Ponderings on break in: Don't be hatin' !!

[eemsreno]

The key to me is variety. My .02$ O

TNWalker That's worth more than .02$ That was the.99$ version.

 

[pqsqac]

Out of the seven bikes I have owned only one was brand new so that was the only bike I broke in but I just got on it and rode it like normal. Varied my rpm and never had any issues. Bike is still going strong at 18,000 miles.

 

[ptfjjj]

Read Mark's post on the calsci link in my earlier post, he's pretty much in agreement with much of what's posted here about a variety of rpm usage and no droning. He is an engineer and you can see by reading that he has developed his technique by doing extensive analysis on numerous new bike break ins that he has performed.

At about 50 miles, he recommends an oil and filter change to clear out all of the shavings from initial break- in. Quote:

At this point, the bulk of your break-in is done. Your rings are substantially seated, your cylinder walls are scrubbed in, and your transmission gears have shed the bulk of their machining flaws. You can ride your bike now like it's broken in, except I recommend you try to avoid lugging the engine or running at a constant speed on the freeway for long times until after your next oil change.

He recommends another oil and filter change at 500 - 800 miles to clear out any extra metal shavings that remain along with a shaft drive oil change.

He adds one more oil and filter change at 2500 - 3000, and then on to a regular change interval depending on type of oil used.

 

[Venture]

That is the best oil ever made.

That's what Triumph recommends for their engines. The 15w-50 4T racing oil. I bought some 10w-40 4T recently since they also say you can run 10W-40 instead of 15W-50.

What makes the 15W-50 the "best oil ever made"?

 

[eemsreno]

It is M1 that is the best not the wieght

 

[hANNAbONE]

justa little levity for any nay-sayers on riding the new bike harder than OEM "requirements"...

Every one of these new bikes are dyno'd - revved slowly and then hard up to red-line before they roll off the assembly line.

These bikes aren't "warmed up" or massaged any differently each and every time.

So when you get your new scoot, with -0- miles on her...it's already been whacked thru the gears and up to red-line by a controlled dyno & certified tech.

CalSci has it by the short hairs, for my money...your bike will return a ton more smiles than babying it for up to 1000 mile break-in.

I affectionately did a H U G E disservice to my then new '03 BMW K12RSA by "doing it by the book". I've never looked back since that debacle. Never again.

 

[markjenn]

I used to do a 100-mile oil change, but no longer. While it certainly can't hurt, I think 600 miles is already EXTREMELY conservative for an initial oil change. Many cars these days have recommendations to go to 15K+ on the original oil, so I don't view 600 as pressing at all. And when you change oil, you're mostly addressing viscosity breakdown with the VI package and dissolved fuel and other contaminants in solution, not solid particles in the oil - catching these is the filter's job. And there is no way you're going to load a filter to capacity in 600 miles, even with break-in wear particles.

OTOH, if it makes you sleep better at night, go for it. But I do think it is pretty ridiculous how riders obsess over maintenance for the first year, then gradually let things slide to neglect later. My recommendation is to save some of this obsessive worry from the first year and spend it on the bike later when it really needs attention.

- Mark

 

[markjenn]

Every one of these new bikes are dyno'd - revved slowly and then hard up to red-line before they roll off the assembly line.

I don't know if this is universally true. I've seen programs showing vehicle assembly in which the engines are driven to high RPM without fuel to check for proper compression and mechanical assembly (basically checking to see if the engine is a good air pump), but not fueled as this would require de-fueling before shipment. It probably varies by the mfg.

And if bike does have a real dyno run, it is done under perfect cooling conditions and briefly. Just because an engine is briefly run to verify proper operation does not necessarily mean that this engine is ready to make continuous full power for an extended period under normal/varying operating conditions which might include very hot weather and heavy loads. I don't think any mass-market motorcyde built today receives a routine dyno break-in.

Again, as I said before, I don't think the RPM limits are there because high RPM is bad - they're there to avoid prolonged, high-power operation of the motor. Mfgs would much prefer to say in their owner's manual, "Avoid continuous operation of the motor at more than 50% power for the first 100 miles, 60% during the next 100...." but motorcycles don't have percent power meters and "continuous" is ambigious. So they revert to putting hard-coded RPM limits in which are unambigious but a poor tool for the job.

BTW, on my S1000RR, BMW decided at the last minute to put a 600-mile, 9K redline, break-in rev limiter (62% of actual redline) on the bike that had to be retrofitted at the dealerships before delivery. This was not a cheap thing to do, so I think they had a reason and confirms to me that this break-in thing is not entirely groundless and that at least one mfg feels it fairly important that you not "ride it like you stole it" for the first 600 miles.

- Mark

 

[MortiisMachine]

For me I'll just be following the Yamaha guidelines, when I have had new bikes before (this will be my 4th new ride) I have always just followed the guidelines, never encountered any issues so it's good enough for me.