Radical break-in, ignore the manual for the first 20 miles!

[Luckyloonie]

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

On one hand, if you run the bike too easy, you run the risk of the cylinder walls glazing over and then, maybe, never seating properly. On the other hand, if you run the bike too hard, you run the risk of engine seizure.
Even if you do glaze the cylinder walls over, if your run the engine hard enough and long enough, the rings will seat. However, this may take a thousand miles, or more...

So what's a biker to do ? Well, a compromise is in order. On a straight, deserted road, put the bike in second or third gear and accelerate with wide open throttle to about one or two thousand RPM BELOW red line, then shut the throttle and coast down, in gear, to two thousand RPM or so. Do it again, about ten more times, but not too hard or you will blow a head gasket.
Then ride around for a while at an easy pace.
This seats the rings without overheating the engine.

Now go on the freeway shut the throttle off and then on again, very quickly, every three or four miles. This tends to draw more oil up on the bottom of the pistons, lubing and cooling them. On a freshly rebuilt engine, change the oil and filter at about two hundred miles and then every thousand miles thereafter. On a totally new engine, I change the oil and filter at one hundred fifty miles, three hundred miles, six hundred miles and twelve hundred miles. After that, change the oil and filter every one thousand miles.

From Dan's Motorcycle "Engine Break-in"
http://www.dansmc.com/engine_breakin.htm

[Mike]

Originally Posted by Luckyloonie

On a totally new engine, I change the oil and filter at one hundred fifty miles, three hundred miles, six hundred miles and twelve hundred miles. After that, change the oil and filter every one thousand miles.

I sprinkle a little pixie dust near the intakes every 18 miles for the first 342 miles and chant a special pixie verse under my breath. Since I've been doing this religiously for the last 22 years I've never had a mechanical problem with any engine and they all make really good power. I'll send the special verses to anyone who sends me a SSAE and $50. Like I said, I've never had an engine problem...

[kaos]

if you use the search function you will see pages upon pages of divided opinions on running in a ducati the ''right'' way.fwiw if you have put over 40,000 miles on your duc i'm all ears on how you broke her in,but the reality is few keep their ducs long enough to see the results of a good break in procedure of any form

[Lync]

You guys scare me. I'm glad your breaking in your bikes and not mine.

My dealer told two customers that they half to bring their bikes in for the first check up no matter what because the factory put in a square piston for breakin and if that don't take it out after the breakin time, the corners will burn up the cyinders. So these two customers took their bikes in. The dealer changed the oil and filters, kept the bikes for two days and charged them $240 each.

Now is that a deal or what. I can't wate to take mine in.

This is no joke, it really happened.

[Maximus-Speedicus]

Coming up to 50 000 km.. early 2 000 to 4 500 rpm wide open throttles in a highish gear... oil change at 1 200 km... earliest I could get in, picked the bike up friday arvo, racked up 850km by Sunday.. had to stop riding it because first service was tuesday week.

On a seperate note, buiult an early toyata twin cam and unknowingly used carbies set up for methanol.. glazed the bore in 200km.. rejetted it correctly, changed to Penrite running in oil and ran that for 300 km in the mountains working the engine hard, wide throttle in 4th from 2000 to 5000rpm.. over and over again.. 15 minutes cool down /normal drive that mote was still strong and smokeless after 150 000 km. Oh I would also load up the engine and drag the brakes to hinder the revving out.

Used the same theory on my VTR 250.. the bloke I sold it to had done 110 000 km on it when it got written off.. still no smoke.

Don't pussy the engine, but don't thrash it either.. just ride it 'hard'

Mal

[DrGonzo]

Ive been breaking in my 1098 the past few days and ive been trying to keep the throttle varying, declerating on the freeway then throttle up fairly quickly to about 7k rpm

Also been doing fairly hard roll ons 1st through 3rd shifting at about 7k each time. I heard the most important thing is to just keep the motor running at different speeds, dont do all freeway riding.

[Bill_Anderson]

What does the owner's manual say for break-in procedures?

[Yellow749s]

Originally Posted by Luckyloonie

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

On one hand, if you run the bike too easy, you run the risk of the cylinder walls glazing over and then, maybe, never seating properly. On the other hand, if you run the bike too hard, you run the risk of engine seizure.
Even if you do glaze the cylinder walls over, if your run the engine hard enough and long enough, the rings will seat. However, this may take a thousand miles, or more...

So what's a biker to do ? Well, a compromise is in order. On a straight, deserted road, put the bike in second or third gear and accelerate with wide open throttle to about one or two thousand RPM BELOW red line, then shut the throttle and coast down, in gear, to two thousand RPM or so. Do it again, about ten more times, but not too hard or you will blow a head gasket.
Then ride around for a while at an easy pace.
This seats the rings without overheating the engine.

Now go on the freeway shut the throttle off and then on again, very quickly, every three or four miles. This tends to draw more oil up on the bottom of the pistons, lubing and cooling them. On a freshly rebuilt engine, change the oil and filter at about two hundred miles and then every thousand miles thereafter. On a totally new engine, I change the oil and filter at one hundred fifty miles, three hundred miles, six hundred miles and twelve hundred miles. After that, change the oil and filter every one thousand miles.

From Dan's Motorcycle "Engine Break-in"
http://www.dansmc.com/engine_breakin.htm

This sounds WAY overly complicated. I highly doubt I would spend that much money on oil the way you described. Just ride the damn thing. This makes my head hurt

[beestiboy]

Actually makes me think it was written by a oil salesman.

[Lync]

I quess mine will never be broke in. I don't ride fast and I don't ride hard. I don't think I will ever use wide open throttle.

I've had my Honda since christmas 03, got over 2000 miles on it and never used wot.