How to run-in a new bike

[XP@]

I am looking for info on how to run in a new engine...

I have searched the site but to no avail.

So far I have seen 3 different methods, ranging from

1. The manufacturers recommended no more than x thousand revs.

2. Vary the rpm but don't redline or labour the engine - http://www.dansmc.com/engine_breakin.htm

3. Go balls out. - http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

Adv Rider discussion
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23820

A tad more Technical
http://www.ntnoa.org/enginebreakin.htm

So I guess i have answered my own question, but will still be happy to hear any views. (or see any previous discussions)

[WickedOne]

Most people will tell you different things but this is something I found online which may help you.

When I break-in a bike I try to follow a very serious order of operations & so far I have had very good success with it. My last 3 new bikes have always dynoed at the upper end of the horsepower scale when compared to the same model bikes on the same dyno.
These are the guidelines I use for all my new bikes:

Lots of heat cycles! run it & let it cool off, run it & let it cool off.

#1 rule is never maintain a steady speed during break-in. Always keep the revs going up & down. Nothing is worse on a new bike than putting miles on it at a steady rpm especially on the interstate.

For the 1st 150 miles I take it real easy never exceeding 75% of the redline(i.e if redline is 10,000 then I would not go over 7500) I take extra special care to listen for as well as feel any anomalies in the valvetrain and driveline. I am also very smooth on the throttle no jerky movements or ham fisted off & ons & I never hold the throttle at the higher rpms if I go to 7500rpm I immediately shift & bring the rpms back down.

From 150 to 250 miles I try to liven up the process by introducing brief spurts up to 90% of the redline, but once again I never stay there immediately bring the revs back down & maybe once or twice run it to the redzone & back down but don't hit the hard limiter.

250 to 600 miles It's spirited riding, but still making sure to keep the rpms fluctuating & I routinely take it up to close to redline without hitting the hard limiter.

600 miles I change the oil & inspect it thoroughly, hell I even cut open my oil filters & look LOL

600-1200 miles normal riding but still with caution & smoothness in my actions & I still try to vary my rpms on the highway even though by now that's damn near impossible cause I'm usually commuting to different rides.

After 1200 miles I flog it, wheelies & top end bursts, but I still don't hold it wide open for any real duration of time until around 1500-1700 miles.

Many RC51 Owners have commented that they have followed these instructions & their personal results were right along the results I have reported in that their bikes also produced dyno charts that were at the upper end of the scale for power output of similarly or identically equipped machines. There is no guarantee that my way works nor any scientific tests to prove it, but commonsense & the dyno results should go a long way in helping you to decide what is the best way to break your bike in properly.

A couple other notes:

Yes there are professional tuners out there that recommend that you flog the hell out of the bike right from the start to instantly seat the rings etc & yes I will admit that those bikes have in many cases produced a little more peak horsepower initially, but what everyone fails to realize is that those professional race tuners are going to end up rebuilding that motor at least once if not twice a season (sometimes more often than that) & they don't care if engine wear is accelerated or not. Most of us want a reliable good performing motor & my break-in procedures will give you that. I've been doing this for many years & living in Memphis have seen many bikes bought in the afternoon & being dragraced that evening & they always end up smoking within about 1500 miles.

The aviation industry has without a doubt the most explicit & detailed break-in procedures for internal combustion motors. The reason for this is that they MUST be reliable as an engine failure in the air has the potential to be alot more dangerous than an engine failure on the ground. Their engine break-in regimens consist of many of the exact same key elements that mine do. Heat cycles, no initial steady rpms & ever increasing rpm peaks.

One final note is that even though the engine may be broke in properly many times the transmission still takes longer. It is not uncommon for a motorcycle transmission to need 1800-2000 miles to get fully broke-in & during that time is susceptible to accelerated wear just as the motors are. You may even notice that the more miles you put on your bike the better the transmission starts to work. During break-in keep your shifts solid & smooth, use the clutch for both upshifts/downshifts & just generally be aware that all new metal parts need time to bed in properly.

