lol +1
Dealer suggests new bike break-in
- Thread starter slowbird
- Start date
Another reason why some shops will tell you this, is sort of a mental thing that'll cause you to ride with more caution/more relaxed than if they were to tell you to go right ahead and ride it like you would every other day. As much as they want to sell you something/add on to that sale someday, they don't want to see you wreck the bike right out of the lot -- it's to protect both the rider and the bike, as well as their own liability.
While I agree that the manufacturer-recommended break-in procedures are a bit conservative, I suspect that they too are partly an effort to prevent a new rider (or rider on a new bike) from getting in over their head and crashing the bike by riding beyond their immediate capabilities with it.
Think of it this way: You upgrade from a Ninja 250R, which will easily rev up to 10k without much fuss and without overpowering acceleration, to a bike like a CBR600RR or an R6, where revving to the same extent might send you careening out of control. But with the "break-in" period mentality, you'll be accelerating more cautiously and cornering less aggressively etc, which will in the end help you learn the power band and handling differences of your new vehicle.
Smart if you ask me, though really it should be common sense to at least take it easy while you learn the ins and outs.
While I agree that the manufacturer-recommended break-in procedures are a bit conservative, I suspect that they too are partly an effort to prevent a new rider (or rider on a new bike) from getting in over their head and crashing the bike by riding beyond their immediate capabilities with it.
Think of it this way: You upgrade from a Ninja 250R, which will easily rev up to 10k without much fuss and without overpowering acceleration, to a bike like a CBR600RR or an R6, where revving to the same extent might send you careening out of control. But with the "break-in" period mentality, you'll be accelerating more cautiously and cornering less aggressively etc, which will in the end help you learn the power band and handling differences of your new vehicle.
Smart if you ask me, though really it should be common sense to at least take it easy while you learn the ins and outs.
EngineerJoe
Well-known member
Whenever you get tires on your cage rotated or replaced, they tell you to come in after 300km or so to get the lug nuts re-torqued. As mentioned by boooya, "things expand, stretch, contract and vibrate". This is basic mechanics. You can't, and shouldn't, add loctite to "important" bolts.
Best bet it to follow the manual.
Older 4 cylinder bikes, even the 1st half of the 2000 years often had written in the owner's manual something like, "7,000 rpm max for 1st 1,000 kms, then 10,500 max for next 600 kms.." With a redline of say 13,000 rpm..
As motorcycle engines have evolved the break-in period has been greatly reduced as recommended by the manufacturers for street ridden bikes.
From the few that I have seen:
For example I read in a recent 1,000 cc bike's manual this:
"Help assure your motorcycle's future reliabilty and performance by paying extra attention to how you ride during the first 300 miles (500 km).
During this period, avoid full-throttle starts and rapid accereration."
That is all that is written in the break-in section. 500 km's and let it rip.
Motors typically require about 3 full heat cycles to be broken in (typical used for race engines for decades also). No full throttle and do not lug it.
As motorcycle engines have evolved the break-in period has been greatly reduced as recommended by the manufacturers for street ridden bikes.
From the few that I have seen:
For example I read in a recent 1,000 cc bike's manual this:
"Help assure your motorcycle's future reliabilty and performance by paying extra attention to how you ride during the first 300 miles (500 km).
During this period, avoid full-throttle starts and rapid accereration."
That is all that is written in the break-in section. 500 km's and let it rip.
Motors typically require about 3 full heat cycles to be broken in (typical used for race engines for decades also). No full throttle and do not lug it.
