How to 'brake in' a new bike? (ninja300)

[Marcel1]

Last week got my new Ninja300 with who I am very happy together. but since this was my first new big bike i've read a lot of info. Most I read was to let the engine work a bit, differecens in rpm's etc. etc. So for the first 100 km I drove like I normally would.

yesterday I came with the bright idea of downloading a english manual for the bike in which I read that in the first 800 km you're not allowed to go over 4000 rpm. I drove mine multiple times around the 7 or 8000 with sometimes 12.000 cause I thought this would be part of the change rpm idea.

what is you guys experience on this? do I have to worry about later or is it not a big deal?

[sup3r1or]

Everyone says different thing. When I got my cbr 500 staff said dont go over 5000 rps or 120 kph for first 1000 km. When I came back to service bike head engineer siad dont go over 7000rpm. I actually did go to 8000 quite a few time the temptation was just too great lol.

You will see some people preferring soft brake-in while other recommend hard one (ride it like you stole it). Some will prefer hard brake in but instead of going for 1000 km service they will do it at 500-700 km instead.

It is really up to you. If you want to be on a slightly safer side go for soft one as manual recommends, but it will be hard not to crank up a bit;)

[RubberSideDown]

I break my bikes in somewhat close to the manufacturer's recommendation- I figure they're the ones who designed it and will have to repair it under warranty if anything goes wrong, so they probably have a good idea of what's necessary to avoid early engine issues.

IMHO, the most important thing you can do is a very early (500km or less) oil change (I changed the oil and filter on my current bike at 250km)- a new engine can create small slivers of metal early on, and you want to get them out of there as soon as possible.

Edited November 1, 2013 by RubberSideDown

[VocalNeal]

There is a theory about high load cycling to bed in the rings but it has to be done immediately. So having driven 100kms it is too late for that. Just ride normally but don't stay at the same speed or RPM for long periods etc.

[yingyo]

What for engine to get to running temp.

Go through the gears from low rpm to high, then engine break back down. A highway at night is good for this.

Stop. Let the engine cool down for 10 mins.

Repeat a few times.

The oil being at running temp and not sitting at one rpm like a highway cruise would be the main thing. Change the oil and filter after 150km.

Modern engine don't need the break in they did 40 years ago.

[BSJ]

Firstly, it's a medium size bike not a big bike. I am still debating whether or not the Kwaka 650's models are big bikes. Probably not!

Like RSD said, follow the instructions in the manual.

[guzzi850m2]

I agree with the follow the instrusions crowd, and I always did that with the bikes I bought new and they performed very well/to specs.

OP it you have been trashing it don't worry too much but as others also mention change oil/filter asap.

[Gomyway]

@Marcel1 you've done it right, read here: http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

[RubberSideDown]

@Marcel1 you've done it right, read here: http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

I've seen that link posted dozens of times, but not much to back it up from other people in the industry.

If you click on a few of his other pages and read some of his thoughts and opinions, you might come to the realization that 'MotoMan' is more than a bit nuts.

[transam]

No matter what machine, the lubrication is it's blood. The better the blood the better it will enhance longevity. Me, don't take any notice of the book except change oil well before they say. But, up to you, a bike oil change doesn't cost much, so no problem.

If new, do not open her up violently until at least 1000km after a few oil changes.

[Marcel1]

Thanks so far.. I guess ill just take it abit more easy from now on, not exactly according the book but along the lines. the first oil change will be at 250km sure

If it is in the classified section in a couple of months you know the outcome

[VocalNeal]

What for engine to get to running temp.

Go through the gears from low rpm to high, then engine break back down. A highway at night is good for this.

Stop. Let the engine cool down for 10 mins.

Repeat a few times.

The oil being at running temp and not sitting at one rpm like a highway cruise would be the main thing. Change the oil and filter after 150km.

Modern engine don't need the break in they did 40 years ago.

Yingo,

You have to do this immediately not after 100 Kms. Too late!

The OP should have asked the question first then bought the bike but...

Like cars, the ones that are driven by reps and serviced routinely usually go the best. For a reason.

[ll2]

did you really search the forum?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/603109-how-to-break-in-a-new-motorcycle/page-3?hl=%2Bhow+%2Bto+%2Bbreak+%2Bin+%2Ba+%2Bmotorcycle#entry5940861

[brfsa2]

@Marcel1 you've done it right, read here: http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

that's the best way to break in.

[Marcel1]

No I did not really searched the forum since I asked also a question related specificly to my actions with my bike besides that is the topic you refer to about a year old and who knows which proffessionals joined this forum in the meantime?

