OT: How do you guys break in a new motorcycle(or car for that matter!)

[Jeffrey Day]

I'm thinkin about gettin a new SV1000S and I was wondering how everyone here would break in a new motor. Would follow the manufacturer guidelines and go easy on it for the first 600-1000 miles. Or would you hammer it/ride it hard during the break in period? Or somewhere in the middle: ride it pretty much the way you would ride it after the break in period?

Happy trails!

[trailertrash]

and plenty of em!

[Jack M]

...on what happens at the factory. I was previously considering using the hammer-it method on my next bike as described here:

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

However Bob pointed out that all motors are bench tested at the factory, where they run them for something like 100 hours. So the window of opportunity to use that method is long past by the time you get the bike. Even if they only run it for 10 hours.

The last time I bought a new car, I asked the salesman what was the best way to break it in. He replied "basically... just drive it."

[Speedzilla]

Here's my method....

Baby it for 200 miles, then change the oil.

Be a bit more aggressive for another 200 miles, change the oil.

Then ride it like you stole it.

One key thing when breaking in a bike, you want to keep your RPMs varied. Don't go cruise the interestate at 60mph for 600 miles and call it good. It's also a good idea for the bike to go through several heat cycles. Ride for 15 miles, let it cool off, ride for 15 miles, let it cool off....

I've only got about 400 miles on my newest machine, but it's already been through two complete oil changes. I've already taken it to the track once, and I have already hit the rev limiter several times.

[Jeffrey Day]

Jack, that is the article that I was thinking about when I posted this topic! I know that there are plenty of rider/racers out there and was curious how others break in their new toys. My theory, which may be wrong, is to ride the bike the way I normally ride. Which is to say, not very aggressively.

[Tommy D]

As was said above: Just ride the darned thing as you would regularly, but with the caveat (Also above) of varying the RPMs.

Engine tolerances these days are so tight, there really isn't room for anything to 'break in.'

Oh, I'd also go for a frequent oil change or two for the first 1000 miles. I did my first oil change in my cars at 1000 miles, and have been running Mobil 1 synthetic for a combined 240,000 miles over 6 years. No worries, and I still have that nifty cross-hatching pattern on my cylinder walls. :D

[Jon Dahl]

'03 Sv1000s model to be exact. I did a modified version of the mototune method. Lots of hard accel/decell using the break-in rpm range that Suzuki recomends. You need to load the rings for break-in, but you don't need wide open to do it. Do an oil change fairly quick, though, like mototune recomends. And enjoy one of the best bikes ever made! BTW, go to the site www.sv1000.zyns.com , best sv1000 site, maybe best bike forum out there! I'm SV4ME on there. Hey, what color?

[Jeffrey Day]

Hey Jon Dahl,

I found a dealer in Ohio that has a red one! If the price is right, I thinking about flyin out there and riding it back home here in Massachusetts! Should be a fun ride through PA/NY/CT/MA!

I love my 01 SV650S, so I'm thinking the SV1000S should be SWEET!

[Jeffrey Day]

Any decision on a new motorcycle for you yet? If I remember correctly, you were thinking about a Monster 620. Great bikes those Ducatis! My friend has a '00 Monster 900 that he loves! Call me biased, but I love my SV650S! And who knows, maybe in a few weeks, I'll have myself a new SV1000S! We'll see what happens!

[Yard Sale]

What Speedzilla said. Except on a four-suck, er four-stroke, motor I'd change the oil after the first ride, then again later.

Let it get up to temperature before putting it under a load. (This is true always.) Don't rev it in neutral. Don't let it get warm/hot. Don't lug it. (I understand lugging it is worse than revving it.) Give it light loads, like accelerating up a slight incline. Light loads probably means no passenger. The best part about break-in for a street bike is that a twisty road is the perfect place for it.

That's just the motor. You wanna know how to break in tires and brake pads, too? :o

[~tb]

Jeff,

I know a couple people looking to buy bikes right now. Drop me a line with details on what you were hoping to get for your 650. Of course they are looking at Duc's, but personally, I think they would be better off with a SV650.

~todd

brownt(at)alum.rpi.edu

[RDY_2_Carve]

I hammered my '05 1000RR upto 6k RPM everywhere I went. Just didn't go over the 6k mark. I put my rev light at like 5750 rpm and kept a good eye on it...

Once 600 miles were up with fresh oil it was on!

Now if only my silly bike didn't do 70mph in 1st gear and 100mph in 2nd at redline...Jeeze forget about hammering that thing anywhere in the city! I save those moments for the juicy roads oustide of town...

My car break in was entirely different. The dealer instructed me to drive it however I wanted with one rule of thumb: don't stay at the same RPM for extended periods of time. He said when driving on the interstate I could downshift to 5th or 4th periodically for a couple minutes to change my RPM. Outside of that he said do whatever including 8k RPM redlines in any gear. This was the instruction from the Acura dealer on my RSX Type-S.

Good luck with your new ride. I really dig those nakies!

P.S. Magnetic Drain plugs are very nice for break in periods as well as after break in.

[Tommy D]

Any decision on a new motorcycle for you yet? If I remember correctly, you were thinking about a Monster 620. Great bikes those Ducatis! My friend has a '00 Monster 900 that he loves! Call me biased, but I love my SV650S! And who knows, maybe in a few weeks, I'll have myself a new SV1000S! We'll see what happens!

Hey ... Yes, I've made a decision.

Oh, but you want to know what it is? I'm going with a Monster. It's a love at first sight kind of thing. That and all the controls are in just the right places for me to be comfortable. A friend of mine will likely be getting an SV650 come springtime; the Monster is too cramped for him.

Bob J has an excellent point reminding us about clutch/tranny break in. Let's not forget about tires and brakes ... they also need time to break in. I think the general theme here is to be smooth: Be smooth with all your control inputs during your first miles, and break-in should go nicely. After that, stay smooth, but let her run the way she wants to!