September 29, 2019

Alternative Running-in Technique

Alternative Running-in Technique

How’ya lads.


I’m looking at buying an MT10 in the next week or two and if I do, it will be my first ever brand new bike.


I was reading the FZ10/MT10 forum to try find out in advance what the running in period is like on it… I came across this post which criticizes manufacturer running in techniques and promotes another. I’m hoping some of the more mechanically experienced lads might give their opinion on it. So hear it is….

There are many opinions and methods. I use a version of the motoman break in method. You can read about it here www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm


The theory is that factories recommend soft break in procedures for reasons of rider safety . They wisely pretend that everyone who buys their bikes are brand new idiot riders, for legal reasons. This is also one of the reasons why USA bikes often have less power than European models, as well as for emission laws.


If you have a brand new unridden bike, 3-6 miles on the bike, then this is MY opinion on how to break it in properly. I say my opinion because if you try this and then pull out in front of a semi and get yourself killed, your family cannot sue me. Take this for what it’s worth.


This is ideally done away from traffic on a track or on a country road. Start the bike, do not rev it!! let it warm up no more than 30 seconds.


Take off and rev it to at least 3000 rpm or more in ea gear quickly. AVOID RUNNING AT THE SAME RPM! Run the hell out of it for the first 20 miles. Revving up to 5-6000 rpm and then let off the gas and let it decel down, up to 6000 rpm, let it decel down. Do this for the first twenty miles.


At or around 20 miles on the odometer. Drain the oil, change the filter. Refill with non synthetic.


the first 600 miles, be very careful not to run at the same constant RPM level . Let it rev up a few hundred rpms, back down a few hundred rpm’s. Not enough to piss off the car behind you, just little throttle adjustments.


The idea is to let the rings seat and work into the cylinders properly, to avid oil blowby later on after break in.


Change oil and filter again at 600 miles.


Ride normally the next 600miles, change oil and filter again at 1200 miles. Then, switch to factory recommended intervals.


Using this method, I have had numerous bikes last well over 100,000 miles. One of my old bikes was sold to a guy five years ago and he is still running original engine at 158,000 miles on it.


Again, this is just what i do, it’s just my opinion and differs from “other” break in methods. It’s also slightly different from the motorman method listed above.


The worst things you can do to an engine.


1.Baby the engine during break in, especially the first 20 miles. Get on a track or country road and ride it like you stole it.


2.Letting it idle too much in the first 20 miles. Let it warm up for like a minute max. Dont ever rev it while it is in neutral. LEt it warm up for like a minute, maybe two and take off.


3. Riding at the same rpm during the first 600 miles. A new engine needs the wide range of rpm’s, dont pin it and leave it there either. Rev up, rev down. Avoid the highway first 600 miles.


4.Revving it while it is just sitting there. Stupid and it’s horrible for your bike. Revi it while it is moving only!


Read the motoman link above at the beginning of this thread.


Why dont factories recommend this in the manual? Again, they want you to ride new bikes very carefully for legal reasons. They are afraid that some idiot will try this and get run over by the car behind them on a busy street by revving down. Also, (again this is just my opinion) but what would happen to their sales if all their bikes suddenly started lasting over 150,000 miles? Right…


Source: Alternative Running-in Technique

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

20 + = 30