Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Wolfx]

I have been reading alot on the internet about this topic, and I didnt come up with an answer searching here. Lots of opionions on the hows and whys all over the place, so I thought I would ask here and see what you all might have done.

Did you follow Harley's breakin specs?
Did you ride it like you stole it from the begining?

How are things running now after you "broke in your new ride" with one of the above possibilities? Or add your own if its not listed.

[Crawdaddy]

I did the first 50 by the book.  Second 450....I stretched it out to 75 and cruised at 65.  Final 500, I rode it like I stole it.

No problems

[Tonys]

Also by the book for the first 50...then 70-75 until 500 miles. Varying rpms as much as possible and not lug or overheat it...with occasional runs to 5000 rpm, then slow and let it cool.
Mine runs great, no oil use. [smiley=biggthumpup.gif]

[nidan]

Mellow and short duration for the first 100 miles , then gradually increase range and rpm , keep it under 70 until 500. If you have modded the engine , then it's not a bad idea to change oil at 500 and 1000 . I've heard from a number of bulders to run dino during the first 1000 , then switch to Syn of your preference.

[Coolbreeze]

Two bikes, same build...  I rode mine hard, full accell and decell to 5800 rpm a dozen times as soon as I fired it up.  My wife broke hers in like the factory book said to on a new bike...   I turn 12 more horses than she does and use no oil.  she uses almost a half a quart between oil changes...

There is a thread on this site that covers this issue well if you run a search for it.  You do yourself a grave disservice by breaking the motor in easy.  HD has GOT to tell you to do it that way because the rubs keep killing themselves on new bikes...

Just my opinion.......................  but I can prove it's right on my wife and I's hotrod bikes.

[DavidB]

I put 300 miles on my latest bike the day I picked it up then changed the oil and shipped it to Portland, Or.
The next 4491 miles back to the house were Run Hard, back the the East Coast in 11 days a lot of that time spent on the Interstate between 90 and 100 mph two up.
The bike used a little less the 1/2 quart.

[reg26]

I did mine by the book. 20,000 mi later no problems and I've never had to add a drop of oil.

[Dave]

I did mine by the book. 20,000 mi later no problems and I've never had to add a drop of oil.

Wow!  20,000 miles and has not used  a drop of oil.   Must be good stuff but you might want to change it soon.

Ok, sorry I am in that sort of smart A$$ mood today.

[hdturner]

actually they are pretty well broke in when you get them. the factory tech's ride them on a dyno checking all systems and performance and speeds up to 60 miles an hour.

[spydglide]

Unless someone knows better, the only Dyno runs that I witnessed by the factory was one run up thru all gears and then a shutdown.  Don't think that was a sufficient 'break-in'.  Anyone have more accurate info to dispute this?   [smiley=nixweiss.gif]  spyder

[Twolanerider]

Unless someone knows better, the only Dyno runs that I witnessed by the factory was one run up thru all gears and then a shutdown.

[spydglide]

Yeah, now they've changed the York Plant tour so as to not allow viewing of the dyno run-in as I experienced two years ago.  But, a few years back you could see this and that's exactly what they did, no more, no less.  It dispelled my fears of running a new engine too hard, since by the time we get one, it's already been run up to what sounded like red-line thru the gears right at the end of the assembly line.    ooooohhhhh.     [smiley=nervous.gif] [smiley=confused5.gif] :-?    spyder

[OTIS]

Wide open from day 1 red line every gear never no problems. [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]

                             OTIS  

[HUBBARD]

Wide open from day 1 red line every gear never no problems. [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]