Admins, this is not really a tech question, so I think it belongs in General Discussion. It's the story all about how I got two new engines within a month. 
I bought my 2010 Suzuki GSXR600 brand new (0km on the odometer) 6 weeks ago, and did my best to break it in properly. I stayed in the city at low speeds, keeping the revs low, working through the gears, etc and gradually increased the speed and revs over the first 400km. Then I went on the first long ride of the season a couple of week ends ago, where I put another 500km on the bike, bringing the total to 916km. This trip was a pain because I tried riding in all possible gears, taking on/off ramps to vary the speed, etc.
When I came back I noticed the engine started leaking oil from the back side (intake side). Nothing horrible, but enough to make a small mark on my garage floor.
Took it back to the dealership I bought the bike from, and I just found out they're swapping my engine with another brand new one. I spoke with the mechanic, and there's nothing major wrong with my original engine. But the dealership itself is closing down at the end of the month and they wouldn't have time to properly rebuild my engine given how long it takes for parts to arrive from Japan. So they're swapping in a new crated motor (I have seen the crate myself) as a time saver.
I'm lucky in a way because Suzuki had an engine available in Toronto, and it doesn't have to be brought in from Japan. If that were the case, I would have been out for two months instead of two weeks.
But this got me thinking about how I should break my new engine in. I tried the manufacturer recommended method, and it failed miserably. I've also spoken with many racers and mechanics, and they all told me to just ride it normally from the very start instead of trying to protect the engine. If something is going to break, it'll break regardless of riding style. If anything, defects get exposed sooner rather than later.
So now the plan is to ride it nicely for 10km, just to make sure everything is bolted properly and I won't have a piston blow through my gas tank. Then I'll ride it normally, and I'll change the first oil at the 50-100km mark with another regular, non-synthetic oil.
I bought my 2010 Suzuki GSXR600 brand new (0km on the odometer) 6 weeks ago, and did my best to break it in properly. I stayed in the city at low speeds, keeping the revs low, working through the gears, etc and gradually increased the speed and revs over the first 400km. Then I went on the first long ride of the season a couple of week ends ago, where I put another 500km on the bike, bringing the total to 916km. This trip was a pain because I tried riding in all possible gears, taking on/off ramps to vary the speed, etc.
When I came back I noticed the engine started leaking oil from the back side (intake side). Nothing horrible, but enough to make a small mark on my garage floor.
Took it back to the dealership I bought the bike from, and I just found out they're swapping my engine with another brand new one. I spoke with the mechanic, and there's nothing major wrong with my original engine. But the dealership itself is closing down at the end of the month and they wouldn't have time to properly rebuild my engine given how long it takes for parts to arrive from Japan. So they're swapping in a new crated motor (I have seen the crate myself) as a time saver.
I'm lucky in a way because Suzuki had an engine available in Toronto, and it doesn't have to be brought in from Japan. If that were the case, I would have been out for two months instead of two weeks.
But this got me thinking about how I should break my new engine in. I tried the manufacturer recommended method, and it failed miserably. I've also spoken with many racers and mechanics, and they all told me to just ride it normally from the very start instead of trying to protect the engine. If something is going to break, it'll break regardless of riding style. If anything, defects get exposed sooner rather than later.
So now the plan is to ride it nicely for 10km, just to make sure everything is bolted properly and I won't have a piston blow through my gas tank. Then I'll ride it normally, and I'll change the first oil at the 50-100km mark with another regular, non-synthetic oil.
