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[ryr8828dj]

I put the first 50 miles on in one ride.  Then I put the next 450 on in 50 - 60 mile rides.  Always varying the RPMs and DECELERATION often.  Never exceeded 2500 RPM until after the first 500.  Then up to 3000 RPM still varying always and DECELERATION often. 

Before I got her home I'd already planned a break-in route close to home.  Lots of small up and down hills.  I would accelerate up the hills and let the bike slow itself down the hills.  The route didn't have much open road so I wasn't tempted to open her up.

I've got my 1K service and I'm ready to open her up.

[Talon]

Right or wrong I have always riden a new bike like I am going to ride it all of the time.  I don't thrash 'em to hard but you won't find me in the back of the pack too often either.

06 SEUC break in went like this.  Ride it about 600 miles,  dump the oil, take it to CC 1700 miles in 5 days with the cruise set at or above 80 for much of the trip.

Seems to be fine.  Loved every minute of it.

 

[LRebel]

Break-In Proceedure:  Like You Stole It 

[rasmusmi]

Check out the current (October) issue of American Rider magazine with the silver '09 SERG on the cover, not only for their great article of the SERG but also page 68 "V-Tech" with Joe Minton.

Joe reiterates his recommendation for "proven engine break-in technique":
"Start it up and ride. Get into 3rd gear with the engine near 2,000 rpm. Apply full throttle. When the engine reaches 3,500 rpm, close the throttle and let the bike coast back to 2,000 rpm. Do it again 10 times. You have just seated the rings." 

I'm trying to find out if he means to do this right out of the crate, after the initial 50 miles or what? Also, do this just in 3rd gear? Will advise IF I get a response.

[harleyguynv]

I tried the procedure that Roadking posted on my 05 95" ultra build. It did not work for me. I had alot of oil carryover in the aircleaner. I am assuming the rings did not seat well. I just got my 07 SEUC back for the head recall, which they installed new cylinders, piston and rings also. I now have 800 miles on it and it runs great. I checked the plugs and they look great. I also checked the air cleaner and there was no oil carryover at all. This is the break-in procedure I followed. I got it from Mike @ Latus Harley Davidson. I hope this helps someone...

Break in for new rings is basically what not to do:
Do not overrev the motor (4500rpms or less)
No extended steady state-like freeway (vary the throttle)
No heavy loads where wide throttle openings are required to move the bike (lugging)
Do not do any of above for the first 500 miles and all should be good to go to dyno.

Do close the throttle and let coast every now and then.
Do run the motor in a gear and rpm where it seems happy with the least amount of load.
Do open the throttle once in awhile to put some load on the rings (try to be off throttle for as long as you were on immediately after). Picture running up a small hill then coasting down the other side with the throttle closed.

[ryr8828dj]

Sounds like the best break-in to me.  I believe that the accelartion and decelartion for the first 50 miles is one of the most important factors.

[customryder]

just seat the rings... the rest runs in oil bath...  lots of B S associated with break in... I personally believe they run stronger if you run the chit out of it...  (not that I did that)  ask any high dollar engine builder .. they break them in on the dyno in a few pulls..  I have took 75k (each)supercharged 1200hp boat engines straight from the dyno to wfo poker runs... no problems..

[planenut]

ride it like you ride normally , i ride them like i stoled them .do you brake in a tractor or a weed eater or your car . you"ll get as many diff answers as there is members
and all will be correct in some way.My motto is if its going to break let it break,and i change the oil at 500/1500/3k and every 2500.If you change your own oil you can tell allot about the state  of the mtr by the oil only my 2 cents.just do what you think is correct for you.My cars and bikes have never let me down with my motto



Jon

[T MAC]

Right or wrong I have always riden a new bike like I am going to ride it all of the time.  I don't thrash 'em to hard but you won't find me in the back of the pack too often either.

06 SEUC break in went like this.  Ride it about 600 miles,  dump the oil, take it to CC 1700 miles in 5 days with the cruise set at or above 80 for much of the trip.

Seems to be fine.  Loved every minute of it.

THAT'S HOW I ALWAYS BREAK MY BIKES IN ALSO.  I RIDE IT LIKE I AM GOING TO RIDE IT.  I DO THE CHANGE THE OIL AT 500 MILES AND THEN AGAIN 1000 MILES.  NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS EXCEPT A RECALL HMMM I MEAN ENHANCEMENT.

[Talon]

Sounds like the best break-in to me.  I believe that the accelartion and decelartion for the first 50 miles is one of the most important factors.

On any motor break in, you don't want to hold a steady rpm for to long. I don't know about Harley's, but when changing the cam in cars we would hold the rpm's at about 2000 rpm for about two minutes on first start up to break in the cam and lifters.

[JCZ]

Check out the current (October) issue of American Rider magazine with the silver '09 SERG on the cover, not only for their great article of the SERG but also page 68 "V-Tech" with Joe Minton.

Joe reiterates his recommendation for "proven engine break-in technique":
"Start it up and ride. Get into 3rd gear with the engine near 2,000 rpm. Apply full throttle. When the engine reaches 3,500 rpm, close the throttle and let the bike coast back to 2,000 rpm. Do it again 10 times. You have just seated the rings." 

I'm trying to find out if he means to do this right out of the crate, after the initial 50 miles or what? Also, do this just in 3rd gear? Will advise IF I get a response.

This question was discussed in one of the threads here back in 04 or 05.  Joe Minton's opinion was posted back then (along with several others from the other m/c magazines) and they're all pretty much along the same thought......right out of the box is what Joe said.  Others said that the rings were seated within 50 miles and ready to ride how ever you ride.

The thinking is/was that the tolerances of the motors now days is so much closer than it was of years gone by, that it takes much less mileage to "break a motor in".  However, there is also the opinion that the MoCo keeps the high mileage break in periods for liability reasons.  Don't want a new owner going out there and getting stupid on a new bike and end up killing or mameing himself or somebody else and a family member trying to file a suit against the MoCo.

I broke my 02 Ultra Classic in strictly by the manuel.......my 04 SEEG got broke in (after the first 50 miles on it) just like I ride it.

[roadrunner]

Ride it like you stole it, varying the RPM's (my opinion). 

http://mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

[Ride n Shine]

I have always done the same thing with my bikes, ride an hour between 45mph & 70mph (never below 55 in 5th) then let then cool off then do it again and again till I've done 400 miles then dump the oil and filter. After that ride as you always ride and have fun. I've got mate that just ride the chit out of their bikes from new and never have any trouble so who knows.

[Carlos Silva]

...beer stop/1 beer/bs/go...next beer stop/2 beers/more bs/go...next beer stop/2 beers/distribute single dollar bills/flirt/bs/go...repeat

 

[weamdog]

get this, the tech that did my delivery told me to keep it under 4k and roll the throttle!  i didn't have any problem keeping it under that and i survived.  if it blows up next week they can give me a new one