Touring Models Road King, Road King Custom, Road King Classic, Road Glide, Street Glide, Electra Glide, Electra Glide Classic, and Electra Glide Ultra Classic bikes.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

break in

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Apr 3, 2007 | 10:24 PM
  #1  
Oden's Avatar
Oden
Thread Starter
|
6th Gear
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Default break in

Hi all.....I am picking up my new 07 EG Classic in a couple of weeks. I know that the dealer will have this info but I thought I would ask here.
My dealer is about two highway hours away.
What speed restrictions am I going to have for the break in period on the ride home.
I could take back roads and go slow, but it is still spring and we are still just around freezing every day...I would rather get on the
hiway and let her roll.
 
Reply
Old Apr 3, 2007 | 10:30 PM
  #2  
glide's Avatar
glide
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,281
Likes: 8
From:
Default RE: break in

Find a road where there is no traffic and get it up to third gear. Accel from 30-60 using a substantial amount of throttle and coast back down to 30 again . Do this 10 times and your rings are seated. Keep speed to a reasonable limit and vary it on the parkways with no lugging and no high RPM's. Then enjoy it.
 
Reply
Old Apr 3, 2007 | 11:53 PM
  #3  
Dave_E's Avatar
Dave_E
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,407
Likes: 3
From: Stanwood, WA
Default RE: break in

DO NOT get up on the highway and "just let her role"!!! Short of sounding like an *******, do not follow anyones "tried and true" methods. Read your owners manual and do what it says. Even be suspect of the salesman who might give you something wrong.

READ the owners manual BEFORE you leave, then you decide. My only input is this: riding home for 2 hours on the highway at a steady drone will be the absolute worst thing you could do to your new motor.
 
Reply
Old Apr 4, 2007 | 12:02 AM
  #4  
voodoodrug's Avatar
voodoodrug
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,236
Likes: 95
From: lancaster, pa
Default RE: break in

I just took it easy on it and tried to not sit at any speed too long. no biggie. Dealer is a few miles away,but others that I know that have done that(hours/hyway) just tried to do the same but on the highway.There bikes run good years later. so ?
 
Reply
Old Apr 4, 2007 | 02:33 AM
  #5  
LowriderFXRS's Avatar
LowriderFXRS
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,025
Likes: 2
From:
Default RE: break in

I broke inmy new '91 FXRS pretty easy for the first 500 miles. I now have 90,000 on it and it uses ZERO oil and runs like a top. I'm breaking in my new '07 FLHTC the same way. Why mess with success?
 
Reply
Old Apr 4, 2007 | 02:39 AM
  #6  
Eyespy's Avatar
Eyespy
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,423
Likes: 0
From: Southern California High Desert, here and there....
Default RE: break in

When it's convenient, I'll throw the bike on the dyno and break it in with a few strong dyno pulls and decells.
 
Reply
Old Apr 4, 2007 | 02:49 AM
  #7  
StreetGlider56's Avatar
StreetGlider56
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,571
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
Default RE: break in

Rode my SG kinda easy for the first 500, mostly highway work and back... with quite a few throttle rolls..
Do a search, there are a lot of suggestions from top notch people on the forum...

I personally think if it's under warranty, Ride it like you stole it... but that's JMO...

If it's your first Harley-Davidson, you just gonna want to cruise.. and that never wears off...
 
Reply
Old Apr 4, 2007 | 10:15 AM
  #8  
skratch's Avatar
skratch
Seasoned HDF Member
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,616
Likes: 4,440
From: anacoco, la
Default RE: break in

from the manual:

hd owners manual1st 50 miles: keep engine speed below 4000 rpm. do not lug the engine by running or accelerating at very low rpm.

up to 500 miles: vary engine speed and avoid operating at steady engine speed for long periods. rpm up to 5000 is ok.

avoid fast starts at wot until engine is warm

avoid lugging the engine
pretty much after 50 miles you can just ride. just vary the engine speed. as long as you're not bouncing off the rev limiter, you should be fine. if you check another thread, you'll see that people are running 75 mph with rpm between 2500 and 3000. so you don't have to feel that you're gonna be a sitting duck on the road.
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

10 Most Awkward-Looking Motorcycles Ever Built

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

Jason Momoa Is Turning Classic Harleys Into PHEVs

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Becomes a Dark, Decepticon-Inspired Custom

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

6 Weirdest Harley-Davidsons Ever Sold to the Public

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-7

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-8

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Apr 4, 2007 | 10:55 AM
  #9  
Chicago Spike's Avatar
Chicago Spike
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,738
Likes: 7
From: St. Charles, IL
Default RE: break in

You don't have to baby engines anymore. The factory didn;t so why should we. If you take the highway, vary your speeds and do a lot of power roll ons by slowing down to a safe speed if traffic allows, say 55mph, then drop it into 4th and twist your wrist hard and speed up again. Have some fun with the throttle on the way home, try not to stay at the same rpms and gear. This is the way to break in any engine;
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
 
Reply
Old Apr 4, 2007 | 11:23 AM
  #10  
Guilty's Avatar
Guilty
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,417
Likes: 0
From: Salem, OR
Default RE: break in

ORIGINAL: skratch

from the manual:

hd owners manual1st 50 miles: keep engine speed below 4000 rpm. do not lug the engine by running or accelerating at very low rpm.

up to 500 miles: vary engine speed and avoid operating at steady engine speed for long periods. rpm up to 5000 is ok.

avoid fast starts at wot until engine is warm

avoid lugging the engine
pretty much after 50 miles you can just ride. just vary the engine speed. as long as you're not bouncing off the rev limiter, you should be fine. if you check another thread, you'll see that people are running 75 mph with rpm between 2500 and 3000. so you don't have to feel that you're gonna be a sitting duck on the road.
skratch is giving good advice.
Following the users manual is how I break in my new bikes too. Resist the temptation to just hop on the highway and let her roll. Take your time and enjoy your first ride.
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:54 AM.

story-0
10 Most Awkward-Looking Motorcycles Ever Built

Slideshow: Not every motorcycle can be a design icon, and these machines prove that bold styling doesn't always age gracefully.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-12 11:58:41


VIEW MORE
story-1
Jason Momoa Is Turning Classic Harleys Into PHEVs

Slideshow: Jason Momoa's latest restoration project blends 1920s Harley-Davidsons with modern electric technology, creating some of the most unusual hybrid motorcycles ever built.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-10 17:18:58


VIEW MORE
story-2
Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Becomes a Dark, Decepticon-Inspired Custom

Slideshow: Killer Custom's latest build relies on styling changes rather than performance upgrades, giving the cruiser an entirely different personality.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-03 18:28:05


VIEW MORE
story-3
6 Weirdest Harley-Davidsons Ever Sold to the Public

Slideshow: From military-inspired singles to scooters and three-wheel utility vehicles, these Harleys took the company far outside its comfort zone.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-02 18:34:10


VIEW MORE
story-4
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-5
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-6
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-8
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-9
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE