Break-in period?

[OB_Sarge]

I jumped the gun under the excitement of the new purchase in Dec., and asked some questions about break-in, also. There is information on this in your owner's manual, on reasons, and intervals, and if you check back a few pages here on .org, you'll already find some threads on this topic. Congrats on your new bike!

 

[OB_VegasDude]

follow the manual to the T...........and you will be fine...............

 

[OB_Hapo]

...some guys break them in at full throttle on the dyno...say it makes 'em faster...at the expense of some engine life...but they don't blow up...then there are some (most?) guys on the street that never break in the engine at all (hard to do on street) and this is supposed to fuk them up even worse...a well disscused topic with no clear conclusion, other than you are very unlikly to damage the engine if you don't just plain over rev it and blow it up...and to use it some if you ever expect to break it in...

 

[OB_Mikel]

I have just gotten my Hayabusa and three different sujestions from the dealer on the break in, so now I am asking the busa owners. does any body know the reason for and why the break in is needed and if so what is the proper intervals to do the break in the bike
Thanks
Mikel

 

[OB_Martinm2]

Well I'm at just over 400 miles now in break in on mine. I take the long twisty way home and on the back roads, I repeatedly run through the gears, and slow back down, also doing the same with 3rd gear roll ons. I am just following the manual, keep it under 5g for the first 500 then under 8g I think for the first 1000, but don't go easy on her. You want to continue to load and unload the engine, push it hard, but keep her revs within range.

So far so good, slowly breaking her in, with a grin of coarse.
Martin

 

[OB_DangerMouse]

Don't use synthetic until you've reached at least 4 or 5 thousand miles or the engine/gearbox will never run in properly, all Jap bikes besides R series Yamaha's do not mind a few revs whilst breaking in, just don't sit at the same revs and use the gearbox frequently, basically don't under or over rev the engine other than that ride normally. After you've done the first oil change (500ish miles) take the bike out and full throttle it up to the redline in 3rd and let it slow down again using engine breaking alone, repeat two further times, this will suck the rings out onto the bores deglazing them and is worth a few HP.

Other than that forget the manual, 90% of manufacturers run the bike against the rev limiter at stand still off the production line for 30 secs or so to verify build quality - when it has already been treated this bad why worry!?


[This message has been edited by DangerMouse (edited 17 February 2000).]

 

[OB_Stephen Horner]

for longevity you should break it in according to the manual. I have seen it done both ways however. Use crude non-synthetic oil at least til break in is over and you'll be fine. At 1k I dropped the oil for the 2nd time and put semi synthetic oil motul in....next change I will go full synthetic. I will use mobil but I am also researching amsoil and have read great reports on this wipping the other synthetics...I may try and see what happens. I drop the oil about every 1k anyhow just to keep the fluids fresh. I have about 1700 on it now...no problems at all thus far. hayabusa on.

 

[OB_Bill Koz]

The first thing I'd like to make clear is that this procedure is my option based on several different procedures that I've heard
of through the years. This procedure is for your information, do as you will with it.

The two most important things to think about is seating frictional parts (rings, bearing, etc.) and doing this in progressive
way that covers the engine's rpm range. The thing that most people don't think about is the physical properties of the
metal parts. What I mean is, all metal's properties change due to heating up and cooling down. (sort of like heat treating or
tempering) So its just as important to control the heating and cooling of the engine during the break-in as it is to
controlling the rpm for seating parts. I don't know if that makes sense, maybe the actual procedure will, here goes!

1. Always bring the engine up to operating temperature before riding. (during break-in)
2. Ride the bike varying the rpm up to 2 or 3K & down, try not to maintain a steady rpm. Do this for approx. 15min.
3. Let the engine cool to the touch.
4. Repeat 1 thru 3 until you have reached 100 miles.
5. Ride the bike varying the rpm up to 6K & down, try not to maintain a steady rpm. Do this for approx. 15min.
6. Let the engine cool to the touch.
7. Repeat steps 1, 5, & 6 until you have reached 200 miles.
8. Change oil and filter. Don't waste your money on expensive
motorcycle oil. Use Castrol GTX petroleum base automotive oil. Make sure you use the manufactures recommended viscosity.
9. Ride the bike varying the rpm up to 6K & down. When possible rev engine up to 8K in as many gears as possible (at
least once or twice in each 30min. period), try not to maintain a steady rpm. Do this for approx. 30min.
10. Let the engine cool to the touch.
11. Repeat steps 1, 9, & 10 until you have reached 500 miles. 12. Change oil and filter. Again don't waste your money on
expensive motorcycle oil. Use Castrol GTX petroleum base automotive oil. Make sure you use the manufactures recommended viscosity.
13. Ride the bike varying the rpm up to 8K & down. When possible rev engine up to redline in as many gears as possible,
try not to maintain a steady rpm. You can ride as long as want but try to let the engine cool to the touch as many times as
possible.
14. Repeat step 13 until you have reached 800 miles.
15. Change oil and filter. Again don't waste your money on expensive motorcycle oil. Now use pure synthetic base oil. (I
use Mobil 1) It doesn't have to be motorcycle oil. Make sure you use the manufactures recommended viscosity.

If the manufacture recommends not exceeding a certain rpm until so many miles change the above procedure to fall with in
their recommendations.

By changing the oil three times in 800 miles, this insures that break- in debris is removed at each rev change. This
procedure also makes sure that the engine has induced the property changes in the metal parts by heating to operating
temp. and cooling many times. (from one extreme to the other many times)

High quality automotive oils have been proven to be as good and better then exclusive motorcycle oils. Mobil 1 has been
proven to be one of the best. If you feel better using motorcycle specific oil Mobil 1 makes different types. (V twin, 2
stroke, etc.) Blended oils have been proven to be inferior to pure synthetics.

Koz