How do you break in a new Harley?

 

Ask 10 people and you'll get 10 different answers. I always just get on mine and ride it like it had 10k on it. Don't 'baby' it and don't abuse it - just ride it.

JMHO, RR

 

Ive always broke in all my bikes, harley included, the same way. Ride normal, no redline, easy acceleration, ect...for the 1st 500. Change oil and make sure to use regular oil on that change. Then ride the **** out of it. At 1000 miles go have the 1st service. At this point you can run synthetic if you want. Ive broken in all 20 something of my bikes this way and never had an issue.

 

I hope your right. I did the exact same thing on my Low Rider. Oh well its to late now. I have read numerous posts and articles on the subject and everyone has a diffrent opinion. I would take the common sense approach easy at the beginning untill the 500 -1000.

 

RIDE IT LIKE IT YOU STOLE IT! thats what i did but make sure you do that 1000k service. Like everyone else said i heard a million different ways to "break" them in. In the first thousand i had on it, it was down the track a few times just to see what it could do

 

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

 

VERY interesting!!![sm=confused06.gif]

 

I always took it reasonably slow during the first 50 or so miles then starting riding it like I would ride it normally. Not running the dog chit out of it but definitely getting on it and winding out the gears a little more.

It think the worse thing you can do is bog it down in to high a gear -keep the R's up a little.
I also agree that an oil change sooner rather than later is in order and if you break it in slow, it will be slow in the end.

Thats my method & it's worked for me.

 

Good read Ridewva.....I only put 60 miles on her the 1st day. She's been in storage since. I remember the service guy when I took delivery saying, ride it nice for 50 miles and then hammer the shiiiiiit out of it. On a nice long straight with no intersections or popo I cranked out 110. He did say to make sure I didn't bog her down, though ~ that seems to be the big no no.

 

The day I bought my lowrider in 03 I just drove it home all highway and twisties straight from the dealer which is about 130 miles from home.I never redlined it or took it over 50 MPH