[Swoosh]

I'm looking to solicit some information on here.

What do you think about breaking in your new ride? I've heard 2 schools of thought on this.

#1) Baby your ride and don't even bring the revs up on it until after the first 1000kms (600miles) and then do your first service, oil change, and then start to gradually increase your riding style to more aggressive. This will increase engine life and allow your motor to break in slowly.

#2) Ride it like you stole it!!! Ride it hard, and fast right out of the box. Some believe that this will actually make the engine stronger and actually produce a few extra HP in the long run.

Can someone tell me any valid justification for either of these arguments? I ride with 2 guys that both bought brand New Gixxer 1's. 1 is totally pampering his, and the other redlined it with 10miles on the odo. Interesting to see what happens to them, but my new 10R shows up next Friday and I don' t have time to see which Gixxer blows up first.

As a side note.....new Gixxer1's come with the passenger pillion, as well as the solo seat. The 10R doesnt come with the solo seat. Do you know why?

A: Manufacturer's know that hot chicks will always get on a Ninja, so there is no need for a solo!!!

 

[Swoosh]

Bump:

Nobody has any advice on this?

 

[beansbaxter]

aaaah the break-in method is one of the most controversial topics out there. I've done it both ways, from following the manufacturer's recommended guidelines to ringin' out the engine, also known as the mototune method of break in.

for more information about the mototune method of break in, visit here:
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

when I bought my new 10R, I changed the oil at 8 miles, again at 50, again at 250, and again at the 600 mile service. I rode the revs up and down in the range, and would bring it up to about 2k before redline. I went through all the gears, up and down the powerband, but I did not bog the motor down in any gear (not enough power in a high gear).

I am approaching 2k miles on my odometer and she is running damn good at the moment, and I can feel the power increase with the miles. I guess the engine should open up within the first 3k miles. I would like to put more miles on her to make a fair judgement.

I say dont redline it, work the engine in all the gears, and change that oil!!!!!!

 

[Swoosh]

That's a great article. Thanks for the heads up Beans.

You are like a ZX God LOL.... where do I signup to be on the campaign party?

"Beans For President" Bwahaha

 

[DaveMK2]

Your break in period is crucial to the life of your ride. Your piston rings need time to seat themselves. Quick revs and high revs will not allow them to seat. They will become glazzed. You may notice a bit of an oil smell from your exhaust until you hit around 1000 miles. This is normal and causes no reason for alarm as long as you've broken the engine in properly. If around 2000 miles you still notice it, Youve seriously jacked your motor up and probably notice a lack in power. Remember this, manufacturer always knows best. Keep the revs low and follow the manufacturers break in period. It is also vital that you change your oil after your break in period. Any other questions I'll be more than happy to hook you up.

 

[Swoosh]

controversy

Wow, this truly is a controversial topic. 2 replies, and 2 schools of thought.

 

[DaveMK2]

You asked lol

 

[Swoosh]

Actually..... Yep! hahaha

 

[Ninja14]

I say that the people that designed and manufactured the bike should know how to break it in. I am sticking to the manual... loosely anyway :wink

 

[zx_rider]

This was a very big deal for me as well when i was going through my break-in period. Since this was my first bike ever i took it very easy, trying to learn cornering and balanceing!!! So for the first 500 miles i never had the bike past 6K RPM. After the first 500 miles i felt i could go farther with the power band, so i went up to 9K RPM only a couple of times after that. At about 750 miles i ran out of patiance and hit my first 150mph mark. After that i kinda did whatever i wanted to with the bike.

Oil changes I changed my oil 5 times before I hit 1000 miles. Started with a 0 mile change, then every 200 miles!!!

End Result - The bike run's very strong right now and i'm happy with my bike. Oh i never had a service check done on the bike BTW!!

I would suggest taking it easy at least until the first service check and then start REALLY RIDING HER!!!

As of today i have 3,610 miles on the bike and the only thing that i had to do to the bike is tighten my chain which i did myself!

 

[crwdplsr]

This 14 is my first new anything and I can tell you that the wrenches at the shop I bought it from tacked it to about 10,000rpm in their test drive. Personally I don't feel that short bursts of power at any stage of the breakin period will do any damage but stay away from sustained high rpm untill after the 1000km mark and keep changing that oil as the other guys have said. I keep mine under 4000 with a few short bursts 7500, now that I'm at the 500km mark I stay under 8000 with the odd burst to 9500. The bike has never shown any blue or smell of oil in the exhaust. Hopefully I will have 1000km on it by this weekend so I can get it serviced before I head to the drag- strip. I'll try to keep you posted on 1/4 mile times. PS I'm a motorcycle mechanic buy trade and I have owned aprox. 200 bikes and sleds etc over the past few years and the 1978 kawasaki invader sled I've owned for 13 years is the only thing I ever took a piston out of and that was my fault. Hope the break in info is helpful.