[Squeak the Rat]

Depends if you are a hardcore conspiracy theorist. If so, the manufacturers recommendations are either so that you take it easy and don't hurt yourself and therefore sue (america), OR so that the bike doesn't last for 200,000km and they can sell more new bikes.

If it wasn't my bike I'd do number 2.

If it was my bike I'd do number 1, purely for concern about warranty. I've just finished this on my bike, not to the letter. ie. I didn't wait till 1600km before suddenly being able to jump from 6,000 to 12,000rpm, more of a gradual build up over time.

You can do a search on running, but you'll get heaps of threads on how to do a runner!

[Sensei]

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

[C_A]

for me, I'd listen to what i've always been told - start as you intend to continue.
don't have to thrash the nut's off it, but yuh. "ride it"
let it pull in lower rev range as well.
gotta get the stresses in there to help everything bed

[imdying]

I started off as per the manufacturers recommendation, then progressively more and more treated as I always would. By 1000kms, I considered it run in... even though the book said 1600kms to run it in.

Now having said that, the bike felt better (looser at rpms, more low rpm power) after 2000kms, so on that basis I'd say that the manufacturers 1600 was probably bang on

[Dooly]

The new bikes I've had, I just rode them normally, not thrashing, not slow, for 1000km, and after that gave it heaps and carried on as you would with a bike with any number of kms on.
All have been fine.

[suzuki21]

Start bike up, run at different revs blipping throttle till hot, let cool down COMPLETELY. Ride for 20min graduating to 3/4 throttle at about 3/4 of maximum revs - cool of again. 600k should be enough to completely run in as machining is so good now days and most bikes have moly rings.

[Motig]

I'm with you wickedone. Any one who tells you to thrash a new bike early to run it in is probably smug in the knowledge its not their bike.

[Pixie]

If you read the articles on how piston rings are seated,you will see there is consensus amoung several different commentators and that it makes sense.

Or you can make some blanket statement that they ,maliciously, want you to destroy your new bike.

I followed the "load the engine" type procedures and find that the oil stays clean right up to the next change.

The factory instructions are saying the same thing, but are simplified (and open to ambiguity),so as to not confuse the average dumb biker.

[Flyingpony]

For the first 400km followed manufactures guideline. After that, allowed the engine to periodically peak 1k above their limit. Varied the load from just above labouring to working mildly on some hills. Never gave it more then 1/2 throttle.

Don't skip oil changes and always change filter at same time.

Ran 10w/40 mineral oil until 3k clocked to help bed all parts. Then switched to semi for the next 2k and fully synth there after. Some people argue each way regarding mineral vs semi vs fully synth. Personally, my bike runs best on fully synth and recoups the extra oil cost through reduction in fuel consumption this oil generates.

Do check engine oil level periodically, but find it never changes.

[Riff Raff]

I did a thread about this last year. Here it is

[orangeback]

as per the book for first 1000km. after oil change run it in the way you would ride it, they seem to be fully run in around 2500-3000km , then on the limiter from then on till the warrinty runs out.

[thealmightytaco]

I was always told the faster you run it in the faster it'll go. Do it too slow and you'll glaze the barrel, then it'll never bed.

Something like this:

Step 1: Vary between 1/2 and 2/3rds rev range for 10 minutes, stop and let cool for half an hour.

Step 2: Vary between 2/3rds and 3/4-4/5ths rev range for 10 minutes, stop and let cool for half an hour.

Step 3: Vary between 3/4-4/5ths and full revs for 10 minutes, stop and let cool for half an hour.

Step 4: Go for a nailing. Finished.

That was the old go kart way, and that's how nsr-world recommends it for the nsr's. Might just be a 2 stroke thing but then I've also heard Ferrari do a hot oil prime and then go straight to redline, so I'm pretty sure it's universal.

[Drew]

Methods vary I find, but when your talking about a brand new four stroke bike, I have it on good authority,(a nameless mechanic at wellington motorcycles), that the run in period is more a safety thing than a mechanical requirement. By that I mean, if something has been done wrong with the putting together, they would prefer you not to be doin the red line in fourth gear when it flies to pieces.
And since it is most likely gonna happen in the first thousand odd K's, you nurse it a wee bit to be safe.