I've decided to bite the big one and go for it... the ER-6N definitely rocks!

I'd like to know when you go to the dealers to pick the bike up should there be 0km on the clock?

I want to break mine in properly and I'm worried that one of the mechanics might have taken it out for a spin and revved the balls of it...

I'm also very curious as to what oil will be in the bike when I buy it from new? I want to stick with good quality mineral oil for the break-in period.

Should I take my own with me and ask them to change it before I take it out for its first run?

I'll be picking my bike up from Suratthani meaning there will be a 150+ km motorway stretch to cover before I get the bike to Samui. I was planning to stay in Suratthani for the day and over night, riding the bike in Suratthani for 100km (using the hard-break-in method mentioned on here) before taking it back to the dealer for an oil + filter change before setting of for Samui, making sure not to stick at constant revs on the highway. I'd then probably wait until the 1,000km service before changing the oil again.

Any tips/advice would be appreciated!

Matt.

A well "broken-in" motor is noticeably more powerful than one that is not, however from my half-decade of riding experience there seems to be numerous forms of good advice all around the internet and in riding cohorts.

Some advocate being gentle and maintaining a strict max speed until a certain mileage, others specify freely revving the engine and accelerating the motor to progressively higher RPMs whist engine braking down steep grades. All of them mention several oil changes, and one oil filter change.

Should you google for "how to run in a bike engine" in google there are a few good how-to guides, but what struck me most was a simple paragraph from the American Motorcycle Association website that just asked you to refer to the bike's manual - each engine has its own optimal running characteristics and run-in process.

Which sorts of make sense - a 10k RPM 2 stroke motor has vastly different configuration from a big-bore, high torque, low RPM cruiser block. So, take the following copy&paste from off the web with a grain of salt, and judge for yourself:

What's The Best Way To Break-In A New Engine ??

The Short Answer: Run it Hard !

Why ??

Nowadays, the piston ring seal is really what the break in process is all about. Contrary to popular belief, piston rings don't seal the combustion pressure by spring tension. Ring tension is necessary only to "scrape" the oil to prevent it from entering the combustion chamber.

If you think about it, the ring exerts maybe 5-10 lbs of spring tension against the cylinder wall ...

How can such a small amount of spring tension seal against thousands of

PSI (Pounds Per Square Inch) of combustion pressure ??

Of course it can't.

How Do Rings Seal Against Tremendous Combustion Pressure ??

From the actual gas pressure itself !! It passes over the top of the ring, and gets behind it to force it outward against the cylinder wall. The problem is that new rings are far from perfect and they must be worn in quite a bit in order to completely seal all the way around the bore. If the gas pressure is strong enough during the engine's first miles of operation (open that throttle !!!), then the entire ring will wear into

the cylinder surface, to seal the combustion pressure as well as possible.

The Problem With "Easy Break In" ...

The honed crosshatch pattern in the cylinder bore acts like a file to allow the rings to wear. The rings quickly wear down the "peaks" of this roughness, regardless of how hard the engine is run.

There's a very small window of opportunity to get the rings to seal really well ... the first 20 miles !!

If the rings aren't forced against the walls soon enough, they'll use up the roughness before they fully seat. Once that happens there is no solution but to re hone the cylinders, install new rings and start over again.

Fortunately, most new sportbike owners can't resist the urge to "open it up" once or twice,

which is why more engines don't have this problem !!

An additional factor that you may not have realized, is that the person at the dealership who set up your bike probably blasted your brand new bike pretty hard on the "test run". So, without realizing it, that adrenaline crazed set - up mechanic actually did you a huge favor !!

On the Street:

Warm the engine up completely:

Because of the wind resistance, you don't need to use higher gears like you would on a dyno machine. The main thing is to load the engine by opening the throttle hard in 2nd, 3rd and 4th gear.

Realistically, you won't be able to do full throttle runs even in 2nd gear on most bikes without exceeding 65 mph / 104 kph. The best method is to alternate between short bursts of hard acceleration and deceleration. You don't have to go over 65 mph / 104 kph to properly load the rings. Also, make sure that you're not being followed by another bike or car when you decelerate, most drivers won't expect that you'll suddenly slow down, and we don't want

anyone to get hit from behind !!

The biggest problem with breaking your engine in on the street (besides police) is if you ride the bike on the freeway (too little throttle = not enough pressure on the rings) or if you get stuck in slow city traffic. For the first 200 miles or so, get out into the country where you can vary the speed more

and run it through the gears !

Be Safe On The Street !

Watch your speed ! When you're not used to the handling of a new vehicle, you should accelerate only on the straightaways, then slow down extra early for the turns. Remember that both hard acceleration and hard engine braking (deceleration) are equally important during the break in process.

