New bike breakin?
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,009
Likes: 0
From: South Jersey
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
Two things caught my eye. In the piston comparison the front piston looked like it had 100,000+ miles on it and the rear piston had no carbon even on the top! I guess they were using a new carbonless fuel on that one. And for the Heat cycles. He is calling what we do "for heat treating the parts?" This guy must be an idiot. Heat cycles are for the engine to expand and contract for component settling and gasket and seal adhesion. Nothing more. And his article is still leaning toward FRESH BUILDS. I will repeat this. All production engines are hot run "DYNO" at the factory before seeing the motorcycle. Good ones go in and the bad one get rejected. The one thing he did say is to dump the oil after 20 minutes. That can't hurt. All the break in oil that the OE used isn't the oil that they put in the bike when it was hot run. They actually put new in it with a filter. But changing it after your first ride sounds good. What ever break in you choose is of your choice. I will stick with the OE except oil change at 500 with deno and 3500 with syn and there after. I will add this, If you are firing up a FRESH BUILD use a light oil 5-30 to make sure all components get properly lubricated. Dump it and put in oil of your choice with fresh filter.
Two things caught my eye. In the piston comparison the front piston looked like it had 100,000+ miles on it and the rear piston had no carbon even on the top! I guess they were using a new carbonless fuel on that one. And for the Heat cycles. He is calling what we do "for heat treating the parts?" This guy must be an idiot. Heat cycles are for the engine to expand and contract for component settling and gasket and seal adhesion. Nothing more. And his article is still leaning toward FRESH BUILDS. I will repeat this. All production engines are hot run "DYNO" at the factory before seeing the motorcycle. Good ones go in and the bad one get rejected. The one thing he did say is to dump the oil after 20 minutes. That can't hurt. All the break in oil that the OE used isn't the oil that they put in the bike when it was hot run. They actually put new in it with a filter. But changing it after your first ride sounds good. What ever break in you choose is of your choice. I will stick with the OE except oil change at 500 with deno and 3500 with syn and there after. I will add this, If you are firing up a FRESH BUILD use a light oil 5-30 to make sure all components get properly lubricated. Dump it and put in oil of your choice with fresh filter.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 50
From: Baton Rouge, LA
My only complaint about Syn3 is that it is an average lubricant with an exorbitant pricetag. You can do much better for your money. A friend had a bag full of the stuff this AM at the HD shop and paid >$11 for it. Incredible. You can buy a 5-qt. bottle of 15w50 Mobil 1 for $22 at Wal-Mart, and it is a better oil.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 50
From: Baton Rouge, LA
I'm not a fan of Syn3, but don't know why it would cause oil usage. A friend has used it for 75k miles and has no such problems. This is the first I've heard of that problem.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 3,116
Likes: 0
From: Glendale, AZ.
I followed the owners manual which describes the break in procedures for your bike. Everyone has their own opinions about break in but why not just follow the owners manual written by the people who built the bike. That made the most sense to me and I still use HD 20W/50 Dino Oil in my bike and never have switched to synthetic oil and I live in Phoenix and don't have any problems. 
Last edited by oldfartjc; Aug 16, 2008 at 03:34 PM.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 50
From: Baton Rouge, LA
Do it yourself and use Castrol GTX 20w50 for the break-in period. It's <$3/qt. and is an excellent fossil oil for break-in. Buying HD360 is a waste of money for this. I changed at 500, 1000, and finally 2000 with synthetic--each with a filter change except 1000. At 5k I started my usual synthetic with filter changes at 5k intervals.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 50
From: Baton Rouge, LA
Take a look at this site: http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
I've never tried it, but this guy says to "Run It Hard!" According to him, this helps the rings to seal properly. Kinda makes sense, but I think I'll stick with the Moco's suggestions.
I've never tried it, but this guy says to "Run It Hard!" According to him, this helps the rings to seal properly. Kinda makes sense, but I think I'll stick with the Moco's suggestions.
I wouldn't have a problem with Minton's procedure (10x 2000-3500-rpm bursts at WOT), but I prefer a gradual break-in over at least a 2k range. Call me conservative, but I've never had an oil-burner doing it this way.
Last edited by iclick; Aug 16, 2008 at 03:36 PM.
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 361
Likes: 4
From:
Don't take delivery without a service manual (your best friend) for the year and model of bike you purchased. Plan a route for your 1st 50 miles that takes you through a lot of traffic lights. Be sprited between lights, probably will never hit 5th gear and thats ok. Your second 50 miles do the freeway thing but run it through all the gears and then get off the freeway and get right back on the freeway and run it through all the gears. Repeat on an off the freeway (sprited runs through all the gears) for 50 miles then take into the barn, read your manual and replace the 3 oils and filter with new dino (look for any matal shavings).
Run will the new dino oil for 400 miles as you would normally ride (hopefully hard) in various combinations of roads (freeway/ St/ Country roads). Change out your oil at 500 miles with new dino in all three holes and a new filter. Ride it like you stole it and at 1000 miles change you oil to any high grade syn you desire.
I might suggest Valoline 20W-50 motorcycle oil for the first two oil changes. It is high grade dino (jaso approved) and changing it at the 100 mile and 500 mile marks makes it a lot cheaper experience but with no sacrifice in quality. By the way this is the oil I always use in my primary and Moble 1 syn in both the crank and transmission (20W-50/ 75-90).
Run will the new dino oil for 400 miles as you would normally ride (hopefully hard) in various combinations of roads (freeway/ St/ Country roads). Change out your oil at 500 miles with new dino in all three holes and a new filter. Ride it like you stole it and at 1000 miles change you oil to any high grade syn you desire.
I might suggest Valoline 20W-50 motorcycle oil for the first two oil changes. It is high grade dino (jaso approved) and changing it at the 100 mile and 500 mile marks makes it a lot cheaper experience but with no sacrifice in quality. By the way this is the oil I always use in my primary and Moble 1 syn in both the crank and transmission (20W-50/ 75-90).
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,939
Likes: 3
From: TX
As soon as ya can, find a stretch of road that's pretty much open and get in 3rd gear, go 30 mph, twist the throttle OPEN 100% and accelerate to 60mph, then close the throttle to 0% and coast back down to 30mph, repeat that exercise 10 times and YOU'R DONE.
Ride is as you normally would. No 3k RPM limit is BS, simply ride it like normal ~ however that is.
I'd suggest one oil change cycle with standard oil and then consider synthetic on the following change. When you go to synthetic, get some GOOD oil, like AMSoil or RedLine. DO NOT waste your $$ on sync3.
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 345
Likes: 2
From: Southern Illinois
Well I put 172 miles on it today, kept the rpms between 2 & 3 grand, varied the speed, in town start and stop then highway run of about 5 miles to the next town then more stop and go, then probably 10 miles to the next town, never let the motor lug but didn't rev over 3 grand in any gear either. I think I can open it up to 4 grand now if I want and will be alright. Also run it up to 3 grand in third then let off till dropped back to under 2 grand a few times while riding in town.
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mtnclimber
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Aug 24, 2007 12:35 AM
