| Author | Message | ||
     Christos |
 I just picked up my '02 X-1 on Friday, and I have only 125 miles on it, all under 3,000 rpm's. Any advice other than staying at low rpm's for the first 500 miles would be greatly appreciated. | ||
| Hans |
Christos: Keep the rides short, 20-25 miles, to cool down after, keep the LOADS on the engine LOW and if the RPM`s are seeing just the other side of the 3000 RPM`s in low gears: It does not matter: On the contrary: It will be good to give it a FEW times a good massage (far) over 3000 RPM (of course when warm and with low loads, low gearing). And don`t think all is done with 500 Miles: Gradually increase the power and RPM`s when riding till 2000 or 2500 miles. Very important is to give the engine time to warm up before you put high loads on the engine: That is lifelong advise and that will be verrrry long if you now take good care. Hans  | ||
| Blake |
Hans, After considering how the rings seat and the break-in in general, I am feeling that a too conservative break-in might be just as bad as a too harsh break-in. After 500 miles the engine will continue to loosen up and gain power, but trust the factory on this, it is good and broken-in. I would say that by 500 miles you should be WOT hitting the rev limiter in 2nd gear to proof test the engine. It sure makes sense that high combustion chamber pressures might be required to properly seat the rings. If that is the case, then WOT at 3-6K rpm might just be the ticket. Where did you develop such conservatism in your break-in routine? | ||
| Hans |
Blake, that conservatism in breakin was not developed: I just followed instructions of a 40 year old car bible, written by a rallye rider, and I kept doing that for over 40 years. I had never to sell any vehicle because engine problems: Always healthy, powerful, engines and without need to fill oil between services. One even right to the scrap yard after 200k miles, but still with an healthy engine. And the advise is what I TRIED to do, following the letter: I remember very well that rainy day, already dark and in the rush hour, when I picked up my new Kawa, together with an new tight fitting suit and a too tight fitting helmet that was leaking, and my glasses became steamed, and I had manouvered myself in a bad traffic situation, where the bike, with 8 miles on the odo, had to give everything it got, to pull me out. The engine was not murdered. Another brand new bike was next day doing some exercise on the dirt track to get the slippery coating from the sidewalls of the tires. It was sure not planned to burry the wheels till the axles in the sand and the engine had to give a lot more than the manual prescibed for the first break-in miles. Maybe I have to adjust some ideas after reading on this site: http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm But I still keep fully standing the advise to take it easy between 500 and 2500 miles and to avoid absolutely to go WOT at low RPMs or to ride for an extended period at WOT or even half open throttle. And moreover: Most people will need those few thousainds miles in any case, to get well accustomed to a new bike. Hans | ||
| Ken01mp |
Break in is critical. My father, a GOD in the antique H-D world, builds Knucklhead and Panhead motors. he Guarantees them for 60K, thats unheard of for that vintage. but he also voids that should break in be less than desired. he says keep the load low for the first 1K miles, but vary the RPM, meaning, rev it out once in a while, but not under hard acceleration. keep it cool, keep the load low, and vary the RPM for the first 1000 miles, its that simple. people that break them in WFO are RFD. Ken |