On the Racetrack:

Warm the engine up completely:

Do one easy lap to warm up your tires. Pit, turn off the bike & check for leaks or

any safety problems. Take a normal 15 minute practice session

and check the water temperature occasionally. The racetrack is the perfect environment to break in an engine !! The combination of acceleration and deceleration is just the ticket for sealing the rings.

Go For It !!

Yeah - But ...

the owner's manual says to break it in easy ...

Notice that this technique isn't "beating" on the engine, but rather taking a purposeful, methodical approach to sealing the rings. The logic to this method is sound. However, some will have a hard time with this approach, since it seems to "go against the grain".

The argument for an easy break-in is usually: "that's what the manual says" ....

Or more specifically: "there are tight parts in the engine and you might do damage or even seize it if you run it hard."

Consider this:

Due to the vastly improved metal casting and machining technologies which are now used, tight parts in new engines are not normal. A manufacturing mistake causing a tight clearance is an extremely rare occurrence these days. But, if there is something wrong with the engine clearances from the factory, no amount of gentle running will fix the problem.

The real reason ???

So why do all the owner's manuals say to take it easy for the first

thousand miles ???

This is a good question ...

Q: What is the most common cause of engine problems ???

A: Failure to:

Warm the engine up completely before running it hard !!!

Q: What is the second most common cause of engine problems ???

A: An easy break in !!!

Because, when the rings don't seal well, the blow-by gasses contaminate the oil with acids and other harmful combustion by-products !!

Ironically, an "easy break in" is not at all what it seems. By trying to "protect" the engine, the exact opposite happens, as leaky rings continue to contaminate your engine oil for the rest of the life of your engine !!

Second website excerpt, from India (which is a nation that runs literally millions of small cc commuter bikes)

Running in a bike is basically making sure your bike engines wears uniformly. Dont get scared! What I mean by engine wear is the piston properly bedding into the cylinder. So I shall now give a detailed guide as to how an engine should be run in.

Basically, during run in, your bike gets adjusted to your riding habits. Its sets up itself according to your throttle, braking, gear change speed, use of clutch, etc. So do not hesitate to whack in a little more fuel into your cylinder head if you are running as it is a required input for the bike to get used to you.

If you’re looking for fuel economy, dont raise it beyond 5 and a half 1000. Use the clutch smoothly, never let your engine rev by the force of the gear box. If possible, do a long run in. Go long distances during run in. Try maintaining the bike at about 3000 clicks for more than 20 to 25 kms at least! This will ensure that later your bike will give you a real solid mileage figure. Probably close to the company specifications. But keep one thing in mind, if you do such a run in, you will not be able to rip on your bike.

If you do so, you might face the following consequences:

* Horrible mileage

* Depressingly awful pick up and overall performance.

* Reduced engine longevity and life.

* Painful and irritating noises and rattles from your motor.

Things to keep in mind about economy run in:

* Gear changes should be minimum.

* Clutch release should be extremely smooth.

* Engine should be at about 3000 rpm.

* Higher gear should be used as often as possible.

* Gear shift should be early.

The plus points of this run in are as follows :

* Amazing mileage

* Butter smooth engine and gear box.

* Long engine life.

* Less overheating of engine.

* Tons of praises from your service guy!

* Good resale value of your bike.

Petrol heads like me (which I seem to find in plenty!) will not enjoy riding their two Wheeler in the above mentioned fashion for obvious reasons! There is a way to ensure that your bike doesn’t seem sluggish at any throttle point. Running in your bike for performance is a very tedious and delicate task. If not done correctly, it could result in your bike engine showing signs of premature ageing, and uneven wear and improper bedding of piston into the cylinder.

A performance run in needs to be done accordingly:

* Keep idling about 200 clicks more than normal.

* Raise engine to higher rpm.

* Care needs to be taken to ensure that acceleration is slow, steady and linear.

* Try maintaining engine speed at about 5000 to 6000 rpm at all times.

* Stick onto a gear for as long as possible.

* When bike is in neutral, never idle it. But try to keep raising the engine speed to about

* 2500 clicks every 3 seconds by constantly flicking your wrist.

Keep in mind that the run in steps should be followed very precisely and utmost accuracy. I do not suggest this to beginners. If this type of run in is not done correctly, the consequences might be:

* Poor mileage (depressingly low mileage, I mean)

* All kinds of alien noises coming from your engine

* The engine life may be reduced by about 50%

* Smoothness is almost completely absent

* Engine refinement is tossed

* Power delivery is abrupt, unexpected and less harness able.

* Oil leaks every now and then.

