[Carvedup]

I never had a vehicle, never mind motorcycle, that had such a soft break-in period. If you follow by the book it is easy to lug the engine (bad). Some say to run it hard. I'm not feeling that either. We're talking Vulcan mean streak but all Kawasaki V twins are built similar.

Do you have a high milege ride and how did you break it in?

 

[nukiaki]

you have to get on it a little bit~

 

[JacksonW]

Some reading for you.

Break In Secrets--How To Break In New Motorcycle and Car Engines For More Power

 

[yooper cruiser]

I never had a vehicle, never mind motorcycle, that had such a soft break-in period. If you follow by the book it is easy to lug the engine (bad). Some say to run it hard. I'm not feeling that either. We're talking Vulcan mean streak but all Kawasaki V twins are built similar.

Do you have a high milege ride and how did you break it in?

I broke mine in (VN 900) fairly hard.
My wife broke hers in (Honda 750 Spirit) softly as it was her first bike-though I did ride it home from the dealer (0 miles) and rode fairly hard but not real hard.
Neither bike has had any problems, neither overheats, neither uses oil.
But neither have high mileage (mine ~16,000; hers~6,000).

 

[Have-a-Kaw]

In 1982, I bought a brand new, off the showroom floor, 0 miles, 1981 Yamaha 550 Maxim. I didn't do the brake in according to MOM, but broke it in the way I was gonna ride it. The only exception was that I didn't stay at a constant speed for very long. Occasionally, I would gun it from a red light, almost to redline on the tacometer. When I took it in for the first scheduled maintenance, the mechanic told me it ran better than another one that was just brought in for the same maintenance. Then he questioned me why!
I asked him if the owner of the other bike broke it in according to MOM, and he answered "YES!" When I told him what I did, he said "That explains it!"

 

[Carvedup]

I know what to do now. Run it in..... but not too hard. Vary the speed and have some fun too. The no throttle deceleration is a good thought.

Thanks all!

 

[dgrimes]

The no throttle deceleration is a good thought.

EXACTLY!! Allowing the bike to engine brake helps seat the seals better than coming to a hard stop using the manual brakes (Front and back break)...

Two of my friends had bought the same bike awhile ago, different colors, and both actually broke it in different ways. One easy, one hard.

The easy-break in one has horrible power and response and the hard break0in one had more power through the gears and I could feel the difference in torque!.. Yes, i did ride both of them.

I would say ride it hard, but not TO hard, I would say get pretty high in the rev range between 2nd and 4th.

Also, if your getting a new bike. We all like to do it, show off to our friends, etc etc... but PLEASE, don't start your bike up and rev it up immediately as your walls won't be full lubricated and is bad for the engine.


I suggest following that link JacksonW gave it you, it has ALOT of important information for break in periods.

 

[Hot Cruiser]

I figure that the engineers who design the bikes' engines know best. I would also add to manuals' printed break-in routines that varying engine rpms, keeping within any specified limits, is good.

 

[07Ninja250]

I think the break-in procedure for the Ninja 250 errs a little too far on the side of safety, although I'm not exactly sure what they're trying to achieve / prevent with it. I prefer to meet somewhere in the middle between factory recommendations and the recommendations found in that break-in website everyone cites. That, to me, is going a little overboard and I don't see myself treating a brand new engine in that manner.

 

[jbsmd]

I followed the instruction so there is no warranty issues, and if I varied it was minimal. Doing something wrong may not show up soon, or may never show up. It's your new bike, decide how you want to treat it.

 

[ChevelleSSLS6]

the owners manual is for legal purposes. If you're a new rider on, say, a liter bike, and you break it in the 'not so easy' way, you probably aren't going to make it to the 500 mile service.

That's why they say it. It protects the manufacturer, helps keep motorcyclists safe, and stuff like that.

Look under 'engine building'
/\ from Hastings piston ring company... who else would know how to seat rings better than an OE supplier (to HD, and a lot of other companies). Their factory is located about 30 miles from where I live, so I think that's pretty cool.

 

[Chefskeeter]

i had the same delema 2 months ago when i got mine and got all the same responses that you are getting i followed the manual and varried the rpms. once in a while got on it but not much my mechanic sadi the main thing is to vary the rpms, so the rings do not make marks on the cylenders or something like that. i have no problems and i am loving this bike. hope this was helpfull

 

[RichLockyer]

Look under 'engine building'
/\ from Hastings piston ring company... who else would know how to seat rings better than an OE supplier (to HD, and a lot of other companies). Their factory is located about 30 miles from where I live, so I think that's pretty cool.

