Did you break in your DP bike?

**Tigadee** · 25th November 2011, 20:39

I guess all bikes have a break in period [usually the first 1,000km]. With DP and dirt bikes being used for rough and tough riding, are they even given the usual gentle break in period? Or do most new owners trash their bikes from the get-go?

I ask because does that mean that a bike with 'only' 20k kms, for example, may still have problems with it if the owner has not observed the breaking in procedure?

Also, are Yamaha TW200s common in NZ? They look uber-cool (to me) and fun!

**Eddieb** · 25th November 2011, 21:50

I don't know about trail bikes but dp/adv bikes are expected to last a long time just like a road bike so the same rules apply.

**GPS MAN** · 26th November 2011, 06:46

I broke-in both my bikes per the owners manual recommendations...No problems and neither burn oil or other issues...so far anyway

**NordieBoy** · 26th November 2011, 07:14

I've only had one "new" engine on a bike (79 XR250) and broke it in "MotoMan" style.
Smooth on the power, smooth off, lots of engine braking.
Was at a fun day classic mx and could feel the engine getting stronger. After an hour, it got thrashed. NordieBro pulled the head off 6 years later and it was mint.

For breaking in, the manual is not a good thing to follow. Too gentle.

**nzspokes** · 26th November 2011, 07:29

Just put knobbys on the Scorpio. Sorted.

**Tigadee** · 26th November 2011, 10:30

Spokes -

**dino3310** · 26th November 2011, 10:51

i broke the XR in (after rebuild) according to manufacturer specs and a little more.Did oil after 40-50kms then again at 500kms then agian at 1000kms then after 1400kms and thats when i started to give it the juice. i dont treat it like a road bike in terms of servicing etc because its not a road bike. oil & filter every 1400kms as Manual specs.
i think half the problem with bikes today is there owners ignorance in asuming that every bike has a 5000km oil change like a most big bikes have, ive seen a few XRs die of symtons caused by this.
So my opinion is follow manufacturers specs, if ya thrash it from get go it will fail sooner or later.
TW Yamy is that the one with the fat tires

**buggsubique** · 26th November 2011, 13:26

I let a few others use my Africa Twin from new, I got it off them at 80k, so it was about ready to let rip then...

**Tigadee** · 26th November 2011, 13:31

Originally Posted by dino3310

TW Yamy is that the one with the fat tires

Yupe, that's the TW200, alright. There don't seem to be too many around...

**dino3310** · 26th November 2011, 19:28

i saw one at a shop on Te rapa straights a couple months ago cool looking bike, i could imagine that with a long range tank a big rack for a fish bin and a pair of rod holders

MMMmmmmm wonda if i could ram a TT600 motor in there

**warewolf** · 27th November 2011, 20:33

Originally Posted by dino3310

So my opinion is follow manufacturers specs, if ya thrash it from get go it will fail sooner or later.

Read up on Motoman break-in. Press bikes that are thrashed from new by journos are renowned for using less engine oil and pulling higher dyno figures than "customer" bikes. Modern bikes can also suffer from glazed bores, due to the same issues. You need to load the fcuker up to generate some combustion pressure occasionally!

For road bikes, a mate in the industry says 1000rpm higher, 100km sooner and 10% more throttle than the manufacturer recommends. (Not quite as aggressive as Motoman.) That's what I did for the 640A. It was quite noticeable during break-in that it ran hotter than normal, and progressively responded better, vibed less.

This can be as controversial as an oil thread.