the "I should have done it this way" thoughts down the road...which very well might be the most important part of break in! Ha.

 

[beemerdons]

I'm completly with Mark on this!!!!

+1, Gunny! I am riding my new Super Tenere from D & H in Cullman, Alabama down to Panama City, Florida for dinner with some friends from www.fjrforum.com Then I am riding back to D & H for its first service; right around the 600 mile mark.

Then jumping onto the Interstates for 1,800 mile ride back to Arizona; varying the speeds and letting it cool down once an hour.

 

[toompine]

Modern day bikes are much more tolerant of "alternative break in" methods. The key is NO SUSTAINED RPM. But I do believe it is WRONG TO TRAILER A BIKE THAT IS STREET LICENSED! Yes I am yelling , sorry about that. it is just that Harleys are trailered and we have adventure bikes. They should never be trailered!

 

[troll]

OUCH!!! I don't haul my Harley on a trailer :...

 

[Kevhunts]

If you trust Yamaha enough to spend your hard earned dollars on one of their motorcycles, then why not trust their engineers and simply follow the break in & maintenance guide in the owner's manual?

 

[motocephalic]

I am riding mine from the dealer as well. Trailering has no place in my life, unless the bike is disabled, even then, it better be majorly disabled. The manual says keep it under 3900 rpm for the first 600 miles. This bike is geared very tall. And I can't see that being a problem riding home. In my opinion, a bike is meant to be ridden hard, when it's used up, time to buy another.

 

[keeponriding]

Glad I have all this advice: Based on the opinions expressed, I'm going to ride my bike home on the freeway full bore, while varying the speeds and acceleration, also riding on surface streets to do lots of engine braking before getting on the freeway, while taking every freeway exit and riding around the dealership changing the oil before I leave the dealer's driveway, then again at home, then again according to the manual...then one more time while it's on the trailer going home from the dealership....

Sorry, don't mean to be a smart-a**...it's hard to follow everyone's advice....I feel like I'm watching a six handed ping-pong match with everyone serving the ball differently....I'm not that obsessive: I'll follow the owner's manual.

 

[colorider]

Sorry, don't mean to be a smart-a**...it's hard to follow everyone's advice....I feel like I'm watching a six handed ping-pong match with everyone serving the ball differently....

Just be happy you didn't ask for some opinions on either oil or tires!!!!



Good luck!!!

 

[TierHawg]

Option 4:
Ride it home like normal and keep it at or below the speed limit.

I'm going to have an 87 mile ride home from the dealership, almost all freeway. There is no way I'd trailer this bike home. I probably could try and find backroads or highways to use instead of the I5 freeway, but that would turn and 80 mile ride into 150+ mile ride home. Being as I hate riding down I5 on a bike, I may do this. Not going to even worry about the engine, other than the fact I don't plan to do high sustained RPMs.