If you see no reason to reply because you have read it before than don't

[yingyo]

@Marcel1 you've done it right, read here: http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

that's the best way to break in.

I'll come back in 10 pages time.

Shouldn't be long.

OP, common sense, not too hard, not too soft, let it warm up before you ride, varied RPMs (rev up then engine break back down in different gears (for the first few kms), don't let the engine get too hot stop and letit cool down, change the oil and filter early.

It was built in 2013, not 1963, a lot of the old processes will be almost redundant.

Finally, enjoy riding it.

Edited November 1, 2013 by yingyo

[dave_boo]

I subscribe to the hard break in theory. Considering that lugging the engine is really bad for a fresh build I don't understand the easy break in as it would seem to encourage operating the engine in ranges that would be conducive to that.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[macknife]

Keeping a baby Ninja under 4000rpms is almost impossible. I know as I have one.

Marcel, you have done exactly what I did, going through the gears, engine breaking etc let it cool down and repeat. I guess this is considered the hard break in.

I'm at 5000km now and it runs great. I wouldn't worry about it too much now, just ride it how you want. Like others have said, get your oil changed early and then you are good to go.

I have a friend who works for a major car company and he says that all engines are red lined and tested rigorously (ie thrashed) before you buy it. Now I don't know if this is done for motorcycle engines but he believes that they would be no different.

[ll2]

No I did not really searched the forum since I asked also a question related specificly to my actions with my bike besides that is the topic you refer to about a year old and who knows which proffessionals joined this forum in the meantime?

If you see no reason to reply because you have read it before than don't

so you say you dont know what does a forum mean and how to post.

[nikster]

I did the hard break in method, 100kms with the full rev range, never staying on one rev for too long (e.g. going like an idiot with lots of acceleration and engine braking), then changing the oil. After that I was pretty careless, just whipping that poor engine.

At 33,000 kms, the engine broke, hole in the engine etc.

Do I know for sure that was because I didn't follow the manufacturer recommendations? No. But the second time around, with an all new engine, I followed the manual to the t: First 500kms less than 4,000 RPM, then no more than 6k until 1000kms, then oil change.

I learned that staying in the low rev range in the beginning is a pretty good way to learn your engine, and to learn how to shift (a lot). With the Versys the top speed at 6th gear @ 4,000 RPM is 86 kph. So in the city, I was fine and able to ride normally except with a whole lot more shifting. On the highway, I was in the left lane like an idiot getting passed by Honda Waves and even CBX 500s... )

My recommendation is to stay with the manual. Just take a day tour around the mountains if you want to get to the fun part faster....

Edited November 2, 2013 by nikster

[transam]

Whether bike, car or any machine, it is a machine. I don't care to much about the book stuff, just use it as a guide and reduce their KM and oil change or rpm advice. Crap from manufacture is present, don't care what they say. Treat the machine with respect until one is sure of cleanliness and happy metal.

[Rimmer]

A reported troll post has been removed

[Beardog]

Moto man Has the right idea. It depends what you want. If you want a grandmas bike drive it slow & steady . If you want a racing bike as Vocal Neil pointed out to not keep it at any particular rev band for to long. And the critical time is right in the beginning. All RACE motors when the engines are assembled & tested are rapped up to get all the parts seated in The best possible rate of power within the first 5 minutes of running. Quick acceleration to near rev limit & backed off repeated 3 times. When on the road the bike should be quickly accelerated for short bursts to get the engine used to quick off the line response. It just dogs the engine to break it in to slow. You wind up with a grannies motor. When I worked for Harley-VW- BMW& Porsche the break in off the bench for an engine was all the same. Hit it & quit it 3 times. Working for NHRA or superstock the race engines are put through grueling amounts of Revs. If it is going to blow better early than to suffer a car that will never win a race. If it is a scooter or lets say a Honda Phantom or Kawasaki boss it will make very little difference as they are not going to get any quicker since they are not a race bike. A 300 Ninja I would run it hard & change oil at 250 miles or the equivalent in kilos than at 500 kilos next at 1000 etc. Oil is cheap & in the beginning is when you will get the most metal filings in the oil best to change it before the recommended. Better safe than sorry. My bike 650ER6n was broke in as a race bike from the start. A bud I ride with has the same year - but he broke his in like an old lady & it shows. We have swapped rides & he agrees mine is faster not only off the line but is faster on the top end as well. Same equipment except mine has stock exhaust & his is a akropovic full system. His should be slightly faster but do to lame brake in mine is quicker & stronger. I wouldn't advise screaming top revs but change the revs around & whatever you do do not dog the Ninja.

[nikster]

^ @beardog, how did you break it in correctly then?

