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[w4p2]

Gentlemen

As I stated in my introduction, I have a 07 SERK with 170 km on it, waiting for my return from the sea and the final run-in. It is my intension to run the bike in on single 1770 km ride starting in the Sunday morning of 08.07.07, dealer service is already reserved for morning of 08.07.07 and then I am outbound with the bike for a six week road trip .

Therefore I ask your tips for the following:

1. What would be your run-in procedure?
( If you have good proven procedure, I will follow it like a test pilot. I have the manual ... but there is hardly anything there.)

2. Any specific trouble spots you would be looking for when you take the bike in
(aft cylinder & exhaust gaskets noted, as is the running temperature)

3. Any specific points you would ask the dealer to look for, while in first service.

4. Any special requests outside of normal service

The bike is at the moment at the dealer for exhaust exchange and air intake change, to be followed by required adjustments. (makes are not clear yet, awaiting for dealer repply. Long customer relationship with the dealer, they know what I want, so I pretty much leave it up to them).

5. Open issue at the moment is if the PCIII will be fitted before the first run, after the first run or not at all. This I would also like to hear your opinion about.

Bike is used for serious long distance riding in temperatures from -5 to +40 decrees C an in altitudes from 0 to 4000 meters , conditions covering the spectrum in single trips. Long rides are on heavy load, exceeding the maximum load conditions with roughly 10 %. My requirements are reliability and performance in the mentioned order.

Your advice is highly appreciated.

Kind Reg: w4p2

P.s. Thanks for superbly informative site. One piece of information to you. 07 SERK costs USD 57 540 in Finland. .. meaning that any Finns (me included) that you meet at this site, are ... how to put it in politically correct terms...  seriously mentally  challenged.

[Hoist!]

Welcome aboard w4p2! Cool Avatar! Good luck with your new SERK! I don't bring the revs past 2500 for the first 50 miles, then 3000 for the next 50 miles. After 100 miles, up to 3500 RPM til 250 miles. Then to 4000 RPM until 500 miles. After that, I change the oil and filter and take up to 4500 RPM til 750 miles, then to 5000 RPM til 1000 miles. Then 1K Service with all fluids changed. Then any RPM goes. During this process, do not stay at any single RPM. Constantly vary the RPM in each gear. Do not lug the engine (below 2000 RPM in any gear except first). Don't ride too long and stop every 50 miles or so and let it cool off until the first 500 miles. This is my method and might be a little dated. The manual is a lot less restrictive than this, but I'd rather be conservative with this. You only get one chance to do this right.

I'd do the modifications immediately including the PC. They have base maps that will get you close enough, and much safer than stock, until you Dynotune it at 1K miles. Keep any eye on the things you mentioned (head gaskets, rocker box noise, and temps). Turn the bike off and let it cool if it gets too hot. If the dealer will work with you, ask them to check the crank runout at the pinion shaft for excessive runout, before it becomes a problem. Then you'll know if you have a good engine to start with. Ask them to do this at the 1K Service.

If you use it for major touring like I do, consider replacing the seat and saddlebags.

Best of luck to you and enjoy the site!

Hoist!

[w4p2]

Thank You for your reply Hoist.

Having read your posts regarding your new bike, I was actually hoping for your reply.

I use my bikes for long distance rural travel, have used them that way for 35 years,
and I expect them to perform to their full potential. My last bike was stage II 04 RK,
I returned from a long trip in the middle of may, took the bike to service... and ended
up driving away with the new SERK.

The bike is beautiful (aren't they all), but the reasoning behind my change was the motor.
I hope the bike is meant for serious milage, performance and reliability. Having
read about the various toothing problems, I am a bit apprehensive with the new ride...
but I will be much wiser in few months time... and I will certainly report the results.

Short of fluid change at 500 miles (not possible), I will follow your tips.

Kind regards: w4p2

[Hoist!]

Thank You for your reply Hoist.

Having read your posts regarding your new bike, I was actually hoping for your reply.

I use my bikes for long distance rural travel, have used them that way for 35 years,
and I expect them to perform to their full potential. My last bike was stage II 04 RK,
I returned from a long trip in the middle of may, took the bike to service... and ended
up driving away with the new SERK.

The bike is beautiful (aren't they all), but the reasoning behind my change was the motor.
I hope the bike is meant for serious milage, performance and reliability. Having
read about the various toothing problems, I am a bit apprehensive with the new ride...
but I will be much wiser in few months time... and I will certainly report the results.

Short of fluid change at 500 miles (not possible), I will follow your tips.

