New Bike Break In

[Stephenfz6r]

Yabba Dabba Dooooooo......

Hi John, I believe a decent mechanic will take the time to do a good job when changing oil so I would not label all mechanics as bad oil changers. But how would you know unless you asked. I worked at GM dealer a long time ago and I attained the Grandmaster level of mechanic and had loyal clientele that brought their vehicles to me long after the warranty expired. They trusted my work and saw the extra care I took fixing their vehicles. Even small thing like filling the oil filter with oil before installing it shows an extra level of professionalism. I always heated up the engine and let oil drain out while I attended to other things on the car. I'm sure there are other mechanics who take pride in their work and follow good practices such as these.

To me the greatest risk to the engine from the suspended oil particles is at the pump when it pressurizes the crankshaft. The tolerance at the main bearings is usually 1000th of an inch compared to 3-5000th of an inch at the piston and cylinder interface. The gearbox gets secondary oiling from the largest gear or balancer picking up oil from the pan. The oil pump itself is at risk as even a small amount of wear reduces oil pressure.

There no doubt that clean oil is a good thing and if you are doing a hard break-in like racers do then keeping it extra clean certainly minimizes damage. I always noticed some amount of fine metal particles in oil whether vehicles were new or old so it always seems to be be present. I work at an airline now and we analyze oil in our ground fleet and there are parameters for how much metal is tolerable.

Anyway I think we have beat this topic to death now. Cheers:surrender:

 

[Spunky99]

Stephen,

I did talk to the service Dept at a dealer one time about oil changes when I was going to have frame sliders installed when I first bought the bike. They didn't have the sliders so no one ever touched my bike.
The frame sliders have to be installed by a Certified Mechanic because they have to remove an engine mount bolt. The guys that change the oil weren't even considered or certified as Mechanics. I asked them about the excess oil and rocking the bike and they pointed out the motorcycle stand that they use and how the motorcycle is locked onto it and can't be moved.
It's a simple matter of them not able to rock the bike and has nothing to do with skill or professionalism.
I've been working on bikes and rebuilding whole engines and transmissions on them and aircraft since 1968. I have a few tricks that I like to use that aren't done at the dealer because they can't or don't know about them. Like using silk thread between the cases of a VW engine in an aircraft to make sure there aren't any engine case oil leaks.
If I had no clue about working on my bike, I'd be confident to take it in to have it worked on by a dealer. I'm sorry if I maligned any Mechanics out there.

 

[Roaddawg]

Hi John, I believe a decent mechanic will take the time to do a good job when changing oil so I would not label all mechanics as bad oil changers. But how would you know unless you asked. I worked at GM dealer a long time ago and I attained the Grandmaster level of mechanic and had loyal clientele that brought their vehicles to me long after the warranty expired. They trusted my work and saw the extra care I took fixing their vehicles. Even small thing like filling the oil filter with oil before installing it shows an extra level of professionalism. I always heated up the engine and let oil drain out while I attended to other things on the car. I'm sure there are other mechanics who take pride in their work and follow good practices such as these.

The difference is your Canadian :canada:....you guys are a lot nicer and more honest than us Americans! At least the Canadians I've met, eh.

 

[motoneta123]

I took my bike for oil change today and i notice he filled the filter with oil befor instalation as you described. Why is it done?

 

[Stephenfz6r]

I took my bike for oil change today and i notice he filled the filter with oil befor instalation as you described. Why is it done?

During the time it takes for the oil pump to fill the oil filter, the crankshaft is starved of oil, by filling the filter, the engine has a constant supply of oil after starting the engine.

 

[jcbrown630]

Motoman break in all the way baby!!!!!:iconbeer:


http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm <--------- Smart Individual.

 

[Marthy]

Motoman break in all the way baby!!!!!:iconbeer:


Break In Secrets--How To Break In New Motorcycle and Car Engines For More Power <--------- Smart Individual.

Spot on! Great article. Acceleration/ Deceleration is the key.

 

[Spunky99]

Spot on! Great article. Acceleration/ Deceleration is the key.

