Break-in period on new bike--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FunGus1968
(3/8/04 10:09 pm)
When is "Break In" over?
Hello!
I recently purchased a leftover 2003 1200 naked. I am in the process of breaking it in. I've read through various forums and articles and I find this approach interesting:
www.mototuneusa.com/break...crets.htm.
So, I've been running my bike hard now for about 300 miles - even red-lining it for a few seconds at a time. My understanding is that if ridden hard, then break-in can occur more completely and much faster than the standard 600 miles.
This is important to me because I commute to work on the bike from New Jersey to New York City and it's really difficult to build up enough rpms doing this kind of riding. I try to stay low on the gears but I commute with my wife and she hates the buzz of the high rpm. (My previous bike was a 1993 VX 800.) As a result, I have to keep the rpms down around 5000.
Anyway, I would like to hear your opinions.
By the way, I love the bike. Where has it been all my life????
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FunGus1968
(3/8/04 11:12 pm)
Correction:
www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Red01SuziB12S
(3/8/04 11:57 pm)
Re: When is "Break In" over?
I agree with the overall point he is making - and it's nothing new. When I was learning to be a mechanic many years ago (and judging by the guy's pic, it was probably before he was born), this was pretty much the theory I was taught. It was actually a 'break it in how it will be used' theory. If you are going to operate the engine like a grandma, break it in by the owners manual, but if you're gonna wrap it out for it's performance potential, then break it in hard.
However, from what I was taught, there is more to break-in than just seating rings, though that is very important. Valves, gears and other movings parts go thru break-in periods, too - and these may be longer than the few runs he's suggesting and being done with it. On a street engine, I will wait until after 600 miles before I let it operate at high rpm ( >75% of redline ) for extended periods, but it gets to see redline at least once a day it is operated. I don't know how they do it today, but top fuel dragsters in the 70's would get broke in after pit rebuilds by spinning the motor over with no oil with an air starter for a few minutes... but then these guys aren't looking to get more than a few miles out of their motors. I think the 20 minute oil change is a good idea - and one that everyone I know that rebuilds an engine does. I prefer another oil change sooner than 1500 miles though... I've always done one at 100 miles, 500-600 miles, then 1500 miles, then normal oil change intervals.
Paul W
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Kevinb600
(3/9/04 11:57 am)
break in
Paul, what do you recommend after the 1500 mile oil change? Every 1,000, 2,000, or 3,000 miles?
Kevin R
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Red01SuziB12S
(3/9/04 8:29 pm)
Re: break in
I go 5K, but I almost never do any stop-n-go city riding. I have maybe a handful of stops in my 50 work commute and when I'm not commuting, I'm headed AWAY from major population centers. (Haven't found any fun roads in the city yet.) If I did much city work, I'd probably go with 3K.
Paul W
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03b12sil
(4/13/04 6:51 pm)
Re: break in
Hi I have a 03 b12,it has 450 miles on.I ride it like im going to ride.Is this a good way to break it in?
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Red01SuziB12S
(4/13/04 7:38 pm)
Re: break in
IMHO, yes.
Paul W
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B12Teuton
(4/14/04 8:40 am)
Re: break in
I took it somewhat easy until I did the first oil change and valve adjustment.
A lot of metal shavings in the oil at the first change and all my valves were out at 800 miles, some loose and some tight.
Manny
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LongIslandBandit99
(4/14/04 11:38 pm)
Re: break in
I rode my bike however I wanted to but I was told not to ride it at a constant RPM for the first 600 miles. The salesman basically said ride it however you intend to ride it. Don't go crazy redlining it but also work the gears as much as possible and vary the RPM as much as possible too.
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B12Teuton
(4/15/04 8:05 am)
Re: break in
Marginally good advice... from a sales guy.
Manny
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03b12sil
(4/17/04 4:35 am)
Re: break in
I put her in the shop for her 600 mile check up friday.Should have her back middle of the week,is there anything i have to do whenshe comes home,or are we goodto go?
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Red01SuziB12S
(4/17/04 9:04 pm)
Re: break in
They way I do it is get progressively more liberal with throttle until 1500 miles, then I figure it's anything goes.
Paul W
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B12Teuton
(4/19/04 8:13 am)
Re: break in
is there anything i have to do when she comes home,or are we good to go?
