Lets talk about break in methodology.

[Crawdaddy 96]

Interested in your thoughts on the subject.

[Spaugh 1]

Interested in your thoughts on the subject.

i would say don't over think it. maybe don't go take it out to glamis or something the first day otherwise just doing normal trail riding is fine.

[Leoffensive 0]

i did an easy break in and it think it attributed to my motor issues on my drz. about to get my bike back and will be doing hard engine break in.

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

theres a lot of videos and links on the topic.

[Slaugo 35]

Well they give you a min mileage duration. Vary the throttle and don't redline during the breakin period.

Dont do full race excellerartions or high spped runs. Each bikes breakin period is different. And I change the oil two to three times as often. Which is crucial for shavings.

Then take it to Glamis

Then again some people go real easy on the bike during the duration which is what I was told in the early eighties with my first new bike.

Lots of opinions on How to do it.

Glamis is a great place to break in a CRF450R for example, it's got like a 10-20 mile breaking. Or a day or less of easy riding. Theory is some motors don't like to be babied during this time. So just cruise down the sand highway to Gordon's and its broke. In basically on your way back I'd change the oil frequently on all bike during the break in and then after. Then again.

If the bike was honed and built correctly whether new or at home it should be good to go in short order.

My KLR had o my a 600 mile period and they told me not to baby it, but I did the above as always. And then of course I took it to Glamis and it was flawlis.

[bikeslut 1]

I think trail riding is a great way to break in an engine: not redlining for the most part, not keeping it at solid revs for any length of time, plenty of accelerating/engine braking, etc.

and obviously, change oil frequently

[Bagstr 288]

" just doing normal trail riding is fine."

Personally, I'd keep that V-Strom off the Trails. Unless you want to Break It.

Yeah, vary the throttle, no hard work for a few hundred.

[danrider 5]

i have always been told by Ron Bishop and other top notch wrenches, that vary your speed and take it easy for the first 1000 miles, and use conventional oil for the first two oil changes so the piston rings can seat, then start using the good stuff. I have followed that rule and it has worked on all of my new bikes that I have bought over the years. BMW Motorrad suggested the same for my new R1200 until I have 6,000 miles on it. By no means am I a expert on this, but I listen to them and it has worked for me.

[Guest Crusty]

I use the heat cycle method.

Vary the throttle, no red line let it get fully warm, then I stop and let it fully cool, 5 times.

Then I change the oil.

After that I ride it like PastaPilot, borrowed it from RogerTowm.

[HVYWT 3]

New bikes have oil break in oil that does not have the lubrication as replacement oil, to allow (break in).

Also short mileage change for crap from building, gasket material,metal shavings,sealers, ect...

[recycled 0]

I'll start by saying that if you count the number of posts in this thread, there will be that many recommended methods of breaking-in an engine :laughingsmiley:/>/>

I think the old school break-in methods are no longer necessary since the engine building technology has advanced so much over the last 10-15 years. Biggest thing is the oil type used for break-in and ring seating. When we do running in on big engines(250 to 30,000HP fixed speed/variable load) and compressors at work, we use mineral based oils or petroleum based. Stay away from the synthetics or synthetic blends for the first 40-50 hours or so as it can result in glazing of the cylinders and rings and excessive blow-by. Vary engine loading without over-rev. The breaking-in "hard" can still be accomplished without high revs. Think "maximizing the torque curve". Short shifting and moderate lugging of the engine results in a nice increase in firing pressures and temperatures without the high revs. To do break-in on large engines, we do heat and load cycles. 10% for x number of hours, followed by idle for .25x hours, then up to 25% & 40% with the same rest periods, then we run 2x hours at 60%, and ramp up to 80%,90%, 95%, & 100% each for 2 hours with no reduction and finally 105%MCR until all temps and pressures are steady. We use lots of instrumentation so that we can monitor all parameters such as fuel flow rates, exhaust temps, intake temps, firing pressure, etc all in real time.

Motorcycles obviously are different, but I believe much of this method can carry over. I've done similar break-ins on my previous bikes and never had any problems develop from "improper break-in". Last one was an 09 DRZ-SM.

[2Wheels 0]

If I were a manufacturer, I know it'd be too easy to blame me for crashes if I told people to use high power settings during break in. If you tell people not to open the throttle more than half way during the break in period, you see less crashes, and the engine still works pretty well after break in.

If you do a search for Lycoming (airplane) engine break in, you'll find that the manufacturer tells you to run the engine at higher power settings and vary the RPMs to seat the rings during the break-in period.

* Lycoming airplane engines have lower compression ratios than motorcycle engines.

[bikeslut 1]

" just doing normal trail riding is fine."

Personally, I'd keep that V-Strom off the Trails. Unless you want to Break It.

Yeah, vary the throttle, no hard work for a few hundred.

I forgot he was specifically talking about a V strom, but I stand by the "methodology" I mentioned.

No redlining, load cycles, engine braking, short durations, no steady throttle

It seems like the majority agree with that too...yeah- the v strom is no trail bike

[Crawdaddy 96]

Thanks for all the inputs