Untitled Document
That's perfect.

 

[wayno]

run in period

I work for GM as a dyno operator & our run ins vary.1..for performance testing.up to 40hrs run in,with the last 20 hrs at 3/4 throttle.2000to 6000 rpm, & auto varying.2.if its a endurance test its run in for 1 hr serviced then put onto cycle,test lasts 330hrs, most at wot,with speeds between 1200- 6700rpm.(depending on the type of engine) current 6lt v8 uses 100 litres per hour,during the test.3.if the engineer cant wait for 40hrs,we run at wot @5500rpm & set the water temp to 125C & oil temp to 140C.After this a full service & oil change then power is consistant for the rest of its life.If power varies by more than 2% it gets the flick & we get another one .Basicly just ride & dont mother it.Some of our worst tests are from dead cold to full power for three hours straight.then dismantle for inspection.All engine companies have similar tests.DONT MOTHER IT. wayno 1500 drifter

 

[ChevelleSSLS6]

I work for GM as a dyno operator & our run ins vary.1..for performance testing.up to 40hrs run in,with the last 20 hrs at 3/4 throttle.2000to 6000 rpm, & auto varying.2.if its a endurance test its run in for 1 hr serviced then put onto cycle,test lasts 330hrs, most at wot,with speeds between 1200- 6700rpm.(depending on the type of engine) current 6lt v8 uses 100 litres per hour,during the test.3.if the engineer cant wait for 40hrs,we run at wot @5500rpm & set the water temp to 125C & oil temp to 140C.After this a full service & oil change then power is consistant for the rest of its life.If power varies by more than 2% it gets the flick & we get another one .Basicly just ride & dont mother it.Some of our worst tests are from dead cold to full power for three hours straight.then dismantle for inspection.All engine companies have similar tests.DONT MOTHER IT. wayno 1500 drifter

just don't go running it hard (your MC, in the dyno lab, it's your job so do what they say) before it reaches operating temperature. Piston slap is bad. It was more important for older engines, but I like to be easy for the first 5 miles or so just to be safe. I do this for the life of the engine.

 

[V2K_CCTX]

So you do know...engines are desinged to provide x amount of horsepower for y hours. aka also know as hp hrs (same exact idea as your power meter and kwhrs) 1 hp = 3/4 kW... Now while you dont want to baby the engine during break in, you want to vary your speed and not vehicle speed but engine speed...allow the engine to work thru the range, a hard break in provides lots of power right after break in true. Engine feel stronger, but you have really loosed it up faster. Down side, your engine may not last as long over time. Remember, guys who race, rebuild there engines usually aafter every race...break it i hard, but remember life and hp hrs used. Break your engine in moderately, thru the entire rpm range, and let the engine do its thing. And the comment on decel, I always ride up in speed, like 50 mph for 5 min, 60 mph 5 min, 70 mph for 5 min, then chop the throttle and let her slow until just the point of stall, sucking all that oil up into the heads etc. Again, EVERYONE has there opinion, and for me, this has worked on every new engine, car, truck or motorcycle. Remember, the harder you ride/drive, the more hp hrs you are using on an engine designed to provide x hp for y hours!

 

[A-J]

I never had a vehicle, never mind motorcycle, that had such a soft break-in period. If you follow by the book it is easy to lug the engine (bad). QUOTE]

FWIW, every new Kawi I've ever seen has the same sticker on it, and the same break in method in the M.O.M. That means the "recommended" break in for my Ninja 650 (which can easily do freeway speed at low RPM) is the same as the break in for my Ninja 250, which at low RPM has zero power and can only hit about 40 in 6th gear following their "recommended" guidelines. I'm an ardent fan of the hard break in method.

 

[V2K_CCTX]

Dont get me wrong...I dont observe the "break in sticker" as the real purpose of that is not safety of the engine but safety of the rider. its CYA for the manufacturer in the hopes, esp with sport bikes and SQUIDs that the operator will gain more of a fell of the bike the just got!

 

[ChevelleSSLS6]

I go with what piston ring manufacturers say. They do the engineering, and the owners manual has a lot of bs in it to keep the lawyers happy and noobs from filling their pants. Don't believe me abotu MOM being all the laywer stuff, read it. Cars are the same way, 7/10ths is seat belt and don't drive over dry grass and leaves political protection. 'nuff said.

 

[V2K_CCTX]

+1