 

[Swoosh]

Several schools of thought, and an awful lot of info. I am very impressed with the info that Beans provided, and think I will follow that on the new 10. (Which arrives at the shop tomorrow btw and yes I'm flipping out again).

My mechanic also said "Drive it like you stole it, and if caught you're going to jail" because you should drive it like you'll always drive it. Not abuse it, but similar to the web site... run it all the way through the rev range, let the engine brake work it back down. But as for staying under 5,6 or even 7,000 rpm common thought seems to be that you are actually doing more damage to it by maintaining these speeds.

Run it through the range, shift gears, run low, run high, shift again... work it in. I know that there are those that disagree with this but I guess it's preference.

For those who say that you are sticking with what the manual says for break in, consider this.... The break in instructions with your motorcycle haven't changed in the last 20+ years, but the technology certainly has. So are you saying you should do everything the same to your 06 ride that you would do to your 1986 bike?

Just my $.02

 

[ZXEMT]

The tech has changed yes, but a combustion motor is still just that, a cylinder, a piston, rings, a head, valves , etc . . A motor still requires a proper break in. All the tech that has chaged still hasn't changed the basics of a motor. The rings need to properly seat with the cylinder walls, the bearings need to wear in right. Follow the proper break in and suffer a little bit for the enjoyment that will come after.

 

[Ozzy]

Several schools of thought, and an awful lot of info. I am very impressed with the info that Beans provided, and think I will follow that on the new 10. (Which arrives at the shop tomorrow btw and yes I'm flipping out again).

My mechanic also said "Drive it like you stole it, and if caught you're going to jail" because you should drive it like you'll always drive it. Not abuse it, but similar to the web site... run it all the way through the rev range, let the engine brake work it back down. But as for staying under 5,6 or even 7,000 rpm common thought seems to be that you are actually doing more damage to it by maintaining these speeds.

Run it through the range, shift gears, run low, run high, shift again... work it in. I know that there are those that disagree with this but I guess it's preference.

For those who say that you are sticking with what the manual says for break in, consider this.... The break in instructions with your motorcycle haven't changed in the last 20+ years, but the technology certainly has. So are you saying you should do everything the same to your 06 ride that you would do to your 1986 bike?

Just my $.02

My friend followed the Motoman method on his 04 10R. He now has an 06 10R and is following the manufactures recommended procedure.

 

[Swoosh]

My friend followed the Motoman method on his 04 10R. He now has an 06 10R and is following the manufactures recommended procedure.

Can you provide more specifics as to why? What went wrong with his 04?

 

[shakinlaw]

Can you provide more specifics as to why? What went wrong with his 04?

Hey Swoosh-- What ever happened with your 2 friends with the Gixxers? How are their bikes holding up-- and which technique did you use with your 07zx-1 ?

 

[madmax2295]

Stick to Kawasaki's method. They have spent millions on research and development. Listen to them, they reccomend 4k for the first 500 miles, do at most 6k, be nice to it during the break in.

 

[matttttttador]

I'm interested in the results of those gixxers. Swoosh what happened?!

 

[glockt]

The first 250 miles all shifts below 7k
From 250 to 500 miles all shifts under 11k
Occassionally give it a high rev peg to help seat the rings.
After 500 service it,then open it up!

 

[Swoosh]

Ok... as far as I know here's the deal with the gixxers....

the guy who cranked it up right out of the box was faster than anyone else on a gixxer that I had seen. One of our last rides last year, we were going down the highway... I was in 6th gear at 290kmh (174mph) and he passed me in the top of 5th gear, shifting into 6th like a bullet.

the guy who pampered his ride... still rides like that. He's not an all out kind of guy, so it suited his riding style.

As for longevity, that's another story. The guy who broke it in hard already got rid of it... he bought the new Duc1098... not because anything was wrong with his gixxer... just because he likes new stuff.

The other guy still has his and probably will for a couple years.

I don't know if this helps or not.

I didn't do the meek and mile break in with my ten. I rode it like I plan on riding it for the life of the bike, and I have no issues with mine to speak of.