But here’s a list of the pro’s that will sure make a biker smile

No more seeing people overtake you

* Linear, smooth and harnessable power delivery

* Mileage is extremely satisfactory for the power out.

* Easy starting with zero issues (whether self start or kick start).

* Pleasurable ride quality and engine response.

So there you go. Sometimes the service manual or owners manual guides the owner to do a very soft run in. After some thinking(and research), I realized that they do this to protect their image and avoiding vehicle faults. Yes, if you do a run in according to the owners manual, the bike will be error free, but hey, todays bikes are error free however you use them, and the initial run in determines only the later functioning of the bike.

According to owners manual or manufacturers manual, it is advised that:

* That the owner doesn’t raise the engine speed beyond 5000 rpm.

* But the owner can frequently vary the engine speed anywhere below 5000 clicks a minute.

* The owner is also advised not to go to fast on the bike as slowing down may result in very quick drops in gear and may harm he fresh gear box and clutch plates.

But it is safe and adviseable by according to me(and many auto experts and owners) to observe the following points:

* You can raise the bike engine speed to about 6000 clicks

* The throttle input, though, should be slow, steady and very linear

* Try to prevent engine or gearbox knocking by riding in the correct gear.

* Try not to stay in one gear for more than 30 seconds.

* Frequently change gears

* Ensure that the engine speed is not constant for long periods.

* Sudden non-sustained bursts are OK as long as the rpm does not shoot beyond control – many even say that such bursts in the second 1000 km (with increasing frequency after about 1500 km) actually help to “open out” the engine and the usable rev-range better.

* Gears are very tricky things to bed in properly so preferably (at least during the run in) do not let someone else ride your Bike – even if he’s very gentle, his shifting technique will be different from yours and you’ll be able to “feel” something amiss in the gears once you ride the Bike again.

That’s about it

Additional pointers: Engine temperature & oil change routine (the latter seems to be only found in Singapore's biker communities)

The most important thing(you missed out) during run-in is that the engine should not be subject to overheating. New engines tend to build up heat very soon due to internal friction. So long rides(more than 30Kms) should be throughly avoided during the run-in. Overheating will quickly lead to glazing and you will end up with a bad engine immediately.

Tips from Singapore bike forum admin

depends on how you run in your bike. for normal methods (as per manual), most ppl use mineral oil for the 1st 2 oil changes. once run in completed, switch to fully synth. diff ppl vary their methods and mileage varies on diff bikes but eg.

0-500km 1 mineral oil change (stop go traffic with lots of gear changing)

500-1000km 1 mineral oil change along with oil filter (same as above but some eway riding with no constant throttle; rpm)

1000-1600km 1 semi synth oil change (same as above but load the engine hard occasionally when hot, still no constant throttle; rpm)

1600km~run in complete 1 fully synth oil change along with oil filter (ride as per normal)

just what i normally do, might be wrong, might be dumb, might be inappropriate but works for me.

Disclaimer - I am NOT an engine expert, use your own judgment on the above

Discussion / sharing experiences would be a plus as I'll be breaking in a new bike (my first in 7 years) in a few days...

I'm sure I read somewhere the most break-in damage occurs in the first 30km, hence me wanting to change the oil at around 100km, then leave the next change until the official 1,000km change. Some guy on this forum was changing his oil every few hundred km's or so and apparently that is bad to change it that often during break-in,

I also read an interview with a Castrol oil employee and they don't recommend using fully synthetic until 10,000km! He said for some reason semi or fully synthetic hinders the break-in of the engine and suggests using only good quality mineral oil.

I plan to break my engine in semi hard, driving through the rev range up and down and not keeping at a constant rpm. I'll also take the bike up to 75% max of it's rev range for the first 1,000km.

Other tips include not even starting the bike up unless you're going to warm it up properly and take it out, for example you don't want the show room guy starting the bike so you can hear how it sounds and then shutting it straight down.

My only issue is I have to do a few hundred km's on the highway to get it home, but I will take it very easy and just power up and down through the rev range stopping every 30 minutes or so to let the bike cool down (I hear they get hot when breaking-in)

My main question is when you buy a brand new bike does it have 0km on the clock?

My main question is when you buy a brand new bike does it have 0km on the clock?

Matt, the bike should have 0km on the clock when its delievered but perhaps you need to speak with the sales guy when you purchase and let him know that your fussy and that you expect this because you want to go through a particular type of break in.

If its the dealer in Bangkok hes pretty use to fussy farangs and their Kawasaki 650's.

My main question is when you buy a brand new bike does it have 0km on the clock?

Matt, the bike should have 0km on the clock when its delievered but perhaps you need to speak with the sales guy when you purchase and let him know that your fussy and that you expect this because you want to go through a particular type of break in.