Double check the dealers work. Make sure there are no oil leaks, check the oil level, look and see that the oil filter in NEW.
That sort of stuff.
Manny
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03b12sil
(4/21/04 4:19 pm)
Re: break in
The shop called yesterday and said she was finished,so if it doesnt rain tomorrow i will pick her up after work. They said 2 valves needed adj ,does that sound right.I will check the dealers work like you said Thanks
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Red01SuziB12S
(4/21/04 6:12 pm)
Re: break in
Sounds about right... I found two out when I did my first check... which was supposedly the bike's second check as the 600 mile service was reportedly done by the dealer I bought the bike from (it had 590 miles on it when I bought it).
Paul W
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LongIslandBandit99
(4/21/04 8:30 pm)
Re: break in
Of course they did the service with 590 miles on the OD. Why would they wait another 10 miles to get you right back in their store?
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Red01SuziB12S
(4/21/04 9:53 pm)
Re: break in
Since I've been good friends with the dealer I bought the bike from, I tend to believe him... Sure, Iknow he didn't do it personally, but I don't think he'd lie to me about it.
Paul W
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03b12sil
(4/22/04 8:12 pm)
Re: break in
I got my bike back today,checked all levels and oil filter,they were fine. When i walked over to it i saw the service mang standing next to it. Some one had broken the left front turn signal off. He said he was sorry and told me how it could have happened ,and put on a new one.
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FunGus1968
(4/25/04 10:10 am)
Re: break in
Hello.
I just spoke with my mechanic whom I've known for 15 years. His opinion is that the 600 mile service should really be called the 600 mile oil change. I asked him about the valve adjustment and he says that at 600 miles, he never has to adjust valves. He said to wait for a few thousand miles.
I took this approach in breaking in my bike:
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htmFollowing this advice, I changed the oil pretty frequently within the first 500 miles - three times actually, with 10W40.
I changed it at 50 miles, then at 200 and then at 500.
I told this to my mechanic and he said " So what do you need me for?"
So do you agree with him?
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Red01SuziB12S
(4/25/04 3:25 pm)
Re: break in
Agree with him about what? His "600 mile oil change", or "So, what do you need me for?" part?
Between this site and other Bandit, Katana and Old School GSXR sites, there are too many people here who have adjusted their own valves at 600 miles and found they needed adjustment, so I have to disagree. A lot of dealer 600 mile services seem to follow your friend's method though... but Suzuki is recommending a valve adjustment. This is one where I'm siding with the manufacturer, rather than "conventional wisdom." Skipping the 600 mi adjustment may be OK on some bikes, but not on the air/oil cooled Suzukis. I will say that I've never heard of anyone having a catastrophic failure if they skipped it. Still, I'd do it for piece of mind and optimum performance.
Paul W
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Ray Nielsen
(4/25/04 5:00 pm)
Re: break in
At 619 miles EVERY valve was at the tight end of specifications or even slightly less!
I'm glad I took the owner's manual's advice and checked them as I suspect the clearances would only reduce further with more miles.
I set them to maximum clearance; 0.006" intake and 0.009" exhaust -- I can hear them a bit now, but not too noisy, rather the sound of well oiled machinery!
My Suzuki factory manual listed the exhaust clearance at 0.090", obviously a typo. The decal on the side frame tube listed it correctly though.
If the clearances hold well from now to 7500 miles I'll probably only check them at 10K intervals in the future as I drive conservatively and seldom use high engine speeds.
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FunGus1968
(4/25/04 11:11 pm)
Re: break in
What do valves that are out of spec sound/feel like?
I notice that when I'm stuck in city traffic for a while, I can hear a different sound coming from the engine. It's subtle and hard to describe. I've never had an oil cooled bike before.
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Red01SuziB12S
(4/26/04 2:36 am)
Re: break in
When they get tight, the motor gets quieter. The normal ticking noise of the valve train will be more prominent when they are too loose, but that's fairly rare on these motors.
Paul W
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03b12sil
(4/26/04 4:13 pm)
Re: break in
From what I've read a lot of people have a lot of ways to break a new motor in. That's why IMO you should follow the warranty and have the 600 mile service, so if your way dosen't work your back's covered.
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