Break in question
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 232
Likes: 0
From: New Jersey
Ive broken in plenty of new bikes. I broke in alot of my bikes on the racetrack right from the showroom floor when I was racing. I would take the bike from the dealer. Get it race prepped to mandatory regulations for racing and then take it to the track. The object is to seat the rings. You run the bike hard and go through the entire gearbox and all different RPM's and get the motor nice and hot for 15 minutes. Park the bike and let it cool down. Repeat this process twice more and the bike is broken in. Obviously you aren't going to take your Harley to a track but my point is to run the bike hard. Worst thing you can do is lug a new motor.
When a motor comes off an assembly line they take it and put it on a bench. They attach all the vacuum hoses to it and all other required hoses and run it to redline. If that motor doesn't explode they take it off the bench and stuff it into a frame. That bike then goes to a showroom floor where some knucklehead from the company advises to ***** foot the bike for 1000 or so miles. Worst advice ever. They do the same thing with car/truck vehicles.
The absolute worst way to break in a bike is to take it on a highway and ride it 500-1000 miles in 6th gear at the same RPM...Moral of my 2 cents..Break the bike in hard and seat those rings
When a motor comes off an assembly line they take it and put it on a bench. They attach all the vacuum hoses to it and all other required hoses and run it to redline. If that motor doesn't explode they take it off the bench and stuff it into a frame. That bike then goes to a showroom floor where some knucklehead from the company advises to ***** foot the bike for 1000 or so miles. Worst advice ever. They do the same thing with car/truck vehicles.
The absolute worst way to break in a bike is to take it on a highway and ride it 500-1000 miles in 6th gear at the same RPM...Moral of my 2 cents..Break the bike in hard and seat those rings
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 3,504
Likes: 12
From: DOWN SOUTH
Best advice I've learned, especially with these big v-twins, is you need to "set the rings." Open that motor up and run MotoTune's new-engine break-in (30-to-60-to-30 x10 in 3rd). Find a good long/open stretch of highway on Sunday AM and break 'er in right!
http://mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
http://mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
+10!! Ride it like you are runnin from the cops!!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,488
Likes: 30
From: Maryland near DC
I beleive the "break in period" for the new bike is not for the motor so much as for the rest of the drive train as the motor is broken in at the factory, but the gear box, wheel bearings etc need to wear a little so that the races, gears in the gear box etc. get to know each other and that if there is any metal crumbs in the gear box and clutch they wash away and don't get embeded into the parts..so riding it easy for the first 1k or so is a good idea...
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,049
Likes: 5
From: IOWA
Broke in 05 ultra, 10 ultra, 11 trike this way. http://mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm never had a problem with any of the motors or drive train.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,132
Likes: 25
From: NorCal
I broke in my '10 FLHX and '11 FXDB with the Mototune method. In fact, it's what I do with all my new bikes (most often dirt bikes). Anyway, when I sold the Street Glide with 33k miles, the dealer was shocked at the compression and leak-down numbers. The compression was unusually high, and leak-down was very low. Same for my Street Bob.
The theory works. The key is to ride it hard, but don't beat on it and don't redline it.
The theory works. The key is to ride it hard, but don't beat on it and don't redline it.
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,727
Likes: 11
From: TN
Where do peeps get the idea that motors are broken in/heat cycles at the factory before it is placed in the frame. Total BS. Don't think they beat em up on the tread mill after they come off the assembly line either.
Build a race motor for the salt, half a dozen heat cycles, keep it under 4500 on the first pass, and after that WFO.
After 50 miles, 30-60-30 in 3rd (WFO) X 10 works for me.
Bwana
Build a race motor for the salt, half a dozen heat cycles, keep it under 4500 on the first pass, and after that WFO.
After 50 miles, 30-60-30 in 3rd (WFO) X 10 works for me.
Bwana
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,120
Likes: 4
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Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 232
Likes: 0
From: New Jersey
Where do peeps get the idea that motors are broken in/heat cycles at the factory before it is placed in the frame. Total BS. Don't think they beat em up on the tread mill after they come off the assembly line either. Build a race motor for the salt, half a dozen heat cycles, keep it under 4500 on the first pass, and after that WFO. After 50 miles, 30-60-30 in 3rd (WFO) X 10 works for me. Bwana
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,920
Likes: 77
From: dallas
I ride mine moderately hard but not over 4k rpm's and mostly under 3500 rpms. I stay from redline or anything abusive. Don't lug engine (ever!) and dont ride at the same rpm's for extremely long periods. Someone already said this above and I agree.
IOW, just ride normally but not like a *****.
Ferd
IOW, just ride normally but not like a *****.
Ferd