Which Break In Method For You?

[MotoMike]

We all know the manufacturer's recommended procedure. 600 miles, no constant speed, go up and down through the gears, etc.
And then there are those that insist that method encourages improperly bedded rings with premature compression and blowby issues to appear later on down the road.
And those folks are the ones that usually tout the 'dyno break-in' or something similar.
1. Get the engine up to operating temp
2. Run it up through the gears up to 60 per and back down again.
3. Let it idle for a minute to stabilize temps
4. Shutdown and let cool completely
5. Repeat steps 1-4 twice more. Heat and cool cycling is key.
6. Start, let oil press. stabilize
7. Run hard up through gears to redline as fast as you can shift.
8. Steps 3-4.
Anything internal that had improper clearances or torquing will have reared its head at this point and rings and valves will be firmly bedded in their sleeves and seats. Engines broken in with this technique typically will make more power and less blowby/leakdown.
Lets Go Racing!!
I bought an '87 5.0 H.O. Mustang LX from Cal Worthington when they first came out. It was a demo model that had been flogged repeatedly on test drives by different drivers. To say it had a hard 'cycling' break-in would be an understatement. That car in stock form would do 150mph, and would pull away from buddies five-o's that were stock as well. I put 125,000 HARD miles on that car, a lot of it a 1/4 mile at a time, ran a full syn oil from break-in. Changed every 3k with a double filter change.
The conn rod bolts finally stretched from being banged against the limiter 10 zillion times, the only weak link in this motor. We tore that motor apart and found ZERO wear, everything a nice golden hue, no carbon.
Im not saying Im breaking in MY B this way......

[Fla_rider]

Ride it like you stole it!

[Maddoggie501]

Im sure there are a million opinions. I just ride it like I normally ride. Don't lug it and don't baby it.

[BadDawg]

The dealer told me to keep it under 60 for the first 100 miles. I live 6 miles from the dealer so I took a long cut home. Took it on 80 miles of back road and then cut over to the freeway. Hit 80 by the end of the on ramp. Held it at 100 until for a mile until I saw the cop running radar at the next ramp. Decelerate as well as it accelerates. Apparently I had the stealth function on he never batted an eye
Unfourtunaly I wasn't wearing my depends. I might have pissed myself a little bit.

[wjduke]

I didn't do anything special besides take it easy for a bit. After a couple hundred miles, I started to ride like I always do. My friend with an Indian had an elaborate procedure similar to the write up. Don't go over 60, go up and down the gears and don't stay at a steady speed....then take it in for a 500 mile oil change. After that, he could let it rip. None of that nonsense here!

[BIGLRY]

Ride it like you stole it!

Yep... that is the way I have broken in all my modern bikes, even my turbo engines and have never had any problems, but not any of my past H-D they puked oil after a few miles when broke in that way.

[Felloverboard]

I think the old break-in periods of past decades are not the same as engines built today with closer tolerance and harder metals. Engines in cars used to be shot at 90-100,000 miles, not 300,000 plus. I bought my bike in Mississippi. Rode around the small town 10 minutes going through the gears, took the county road from there about 100 miles to the interstate. Slowed going through the gears downshifting to a stop at a gas station to fill up. Back to speed on the interstate varying 55-75 mph and stopping & starting every 90 minutes or so for gas till I arrived back in Orlando, FL. That first day ride was 700 miles. 19K on the bike now and all it needs is for Honda to give me a new paint job on the black soft paint that scratches easily. I did change oil at 1,000 miles not the 4,000 in the book and at every 5k mark since. Sometimes with Rotella dino and sometimes Rotella Syn. Purolator L14610 (longer) or L14612 (shorter) oil filters. Walmart quit selling these but have started selling the SuperTech ST6607 (shorter) again which has been the #1 filter alternative for most of the Full GW owners for many years.

[shooter]

50 mile ride home the day I bought it. My brother in law took me to pick her up. Had it up to 110 on the way home. Didn't redline any of the gears. That's taking it easy. Next day started riding it hard.

[stroguy]

I didn't see any published breakin recommendation. So I drove her hard the day I picked her up.

[Dave Ritsema]

We all know the manufacturer's recommended procedure. 600 miles, no constant speed, go up and down through the gears, etc.

Thats pretty much what my dealer recommended and I did that on both of my new Wings. I am guessing you would really have to abuse them to make a significant negative impact on them. I do 1000 mile oil changes on my new stuff just in case there is some left over casting sand, etc. The dealer was quite adamant that I not switch to full synthetic until 4000 miles in order that everything can wear in properly.