New Bike Break In

[Mystery16]

Although there are lots of threads floating around about the first 600 mile oil change and break in maintenance, and the break in has been touched upon in various parts of different threads, I thought I'd pose the question in a new thread dedicated to new engine break in, seeing as it is something that I have some concerns with when I finally actually buy an FZ6R.

So here it is: How did you break in your bike? Of the routes I've seen and heard of, there's the

• 
  Baby it and keep the revs down under 6k
  
  Ride it normally with the revs under 8k
  
  Ride it like you stole it and change the oil after 20 miles

Any thoughts?

 

[Spunky99]

Although there are lots of threads floating around about the first 600 mile oil change and break in maintenance, and the break in has been touched upon in various parts of different threads, I thought I'd pose the question in a new thread dedicated to new engine break in, seeing as it is something that I have some concerns with when I finally actually buy an FZ6R.

So here it is: How did you break in your bike? Of the routes I've seen and heard of, there's the

• 
  Baby it and keep the revs down under 6k
  
  Ride it normally with the revs under 8k
  
  Ride it like you stole it and change the oil after 20 miles

Any thoughts?

Changed oil and filter at 86 miles and glad I did...dark and full of metal powder. Motul and K&N.
Then rode hard to 300 miles and change both oil and filter again.
Then rode hard to 600 miles and change both oil and filter again.
Then rode hard to 1200 miles and change both oil and filter again but this time with Amsoil full synthetic.

 

[firefighter57]

Changed oil and filter at 86 miles and glad I did...dark and full of metal powder. Motul and K&N.
Then rode hard to 300 miles and change both oil and filter again.
Then rode hard to 600 miles and change both oil and filter again.
Then rode hard to 1200 miles and change both oil and filter again but this time with Amsoil full synthetic.

You made of money???? Thats like over 200 bucks if you are doing it yourself (why does it always seem like I am complaining about the cost of things on here...guess it must be college draining my bank accounts :surrender: )

I rode my first 600 keeping the bike around 7k most of the time. I use it to commute most of the time and on the highway, if I am not going 75, Id get run over. I feel like if you break it in to manual specs, you either have a lot of time on your hands to drive it on local/back roads at slow speeds constantly or it will take you forever to break the thing in.

 

[dart1963]

Almost like Spunky, I changed oil and filter (purolator) at 300, 600 and 1000, then at 4k switched to synthetic and been on 4k interval since. Most of my ride is uninterrupted commute (not stop-go traffic), so I have no problems with 4k intervals.

I rode it up to about 10k from the get go a couple of times, after the bike was good and warmed up. I did not keep it there (like the manual says not to sustain those rpms), but I did run it up there through the gears. Varied my rpm, used engine breaking, etc. took on/off ramps to go through the gears, took side streets, anything to not maintain a constant rpm which does not do much to break it in.

 

[Spunky99]

You made of money???? Thats like over 200 bucks if you are doing it yourself (why does it always seem like I am complaining about the cost of things on here...guess it must be college draining my bank accounts :surrender: )


I rode my first 600 keeping the bike around 7k most of the time. I use it to commute most of the time and on the highway, if I am not going 75, Id get run over. I feel like if you break it in to manual specs, you either have a lot of time on your hands to drive it on local/back roads at slow speeds constantly or it will take you forever to break the thing in.

Not quite....

$142.00 to get to 1200 miles and that's doing it myself. If I'd have done just the 600 mile checkup at the dealer it would have been $275.00.....

The next scheduled oil change is at 4200 miles (3000 miles on the service).
That will be another $40.00 for oil and filter. This will go another 3000 miles to 7200 miles. All for under 200.00.....
And I have a bike with a clean engine that got the aluminum powder flushed out often and completely at aggressive intervals to insure a properly lubricated motor while I drove it like I stole from the beginning. A track break in is better but I am not near a track.

 

[Roaddawg]

I followed the manual to a tee...for the most part. I now run Purolator filters and Rotella full synthetic. Over 22,000 miles now with no problems....so, I must have done something right.

 

[Spunky99]

I followed the manual to a tee...for the most part. I now run Purolator filters and Rotella full synthetic. Over 22,000 miles now with no problems....so, I must have done something right.

I would love to see the difference between a perfectly executed break in according to the manual like you did and a rode it like you stole it break in like I did on a dyno with everything else being completely stock. Now that would be a test!.

 

[Roaddawg]

I would love to see the difference between a perfectly executed break in according to the manual like you did and a rode it like you stole it break in like I did on a dyno with everything else being completely stock. Now that would be a test!.

Also, to crack the cases open and examine them. That would be interesting...maybe an episode for the "Mythbusters" show?!?!