Kind regards: w4p2

Enjoy the breakin w4! Great to see another RK fanatic! I tend to be very conservative on breakin as you only get one chance to do it right. It didn't seem to help, as the 110" issues reared their ugly head anyway. Keep an eye on those head gaskets and listen for the rocker box noises. Beyond that, it's a fantastic touring bike. The best RK HD has ever built. Even with it's issues, the bike flies and rides even better. Get a real suspension on it and you'll not believe how well this bike rides! When some of the SEUC guys rode mine in KY last month, they couldn't believe the ride either, leading me to believe it's the best riding bike HD ever built! Good luck with it! Hoist!

[Midnight Rider]

Welcome to the site from Alabama, and congratulations on the new bike.

Since you will be traveling on the bike right off, my method of break in would be not to exceed 3K for the first 50 miles, never staying at any steady RPM.  I would also allow the engine to slow the bike by gearing down...this allows the rings to seat more effectively, IMO (I'd do this for the first 500 miles as well).  It's referred to as "fluttering" the rings.  From 50 to 500 miles, not over 4K.  After that, it's broken in (if not before).  the most important thing, IMO, during break in is not to lug the engine, which in this case means don't run the engine below 1800-2K at any time.  Shouldn't ever do this, really, but during break in it is particularly important.  More than one person has told me that the break in process in the book is mostly written to keep novice riders from going too fast so Harley's a$$ is covered more effectively.

In my opinion, and if your dealer is cooperative, I would change all the fluids out to either Mobil 1 Vtwin 20w50, or Amsoil 20w50.  The Syn3 oil is inferior to either of those products.

[w4p2]

Thank You TCnBham and Hoist 

Here is bit of a progress report and additional questions:

At the moment the following has been done:

1. Pipes changed to V&H true duals

2 Air Cleaner changed to SE air cleaner
Question: should the filter element be changed to KN 0800, if so why? 

Following will be done:

3. Dealer proposes either V&H Fuel Pack or SERT, does not recommend PCIII
Question: What is the difference, what is your recommendation 

On the bike itself the following work is done:

1. Corbin Hollywood solo seat + small rack or alternatively small jump seat (suction pads)
for cruising around neighborhood.

2. Wide pillow & high sissybar combined with heavy duty rack for long cruises (snap on)

3. Passager foot boards

4. Tomtom rider installed

5. Clock covering the steering lock installed

6. Temperature gauge installed (bloody important in North) 

On the bike the following has been ordered:

7. Xenon passing lights (to be used as extra long distance lights in rural areas,
good almost one mile distance, and ...not quite legal), this is custom order job. 

8. turning signals to be mounted under "passing lights"

9. Large RPM gauge to be mounted above the head lamp (the one on the tank is a bad joke) 

10. Auxiliary power plug

11. RK full size wind screen (for winters)

12. Digital oil stick

and finally during the winter months: Hard saddle packs... but not ordered yet.

So, once again... money blown into the wind...

But I love it. 

w4p2 

[Hoist!]

Thank You TCnBham and Hoist 

Here is bit of a progress report and additional questions:

At the moment the following has been done:

1. Pipes changed to V&H true duals

2 Air Cleaner changed to SE air cleaner
Question: should the filter element be changed to KN 0800, if so why? 

Following will be done:

3. Dealer proposes either V&H Fuel Pack or SERT, does not recommend PCIII
Question: What is the difference, what is your recommendation 

On the bike itself the following work is done:

1. Corbin Hollywood solo seat + small rack or alternatively small jump seat (suction pads)
for cruising around neighborhood.

2. Wide pillow & high sissybar combined with heavy duty rack for long cruises (snap on)

3. Passager foot boards

4. Tomtom rider installed

5. Clock covering the steering lock installed

6. Temperature gauge installed (bloody important in North) 

On the bike the following has been ordered:

7. Xenon passing lights (to be used as extra long distance lights in rural areas,
good almost one mile distance, and ...not quite legal), this is custom order job. 

8. turning signals to be mounted under "passing lights"

9. Large RPM gauge to be mounted above the head lamp (the one on the tank is a bad joke) 

10. Auxiliary power plug

11. RK full size wind screen (for winters)

12. Digital oil stick

and finally during the winter months: Hard saddle packs... but not ordered yet.

So, once again... money blown into the wind...

But I love it. 

w4p2 

2. Ans: The HD filter is a POS. The K&N is a good filter, guaranteed for 1,000,000 miles and performs well. K&N P/N HD-0800

3. Ans: If you're comfortable with the dealer tuning the bike, use the SERT. The Fuel Pack doesn't provide all the tuning parameters that these engines need. If the dealer subs this work out, stay away. Find a good tuner. The bike needs to be Dyno Tuned with the SERT or the PC III. Find a good tuner and use what he recommends of these 2 devices.

Only 2 questions from that whole list? I see from that list that you're ruined with OCD already! Nice list of mods. Have fun playing with your new bike. Just get it tuned properly, is the best advice I can give you.

Hoist!