ok, I'm a few months away from picking up a new bike; but I have nothing else to think about except sub-zero temps and blowing snow. so... I'm picking up a new bike from a dealer 100 miles away. would the 100 mile trip ruin the break in of the engine? the owners manual simply states "dont overload the bike for the first 1000 miles". certainly I could take "country roads" vs. the interstate. I could also trailer it home - but what fun is that? so, am I obsessing about something that is not important? (like we don't do that around here.....)
is a 100 mile highway trip gonna kill my break-in?
- Thread starter tomcat27
- Start date
- Status
Take the country roads home. Use plenty of engine braking.
Too soon for highway.
If it's a brand new bike, you don't really need an extensive break in. If you ride it, I'd stop every hour or so and let the bike cool down for 10 to 30 minutes, a few heat cycles and you should be fine. The plating on the cylinder is very hard(if it's coated vs a sleeve), not much break in needed. I'd probably change the oil after that.
Watch your revs, alternate throttle, and take the backroads.
Congrats , what did you get ? If its a near a four lane ride on it a little ,get off ride little on back roads . But what about the salt , thats a problem !
Jake
Jake
Google motorcycle break in. The first 2 articles are good. It can be done though either method you chose, whether its by the book or riding it hard.
yes, the bike is brand new. yes, the cylinders are ceramic coated. I bought it last weekend. most people were at the dealer buying and picking up snowmobiles. I was the lone customer in the motorcycle section. they are storing it for free until spring - but I am excited. at first I just figured that I would trailer it home. but it would be more fun to ride - I have no problem taking the back roads and taking breaks for the heat/cool cycles.
I bought a vstar. which wasn't even on my radar. I was previously considering: sportster, fz6r, triumph america.
now I have to decide what to part with: probably my Buell will go. I also have a Radian and an Intruder. probly keep the radian and sell the intruder. I love the intruder for commuting - it has loads of torque. the radian is lots of fun at higher speed - but not alot of fun around town. the Buell? ha!
I have no doubt that I woulda loved the Triumph; and someday I want a harley - but for now its yammy time!
I bought a vstar. which wasn't even on my radar. I was previously considering: sportster, fz6r, triumph america.
now I have to decide what to part with: probably my Buell will go. I also have a Radian and an Intruder. probly keep the radian and sell the intruder. I love the intruder for commuting - it has loads of torque. the radian is lots of fun at higher speed - but not alot of fun around town. the Buell? ha!
I have no doubt that I woulda loved the Triumph; and someday I want a harley - but for now its yammy time!
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: tomcat27
I'm picking up a new bike from a dealer 100 miles away. would the 100 mile trip ruin the break in of the engine?
Don't worry... you can continue the factory break in procedure by any
route you choose... the key is high revs... you see at the factory
they have already run the engine at high rpms to help seat the rings...
they are not thrashing your engine... you're doing what your engine
requires... The purpose of high rpms is initial seating of the piston
rings to the cylinder walls. The run is conducted at full power
because that is where greatest B.M.E.P. (Brake Mean Effective
Pressure) occurs and a high B.M.E.P. is necessary for good piston ring
break-in.
How do you know if break is done??? take a compression test... if your
engine shows factory compression then break in is complete... if your
engine shows less than factory compression then more break in is
require...
I lived in Japan for 3 years and I made the pilgrimage to every Honda
factory on the Island... They would build a bike in 12 minutes then
run it to red line on the rollers like you see in my pic... it's not bike
abuse but its needed to seat the rings in accordence with the engineers and designers...
12 minutes to red line... Mamamatsu Factory...
I'm picking up a new bike from a dealer 100 miles away. would the 100 mile trip ruin the break in of the engine?
Don't worry... you can continue the factory break in procedure by any
route you choose... the key is high revs... you see at the factory
they have already run the engine at high rpms to help seat the rings...
they are not thrashing your engine... you're doing what your engine
requires... The purpose of high rpms is initial seating of the piston
rings to the cylinder walls. The run is conducted at full power
because that is where greatest B.M.E.P. (Brake Mean Effective
Pressure) occurs and a high B.M.E.P. is necessary for good piston ring
break-in.
How do you know if break is done??? take a compression test... if your
engine shows factory compression then break in is complete... if your
engine shows less than factory compression then more break in is
require...
I lived in Japan for 3 years and I made the pilgrimage to every Honda
factory on the Island... They would build a bike in 12 minutes then
run it to red line on the rollers like you see in my pic... it's not bike
abuse but its needed to seat the rings in accordence with the engineers and designers...
12 minutes to red line... Mamamatsu Factory...
Last edited:
thanks all!
That bike looks like a CX500
Dave
Dave
^ Yeah
I don't think it's exactly the most up to date clip! But I don't doubt they still do it the same way these days.
Drive normal the first 3000 miles.
I was instructed my my manual and dealer to NOT rev my engine above 4,000 RPM during the break in period. That is on an engine with an 8,000 RPM redline.
So high revs are NOT always prescribed, especially on a cruiser.
So high revs are NOT always prescribed, especially on a cruiser.
Last edited:
I bought a new 2008 Suzuki DL1000 from a dealership 60 miles away. They got the bike from a dealer 3 hours away and I was there while they uncrated and assembled it and told the young tech when they had finished with it to test ride it like he stole it. He put on his leathers and left the dealership and had it screaming before he got out of sight. When he got back 15 minutes later the brake rotors were smoking and he was smiling from ear to ear, I gave him a fist bump and rode it the 60 miles home about the same way. I beat the wife home by 10 minutes and she was none too happy! I never had a problem with that bike and it ran like new when I sold it 3 years later. They're are a couple trains of thought on breaking in a new motorcycle engine and I chose the hard way after doing a lot of googling. YMMV.
How many other bikes leave the showroom and hit the Fwy? They all do fine.
If you do decide to use 'ride-it-like-you-stole-it' break-in method,
just make sure the engine/oil/coolant are all up to operating temps before you do it.
just make sure the engine/oil/coolant are all up to operating temps before you do it.
Here's an example of an aggressive break-in. The yellow 'Busa with 351 miles.
- Status
Similar threads
