Breaking in a new 2017 Road Glide Special
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 203
Likes: 36
From: Eastern PA
I'm shocked, shocked I tell you, that anybody thinks the Motor Company is going to deliver to the buyer a $20,000--$30,000--$40,000 motorcycle with motor not broken in, much less including an unlimited mileage two year warranty, under the hope and prayer that the buyer will actually read the Owners Manual, and follow what it says.
Then, when the buyer fails to follow the instructions, and after the first six months the bike is smoking and using a quart of oil every 500 miles, when the dealership asks if he followed the break in instructions, assuming the dipshit will actually tell the truth. Ha.
Here are the facts:
1. After the motor is assembled at the plant, it is oiled up, and spun at high rpm. This seats and wears in the rings. The oil is changed.
2. The motor is then subjected to multiple full redline dyno pulls to insure the motor is working properly. At this point the motor is fully broken in.
3. Make no mistake, the break-in instructions in the Owners Manual are not written by engineers, they're written by attorneys. The purpose is NOT to break in the motor, the purpose is to break in the rider, who may have just purchased his first motorcycle, ever, and started with an 850 pound bagger, because somebody on the internet told him it will be fine. If the Owners Manual said: "It's all broken in, ride it like you stole it", and then the clown goes out and kills himself six blocks from the dealer's parking lot, how much do you think the family's lawsuits will cost the MoCo?
Really, it's broken in when you buy it. Warm it up and have at it.
Then, when the buyer fails to follow the instructions, and after the first six months the bike is smoking and using a quart of oil every 500 miles, when the dealership asks if he followed the break in instructions, assuming the dipshit will actually tell the truth. Ha.
Here are the facts:
1. After the motor is assembled at the plant, it is oiled up, and spun at high rpm. This seats and wears in the rings. The oil is changed.
2. The motor is then subjected to multiple full redline dyno pulls to insure the motor is working properly. At this point the motor is fully broken in.
3. Make no mistake, the break-in instructions in the Owners Manual are not written by engineers, they're written by attorneys. The purpose is NOT to break in the motor, the purpose is to break in the rider, who may have just purchased his first motorcycle, ever, and started with an 850 pound bagger, because somebody on the internet told him it will be fine. If the Owners Manual said: "It's all broken in, ride it like you stole it", and then the clown goes out and kills himself six blocks from the dealer's parking lot, how much do you think the family's lawsuits will cost the MoCo?
Really, it's broken in when you buy it. Warm it up and have at it.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 92
Likes: 18
From: Orlando
I just finished installing Stage 4 kit with a TTS 200 cam. I brike the original motor in just as the manual said. Here is a pic of one of the pistons out of the 107. They both look the same.
This is just my limited experience, but I will never break in as the manual perscribes again!
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 92
Likes: 18
From: Orlando
One final note. It should be pointed out the lawyers would never allow Harley to tell riders to break their bike in the way I did this time. Can you imagine the law suit if someone did that and was somehow involved in an incident?
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
