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Read This Article and give your thoughts

3.1K views 20 replies 13 participants last post by  ervins  
#1 ·
#2 ·
yes very controversial.. have seen and read it before... I chose to break mine in by taking it easy, but not as easy as the factory... I was running at a top rpm of 8k from 420 to about 900 miles, then 10k @950, and hit 14k after the 1k miles.

I didnt follow factory by the book but didnt redline on the test ride! (I bought the bike used w/ 400 miles)
 
#5 ·
I am going to buy a new bike sometime soon and I think that the break-in process given by the manufacturer "experts" is only to keep you from killing yourself during your first ride. They basically tell you to get used to the bike before pushing it. Its safe but apperantly not efficient.
 
#6 ·
enytned_eci said:
I am going to buy a new bike sometime soon and I think that the break-in process given by the manufacturer "experts" is only to keep you from killing yourself during your first ride. They basically tell you to get used to the bike before pushing it. Its safe but apperantly not efficient.


Even a car needs a certain amount of break in before you can bang gears.
 
#7 ·
Ya, I've read this one. I'm inclined to believe the guy too, and many others follow his harder approach to breaking in their bikes. Personally, I am pretty much following the manufacture break-in but only b/c I intend to sell my bike in another year or so and would like to be able to say 'I went by the book on break-in'- not that there's any way they would know if I did otherwise ;)
 
#8 ·
Svetlana said:
Ya, I've read this one. I'm inclined to believe the guy too, and many others follow his harder approach to breaking in their bikes. Personally, I am pretty much following the manufacture break-in but only b/c I intend to sell my bike in another year or so and would like to be able to say 'I went by the book on break-in'- not that there's any way they would know if I did otherwise ;)
but i know you wouldnt lie ;)
 
#10 ·
I work in an engineering field...There are break in periods for many mechanical devices. My engineers who are all MEs and have their BSME all say to follow the manufacturers recommended break in...Now can you do it to the "T" is the questiuon? No. I could never do that, but I don't think I would be going insane nor would I be going granny speed in a break in either. When I bought my wife's car, I drove it normal but not my usual 80. When I get a new bike next year...I will ride it normal but not at 100mph that is for sure. I bought a new trimmer for my yards and I followed the instructions to operate and work it...Same concept really. All a matter of preference and beliefs.

As I said in the original thread when this topic came out...He should focus more on his web design skills than on break in periods. He would probably be better off getting Dreamweaver and FW...Then maybe I would be able to see some credibility.
 
#11 ·
idk what to day i mean yeah it could be true but the thing is when u buy a brand new bike most of you arent going to take the brand new sealed engine appart to look at the pistons so it is contraversial but also im problably going to use this method when i get my 07 gixxer cuz i have a road tahts 20 miles long and ill tell u guys how itwent i guess
 
#12 ·
I have a problem with this picture.

Image


the piston that he is saying that was broke in using his method looks brand new. I mean there isn't even any tarnish on the top of the piston. combustion would at least make some tarnish on the pistons.
 
#15 ·
One of my coworkers was a Polaris mechanic in a past life and he recommended always to break it in like you're going to ride it. So I did.

And I also hit 110 on the test drive for the car that I currently own, in the car I actually bought, at the urging of the salesman. :)
 
#16 ·
Well sure break it in like your going to ride it. I wouldnt suggest red-lining a brand new anything the first week or so but thats just my paranoia. At least put a couple hundred miles on it before you start riding/driving it like you stole it. :p
 
#17 ·
i am probably going to try this method for like the 20 miles that he states then at 200 miles im gonna change oil b.c it supposedly breaks it in faster well then so bee it
 
#20 ·
I did not stick to the MOM break in, but I also did not follow the recommendations on that site (which I feel are WAY over the top).
At 4500 miles, my Vulcan is burning ZERO oil between changes.
Same for my Silverado at 40k, my '03 Tundra at 125k, wife's Rav4 at 60k, '00 Echo at 70k, Yamaha WR250F at 35 hours, etc....
BTW, all of these vehicles were switched to synthetic at the first oilk change... 2k for the cages and 500 for the Vulcan, and 100 miles (4 hours) for the dirtbike.

Those recommendations are for those who want every absolute last HP out of an engine, with NO concern for engine longevity. I don't care what anyone says... he's recommending taking a brand new engine and immediately running the crap out of it, without even giving it a proper warm up.
Point being that he is completely FOS when he says that the dealer startup will ruin the break in interval, because it was started before it left the factory.
You can "properly" seat the rings at any time during the first 200 miles or so, and yes, they CAN be seated in less than 20 miles.

I go a bit easy during break in, but I'm not paranoid about RPM. I avoid lugging at all costs (which the MOM shift points are very close to lugging under some conditions), and avoid high LOADS.
I also avoid extended running at one speed. I may make the first highway run after less than 50 miles (that happened with my Tundra and Silverado), but every 5-10 miles, I'll pull off of the freeway and let it idle down for 5 minutes, then QUICKLY get back up to speed.
The point of this is to avoid extended intervals with a constant engine temperature. Since the various parts do not heat and cool at the same rates, either extended idling or extended constant speed will create hot and cool spots around the case that you want to attempt to even out.
 
#21 ·
+1,000,000...I would not go overboard in the break in but would not go to the "T" as well. It is just to hard to do that...However, breaking in anything within reason is the smart bet. That guy should break in a new package of Dreamweaver.

RichLockyer said:
I did not stick to the MOM break in, but I also did not follow the recommendations on that site (which I feel are WAY over the top).
At 4500 miles, my Vulcan is burning ZERO oil between changes.
Same for my Silverado at 40k, my '03 Tundra at 125k, wife's Rav4 at 60k, '00 Echo at 70k, Yamaha WR250F at 35 hours, etc....
BTW, all of these vehicles were switched to synthetic at the first oilk change... 2k for the cages and 500 for the Vulcan, and 100 miles (4 hours) for the dirtbike.

Those recommendations are for those who want every absolute last HP out of an engine, with NO concern for engine longevity. I don't care what anyone says... he's recommending taking a brand new engine and immediately running the crap out of it, without even giving it a proper warm up.
Point being that he is completely FOS when he says that the dealer startup will ruin the break in interval, because it was started before it left the factory.
You can "properly" seat the rings at any time during the first 200 miles or so, and yes, they CAN be seated in less than 20 miles.

I go a bit easy during break in, but I'm not paranoid about RPM. I avoid lugging at all costs (which the MOM shift points are very close to lugging under some conditions), and avoid high LOADS.
I also avoid extended running at one speed. I may make the first highway run after less than 50 miles (that happened with my Tundra and Silverado), but every 5-10 miles, I'll pull off of the freeway and let it idle down for 5 minutes, then QUICKLY get back up to speed.
The point of this is to avoid extended intervals with a constant engine temperature. Since the various parts do not heat and cool at the same rates, either extended idling or extended constant speed will create hot and cool spots around the case that you want to attempt to even out.