If its the dealer in Bangkok hes pretty use to fussy farangs and their Kawasaki 650's.

most of the new bikes I have taken delivery on in LOS, have had 1 or 2 km on them. factory to truck, truck to showroom. Cant recall if my Ninja 650R had km on it.

what hurts a new engine (not good for any engine) is to start, idle/throttle and then stop again, not used loaded to move bike. cant be checked since it doesnt show on odo km.

new kwakers come with battery not connected, so if battery is connected it has probably been started. My Ninja had battery still wrapped and not connected, so I assume it had 0 km also. august 2009.

Thanks for the info. I will insist before I go to pick it up it has 0km on the clock or I won't take it.

I'm completely OCD when it comes to things like this this. I want to break my engine in properly knowing that Somchai hasn't been red-lining it in every gear with a cold engine!...

So is it the dealership that fills the engine with oil upon delivery? Or does the factory send it to the dealership with oil in?

I just want to make sure it has a good quality mineral oil in when I crank it up for the first time and take it out... I'm so OCD... 8 D

Thanks again for the info...

Thanks for the info. I will insist before I go to pick it up it has 0km on the clock or I won't take it.

I'm completely OCD when it comes to things like this this. I want to break my engine in properly knowing that Somchai hasn't been red-lining it in every gear with a cold engine!...

So is it the dealership that fills the engine with oil upon delivery? Or does the factory send it to the dealership with oil in?

I just want to make sure it has a good quality mineral oil in when I crank it up for the first time and take it out... I'm so OCD... 8 D

Thanks again for the info...

as I recall engine is filled with oil at factory. Dealer unwrapps and installs battery, some gas on the tank, check airpressure (usually overinflate so bring a 200 baht pressure gauge and check it yourself), and adjust clutch and chain and some other checkpoints. also good idea to degrease front discs for brakes with alcohol

when Scubabudda and I took deliver all this was done while watching, since the first delivery of 6 Ninja just had come in the door a few minutes before

Thanks, excellent info. I wonder what type of oil the factory puts in?...

Cant recall if my Ninja 650R had km on it.

And as I recall the odometer was not 0, but very close to it.

Great News. Just spoke to Kawasaki at Suratthani. They will keep the bike in it's original bubble wrap with battery disconnected and 0km on the clock for when I pick it up at the end of the month. I can't wait!

Just need to find a good mineral oil for the bike.

Matt for the OCD in you.

all about oil

From an old BMW handbook: limit the revs, use different revs and change gears and the load often. A hilly region would be best. Personally, I would be gentle with the bike and never use the last 15% of rpm. A book on motor design says this lengthens the engine's life by 100%.

Do that oil change after maybe 150 km! Get a new filter, too.

Congrats - which colour have you chosen?

Chris

Hey Matt,

Great decision on the ER-RN, I got you the new model with ABS. Don't worry about running it in, complete opposite, this is hi-tec machinery, 9000RPMS all the way mate, and as for oil, palm or coconut oil will make it pur like a kitten. In fact my local hole in the wall give me their left overs at the end of the night, kapow enriched palm oil will make that beast blast anything away. Good choice mate.

Matt for the OCD in you.

all about oil

I'm actually reading that now... I love having OCD...

From an old BMW handbook: limit the revs, use different revs and change gears and the load often. A hilly region would be best. Personally, I would be gentle with the bike and never use the last 15% of rpm. A book on motor design says this lengthens the engine's life by 100%.

Do that oil change after maybe 150 km! Get a new filter, too.

Congrats - which colour have you chosen?

Chris

Thanks for the heads up Chris. I'll pick up a spare filter whilst I'm on the mainland and change the oil around 150km here on Samui, then leave it until the 1000km service back at Suratthani.

I actually changed my mind and went for a Black Ninja 650R...

I live on Samui so it's perfect to break the bike in. I don't plan to go over 5,000rpm for the 1st 1000km and will not let the engine labour in high gears. I'lll use 75% of rpm as suggested and after the first 1,000km slowly up the rpm by 1,000 per 100km.

Matt.

Hey Matt,

Great decision on the ER-RN, I got you the new model with ABS. Don't worry about running it in, complete opposite, this is hi-tec machinery, 9000RPMS all the way mate, and as for oil, palm or coconut oil will make it pur like a kitten. In fact my local hole in the wall give me their left overs at the end of the night, kapow enriched palm oil will make that beast blast anything away. Good choice mate.

NO WAY! I heard coconut oil is amazing for the skin, I never thought of putting it in a bike engine. I'll see how it goes... it well smell nice for the people driving behind me as well.. A great detox for the engine... Thanks for the info!