It's a bit difficult riding from the dealership to a place where you could be silly.... did you put it on a truck and drive it somewhere, or break it in on a dyno?

What I did is I went from the dealer to canal road, but that's already 10km where you can't really rev it all that much because there's city traffic and such.

Also how many km does your ER6 have on it? If it's faster but breaks after 33,000 km then not worth it IMO. And that's not something a race driver would be concerned with. They don't have 'em that long.

I am interested as I am going to get a new bike soon...

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and replies have been removed.

[transam]

Sorry it's that time again, my all time favourite bike, Honda 6 pot 250cc, RC166.........Look at the tacho.............

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=fBWk-lkcrLY.................

[RubberSideDown]

When I worked for Harley-VW- BMW& Porsche the break in off the bench for an engine was all the same. Hit it & quit it 3 times.

The break-in period recommended by Porsche is notoriously long- 2000mi/3200km and a 4000rpm rev limit.

Here's an explanation from their own engineering department- what they have to say is true for any high-performance engine, be it car or motorcycle:

http://yel.pca.org/porsche-engine-break-in/

An excerpt as to why bench-testing an engine doesn't equate to street use:

When the test was completed, a Porsche engineer came over to review the results. I couldnt resist asking the question that I had been searching to find an answer to for all these years. I asked why does Porsche feel it is safe for a new engine to run at nearly full throttle in the factory, while the customer must keep the engine speed to no more than 4,000 RPM for a 2,000 mile break-in period? I thought that was a logical question and if I do say so myself-well stated! The engineer replied, Herr Koop, you do not understand (that I already knew). When we do our engine test, the metals inside the engine never reach the temperatures they would when driven on the street since the test session is fairly short. In other words, the bearings, pistons and cylinders never get a chance to thermally expand to their maximum. Therefore, there is little wear on the moving components. But when you drive a car on the street, the engine parts expand considerably more because of the heat being generated from the engine running for an extended period of time. No matter how tight the tolerances are, there is always a slight amount of expansion in the material. The moving parts can wear quickly if exposed to excessive heat and not always in a uniform way. We also constantly vary the speed and allow the engine to run at both high and low RPMs.

Edited November 3, 2013 by RubberSideDown

[tingtongfarang]

Have bought 5 new bikes in my life time and i always tried to stay within the makers advice with the only difference being doing the first few oil and filter changes much earlier,

I think the main rules are not to let the engine lug, not let it get hot in the fist 200km, not redline it,

A few months ago i bought a cbr 250 2nd hand with little over 4000km, i had very little information when the last service was done other than not long ago, ( no service book ) after around 200km i decided to change the oil then atleast i would know when the next was due,

while riding along ramkamhaeng i noticed a serious looking honda center (many cbr 150-250 on show) and pulled in, went to the desk and explained to the girl very clearly i wanted an oil and filter change so she came out ...turned the ignition on to look at the total km, it was in odometer mode reading about 200km ...she shrugged her shoulders then took me back inside and told the price then wrote it down on paper to make sure there was no confusion,

Gave the keys to a honda mechanic who also turned the ignition on and looked at the 200km then pushed it into the work shop, there were seats in the workshop so i decided to observe from a distance...he came out with the oil and a filter in the box then drained the oil, i felt secure thinking they could,nt fusk an oil and filter change and went to get a drink, but on my my return he was just filling in the second bottle of oil and i noticed the new filter was still in the box,

On questioning why he had,nt changed the filter he started to explain it would mean he would need to to take the lower engine cowl off but stopped mid sentence and scratched his head then called another guy over to help lay the bike almost right over on its side in an attempt to change the filter without losing the new oil

Edited to add....i would rather do the oil and filter changes myself if i could find a nearby convenient place to dispose of the old oil and filter, if i ask thais around me they just nod in the direction of the drain at the side of the road....cant bring myself to even consider that.

Edited November 3, 2013 by tingtongfarang

[nikster]

When I worked for Harley-VW- BMW& Porsche the break in off the bench for an engine was all the same. Hit it & quit it 3 times.

The break-in period recommended by Porsche is notoriously long- 2000mi/3200km and a 4000rpm rev limit.

Here's an explanation from their own engineering department- what they have to say is true for any high-performance engine, be it car or motorcycle:

http://yel.pca.org/porsche-engine-break-in/

^ Thanks, this is a good read. I think I'll stick with the factory recommendations from now on. Chances are the factory knows a thing or two about its own engines...

[Issanman]

Interesting that Porsche, among others, put in full-synthetic oil from the very beginning. That would certainly go against the break-in recommendations that I have read on this forum.