"Realistically, you won't be able to do full throttle runs even in 2nd gear on most bikes without exceeding 65 mph / 104 kph. The best method is to alternate between short bursts of hard acceleration and deceleration. You don't have to go over 65 mph / 104 kph to properly load the rings. Also, make sure that you're not being followed by another bike or car when you decelerate, most drivers won't expect that you'll suddenly slow down, and we don't want
anyone to get hit from behind !!"

That is in essence the "Break it in like you stole it" Method.

Seat those rings!

 

[Marthy]

"Realistically, you won't be able to do full throttle runs even in 2nd gear on most bikes without exceeding 65 mph / 104 kph. The best method is to alternate between short bursts of hard acceleration and deceleration. You don't have to go over 65 mph / 104 kph to properly load the rings. Also, make sure that you're not being followed by another bike or car when you decelerate, most drivers won't expect that you'll suddenly slow down, and we don't want
anyone to get hit from behind !!"

That is in essence the "Break it in like you stole it" Method.

Seat those rings!

You're right. You also need to go gradually. I couldn't go hard to 10K after 25 miles like he said. I went progressively as the engine was loosing up. I can say on my cycle, after 200 miles I was able to start cranking up the rev in the double digits. Not steady, but on hard accelerations.

By the way, dyno this Saturday with a pipe duel! FZ6R vs R6 Marthy Edition. I should be able to see if I broke her up good enough too...

 

[Brock Kickass]

I rode it fairly normally, not really agressive but not scared to rev up to 9 or 10 now and then. I missed a shift once and crapped my pants, but other then that it just saw lots of variation in revs and no hard abuse. I had the dealer do the recommended first service, checked the oil when I picked it up, and then got out and hosed on it like I had been dying to do since I picked it up. Now I do my own oil changes (Yamalube) every 5000 km and it runs like a dream. It sees redline almost every time I'm out and the oil comes out a little dark but pretty good looking when I change it.

 

[ClickClick5]

Purolator and Rotella-T synth.

Rode the bike normally, changed oil at 700. Then again at 2500. Been using synth since then.

 

[rjsantana20]

Ok, I have to ask. What is the difference between Castrol/Mobile 1 any of the oils you would use on a car from the Motul, Repsol, and the advertised motorcycle oils????

 

[rjsantana20]

Never mind

 

[sm00thpapa]

Need some advice guys and galz. Got an 09 FZ6R and it only has 270 miles on it due to me being military and always away. Finally I will be with it for good this spring. It has the same oil I brought it home with in March 2009. Should I still follow the manual and change it at 600 miles or just do it now? I went to a dealer and he said even though the oil has been sitting in the crank case for 2 years it is still good since there is only 270 miles on that oil. Should I trust his word and stay with that oil till 600 miles? I do have Castrol 4t 10W-40 and a K&N oil filter availble right now. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Brock Kickass]

I'm paranoid, so I would change it now. Also, I met a Yamaha engineer and he gave me some really interesting info on oil. After what he showed me, I would never put anything but Yamalube in a Yamaha.

 

[rjsantana20]

What did he show you?

 

[Brock Kickass]

He gave me a link, just trying to find it...

 

[Brock Kickass]

Here's how it went down. A friend of my boss is an engineer for Yamaha. He was in the shop one day and I asked him about oil in my bike. He laughed and told me my boss had asked him the same thing about his 2008 Apex, and he sent this email in reply. He showed me the email and basically explained it telling me the same info that can be read. I had trouble copying the link, so I just pasted it in to the body below. It's interesting reading.

I was reading the comments over on TY this morning and noticed a thread on what oil is appropriate for use in a Yammie 4-stroke. I have spent a lot of time lately researching this subject and preparing educational material for our web-site and technical Yamalube support. Here’s an excerpt where I have tried to offer some rationale to choosing the right type of oil for any motorsports engine regardless of its base blend (mineral or synthetic). I am sure you all have an opinion on this one but I have discovered some compelling information that has led me to write this:

“Trying to find a definitive answer to the old question – ‘Who makes the best motor oil?’ – is much like listening to a political candidate’s debate, so many opinions you just don’t know what to believe.

In the good old days things were simple. Fuel contained lead with very few additional chemicals and could be depended upon to offer stable performance with long shelf life. Engine oils were also basic and all you needed to decide was what thickness or ‘viscosity’ you needed based on the season and what brand sponsored your favorite TV show.

