Unlock the power of your ride - Break In Your Engine Right!
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by Damien Heenan
1 min reading time
Breaking in a motorcycle engine is both an art and a science. It requires patience, attention to detail and the right knowledge. From “ride it like you stole it” to “you can ruin your engine in the first hour if you're not careful,” you'll hear many different opinions on how to break-in your motorcycle engine right. But what is the correct way? In this article, we will explore the various techniques that can help ensure that your motorcycle engine runs smoothly for years to come. We will discuss the importance of proper oil selection, warm-up cycles and other factors that are essential for breaking in your motorcycle engine correctly.
Mix it up Avoid running a bike at a droning, constant RPM for the first several 100 miles or kilometers. Speed up, slow down, and repeat. This exercise will create both positive and negative pressure in the combustion chamber, and especially on the rings. The alternating forces help create a good ring seal which boosts power and cuts down on engine oil consumption.
Ease into Revs Don't over-rev the engine, but don't under-rev it either. A pretty good rule of thumb is to take it up to about 50 percent of red line for the first 50 miles (80 kilometers), and then up to 75 percent for the next several hundred. Practice this in turn with the alternating on/off power and load technique we have already discussed
Keep it up Never neglect routine maintenance. Many bikes will call for an initial inspection after 600 miles (965 kilometers): adjusting the chain, setting the valves, changing the oil. Do it all -- especially the oil and filter. In the first few hours of operation the engine will produce tiny metal shavings as the parts wear in, and all the metal ends up in your oil and filter. Pull the plug and get that junk out of there.
Yet, there’s no denying it: Unless you plan to ride exclusively around the Southern United States, you’ll face some chilly winters. And even before it...