 

[Uno979]

YES! that would make an epic Mythbusters program!! Using two identical sport bikes with "proper" break in and a beat it to heck break in with random oil changes. I'd tape it

 

[Marthy]

I can't really vote on this one. All of the above will be the right answer! I milk it under 6K for the first 300 miles, then I hit the double digit at full throttle in first gear few times but still kept it under 7K on normal driving until 600 miles. After that nothing any different that what I do now for the rest of brake in period. The only thing you don't want to do is cruise at hight rpm for a long period of time on brake in period. I went straight on full synth on my first oil change with the Mobile oil filter. When I change my oil at 4000 miles everything was looking like it suppose to be. And the oil level was haven't move at all...

 

[Kspalla]

rode mine normal following the recomended variations in speed and keeping the rpms within range... changed over on the second oil change to full synthetic and haven't had any problems, oh and i rode it like its a sport bike after 1000miles!

 

[creggur]

This is my take:
Take it easy for a couple hundred miles.
Change oil.
Ride it how I'm going to ride it from now on.
@600 change oil.
@2500 change oil - switch to synthetic.
@5000 change oil - and then every 5000 thereafter with synthetic.

I'm not suggesting this method is any better than any other source - just what I do...

 

[motoneta123]

Although there are lots of threads floating around about the first 600 mile oil change and break in maintenance, and the break in has been touched upon in various parts of different threads, I thought I'd pose the question in a new thread dedicated to new engine break in, seeing as it is something that I have some concerns with when I finally actually buy an FZ6R.

So here it is: How did you break in your bike? Of the routes I've seen and heard of, there's the

Any thoughts?

Your same question was posted in the May 2010 issue of CW Magazine (Service Dptm.) The very long answer could be simplified to:
Ignore internet sources, follow break-in procedures in your OM. The people who designed and built your bike know better.

 

[Marthy]

Your same question was posted in the May 2010 issue of CW Magazine (Service Dptm.) The very long answer could be simplified to:
Ignore internet sources, follow break-in procedures in your OM. The people who designed and built your bike know better.

Sure, like we always listen too our Mom...lol

 

[Spunky99]

Your same question was posted in the May 2010 issue of CW Magazine (Service Dptm.) The very long answer could be simplified to:
Ignore internet sources, follow break-in procedures in your OM. The people who designed and built your bike know better.

If I believed that, I'd have every piece of clothing I owned dry cleaned, take no vitamin suppliments and vacillate from drinking wine every week or so as I'm told it is good for your heart and then not.

I hope you realize that the manual is a guide based on not just technical influences designed to make your bike run the best and break it in perfect. It is also a compromise to the insurance companies, oil companies and of course Politically Correct. It is also written by Marketing so you can believe what they say at your own peril.
I don't buy into your complete trust in the manual.

 

[motoneta123]

If I believed that, I'd have every piece of clothing I owned dry cleaned, take no vitamin suppliments and vacillate from drinking wine every week or so as I'm told it is good for your heart and then not.

I hope you realize that the manual is a guide based on not just technical influences designed to make your bike run the best and break it in perfect. It is also a compromise to the insurance companies, oil companies and of course Politically Correct. It is also written by Marketing so you can believe what they say at your own peril.
I don't buy into your complete trust in the manual.

But my momy told me to!!!

 

[Spunky99]

But my momy told me to!!!

LOL.....If my Mommy only knew what I was doing I'd have been grounded, jailed or shot.

 

[A1A]

I broke my bike in as directed by the owners manual. That was how I broke in all my new bikes.

 

[dart1963]

another prospective... I'm sure their are lots out there... this one has some points I took to heart:

1) It is the first few hundred miles that determine the engines life
2) Synthetic oil is not a good break in oil
3) Going too easy will cause issues.

Like I've said before... and I'll say it again... the OM does not, DOES NOT say you cannot go above a certain RPM... look it up for yourself, it simply says do not maintain the engine above certain RPMs for extended periods at different mileages during the break-in..

New Engine Break-in Procedure

 

[Spunky99]

another prospective... I'm sure their are lots out there... this one has some points I took to heart:

1) It is the first few hundred miles that determine the engines life
2) Synthetic oil is not a good break in oil
3) Going too easy will cause issues.

Like I've said before... and I'll say it again... the OM does not, DOES NOT say you cannot go above a certain RPM... look it up for yourself, it simply says do not maintain the engine above certain RPMs for extended periods at different mileages during the break-in..

New Engine Break-in Procedure

You are right....Breaking it in like you stole it has nothing to do with sustained high RPM usage. I avoided freeways and rode streets only so I wouldn't violate the OM restriction.
I also changed oil at 86 miles and I am glad I did due to the amount of powder in the oil filter and in the oil. I used Motul non-syn to break it in.

Anecdotal: I bought a Ford Courier truck brand new in the 80's and babied it during break in. It ended up running slow, had no power and blew a cylinder at 12,526 miles. 26 miles after the warranty expired.
Every other vehicle I've owned got frequent oil changes and driven under high acceleration and decelleration to seat the rings properly during break in.