The rising costs of gasoline in the eighties triggered a response from the auto makers in engineering cars to be more fuel efficient. ‘Land yachts’ made way for lighter weight, more aerodynamic designs powered by highly-efficient, computerized engines which demanded newer, more specialized fuels and oils. On the heels of this new technology came additional requirements, stemming from modern environmental awareness. Government regulators around the world received mandates to legislate lower tail-pipe emissions putting even greater responsibility on the shoulders of the engine makers along with the petroleum industry.

Today’s engine oils are far more specialized than they were in the past. Petroleum engineers have developed new blends and additives to increase fuel efficiency. Special friction modifiers sometimes called ‘friction reducers’ are combined with low viscosity base oil to gain greater fuel mileage in cars. It’s all about the average fuel consumption claims, highway/city in the brochures and frequency of visits to the pumps. In addition to this, car oil formulations have reduced phosphorous (a traditional wear inhibitor) to help protect the new emissions systems that use catalytic converters. Motorsports engines are designed quite differently than car motors, to meet the specific performance demands within each product group. They do not like ‘friction reduced’ oils and require additional additives to protect against wear and extreme pressures not found in most car oils.

To develop certified automobile oil, engineers need only consider the basic moving engine parts: crank-shaft, pistons, cams etc. Transmissions, clutches, torque converters and starters are all external components working outside of the engine cases. They are not a consideration when formulating a friction reducing motor oil. Not so with motorsports engines. Depending on the product, the engine oil will also have to lubricate the transmission, clutch and can impact the starter clutch, gear reduction system, Sprague clutch and other components not found in car engines.

Add to this, many motorsports engines are very high performance some running at well over 10,000 RPM for long periods of time. Others are air-cooled, producing massive torque and high temperature at very low rpm while others run in extreme, hostile environments like water, dust and salt which can accelerate corrosion and wear far beyond that of the family mini-van.

Unlike the automobile industry, motorsports (which includes motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles and recreational marine products) collectively represent only a small fragment of the internal combustion engine market. It costs the big oil companies a lot of money to develop, test and certify motor oils for different applications and the truth is; the bulk of the oil available today is not created, tested or certified for use in motorsports products. The small potential sales volume is prohibitive to development. With that said, retailers still love to sell you car oil for your Yamaha even if it could prove harmful to certain components or not deliver the best performance over the long haul. Oil is oil, its just business, right? Wrong.

These days it is more important than ever to understand the benefits of using lubricants designed specifically for your engine. Yamaha has been in the oil business for a long time being one of the first manufacturers to brand and market specialty lubricants dedicated to the specific needs of motorsports products. Yamalube will protect the internal components from premature wear, pitting and corrosion while delivering maximum engine performance through the complete power train. This comes as a result of Yamaha engineers working directly with leading petroleum industry experts in the formulation and testing of each Yamalube product using high-performance Yamaha engines in real world simulations.

Regardless of what your experience has been in the past, the new age of automotive specialization is upon us and the car oil you have grown to trust over the years could very well lead to deteriorated performance or expensive repairs in the future. You own one of the world’s finest engines, it deserves the best. Yamalube.

Tip: read the label; if it uses the words ‘friction reduced’ or ‘friction modified’ don’t put it in your Yamaha.”

I’d like to learn more about what your thoughts are on engine oils and lubes and I plan on putting together an on line survey to gather some data. I also have some information directly pertaining to our snowmobile engine requirements which I’ll share in another post.

I would like to ask your help with this one. I have a brief survey which will help us better understand a market issue. It won’t take you more than a couple of minutes. Please click here if you are a real snowmobiler.

 

[sm00thpapa]

That article is from a yamaha employee trying to sell yamaha products thats all. It's a sales pitch. Any oil labeled as motorcycle oil is good in any bike.

 

[Chucker]

That article is from a yamaha employee trying to sell yamaha products thats all. It's a sales pitch. Any oil labeled as motorcycle oil is good in any bike.

Agreed. I read "Yamalube" as "any high quality motorcycle oil". The key is the high quality.