Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Break In Question?

I'm curious, I saw oneijacks post about picking up his new bike and the comment that the dealer told him about taking it easy during break in period. I've also read Dinqua's comments on his big bore install where he used Motoman's breakin method where he suggests running it extremely hard, especially during the first 20 miles in order to wear the rings in correctly. I just wanted to know what the general concensus was out there. It's too late for my bike right now, but on my next new or rebuilt engine, I might actually try the Motoman method and see how it works firsthand!

Running them in hard does produce an engine that'll supply a little more power but the cost is that the expectancy of the engine's severely reduced.

i have bought 2 new motorcycles in my life ( the rest were all used) and broke them both in the same way. my 72 has 112000mi on her and i have never been below the heads in the engine, original rings, pistons, bearings, nothing below the heads has been touched. i will tell you the same thing the guy who sold me that bike told me, ride it like you always will, except for 500mi or so dont hold the throttle in one place to long. i ask about what speeds, he said after 100mi, whatever speed you want, just dont hold the throttle in one position to long. i said...aahhh ok?? well i did that and she held together pretty good i think. so i did the same thing to my 02 and we shall see. another one is, a friend bought a 84 firebird new, we, within a wk., took that car for a 4000mi trip. there were long streches of road that we run that car with the speedo buried, that car had over 200000mi when he sold it and it was still runnin strong???? that is what i have seen in my experience if that helps???? hahahahahahaha

i was fairly easy for the first 800 miles. i did not beat it but i did get it to s\decent rpm's and spoeed. after the oil was changed i beat the hell out of it and the bike just runs better and better. i say give it a little time to set the rings then go to town

Frank

I putted around on my just long enough to get outside of town.

Just make sure to change the oil after the break in period no matter what method you use. The break in stuff will have all the bits and pieces floating around that you'll want to eliminate.

With any car I've ever owned the oil was changed at 1,000 miles and then every 3,000 mile increment. They have all lasted a long time. We don't abuse them either.

I treated the Speedmaster like a baby until the first oil change at about 500 miles. Then I started riding with more enthusiasm until I changed the oil again around 1,200 miles. My enthusiasm has increased daily.

But I'm close to 6,000 miles and I'm still not sure where red line is.

For the first 500 miles i took it easy, then changed the oil and still took it easy but not as easy. Then after another oil change (1000 miles) from then i rode it how ever i felt. But i will add, i dont ride the Bonnie hard. I used to do that on my sport bike, now i treat the bonnie as she is designed, ie, i just cruise around on her, enjoy the scenery and smell the roses.

I was recently shopping for a new pickup and I got the same story from several dealers.

Vehicle makers claim that manufacturing processes are much better now, and that careful break-in driving isn't really an issue anymore. That goes for cars and bikes. They say that in the old days, the tolerances were looser, and the engine parts didn't fit together as well as they do today. There was more 'slap' and rubbing of high areas as parts moved against eachother. This slap caused localized areas of wear, and the surfaces needed a certain period of easy running to conform to eachother. It was almost like the final machining process took place after production and during the break-in period. Now-a-days, the part surfaces fit together much better. The initial wear period isn't as critical.

The only thing to worry about is the tiny little metal burrs left from the machining and manufacturing process. For example, the first time I pulled my plugs, I found some loose, small curls of metal near the plug hole that were left over from the hole cutting process. If I found them on the outside, there were probably a few left on the inside too. These shavings are loosened and picked up by the oil and circulated through the engine during the first few hundred miles. That's why it's important to get that oil out of the engine at the interval specified by the manufacturer.

Just my 2 cents. Hope that helps.

Cody