[SSdriver]

I think I saw this before on the forum but I can't find that thread now - apologies in advance - At what RPM do you usually switch gears? I am switching in the 2500 rpm range - is that fair?

I think 2500 is a tad low.  Anything below that will start to lug the engine if not careful.  3000 RPM is a good shift point during break in.  The engine will make happy sounds!
Once you get about 2K miles on it then you can ride it like you stole it!

Keep the rubber down...Jimmy

[GSS]

Nothing wrong with the SteveThackery break in method! It is pretty standard for most of us.

[Good Vibes]

Because I live 600 miles from my New Zealand dealer, I did first oil change myself.  I kept my engine relaxed during running in and followed the manufacturer's recommendations as far as possible without holding up other cars.  However, because I live 600 miles from my New Zealand dealer, I did the first oil change myself.  While it is a modern engine, there was sure a lot of metal swarf on the sump magnets and the oil was pretty grey, so there is quite a lot of bedding in wear happening.  My suggestion is to stick to the makers recommendations as far as possible and you will have a good bike.

[GSS]

Yes, handle with care during the first 300 miles!  There is no downside to the slow break-in but it is not critical for these new engines after the first few hundred miles.  The first oil change at 300 miles is always full of crud and metal shavings, including aluminum swarf left over from machining. My subsequent oil changes on the C5 and GT (Amsoil synthetic) at 600, 900 and 1200 miles have always been very clean with minimal fine metal on the magnets.

[Vince]

     www.vincesmotorcyclestore.com/myths.html#engine

     I don't understand why this keeps coming up. The instructions are in the book you received with the bike. Give the book to your wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend/sister/daughter and have them read it to you.
     If you don't trust the mechanical and engineering acumen of the manufacturer, why did you even buy the bike? Do you really think the manufacturer can build the bike, then be so stupid that they don't know how to break it in or maintain it? Or that they would deliberately give you bogus instructions so as to ensure your dissatisfaction with their product?

[Otto_Ing]

True,  but from an engineering prospective it would be correct to prescribe rpm range and load instead of setting a speed limit.

It's easy to screw the engine at low speed too....

So low torque (thottle), max midrange rpm with lots of variation and don't use the fifth at all unless going downhill for the first 300 miles...makes more sense to me.

[gizzo]

     www.vincesmotorcyclestore.com/myths.html#engine

     Do you really think the manufacturer can build the bike, then be so stupid that they don't know how to break it in or maintain it? Or that they would deliberately give you bogus instructions so as to ensure your dissatisfaction with their product?

Ordinarily you'd answer that with a "no", but this is Royal Enfield after all.  .

[GSS]

    I re-read all the posts to see what got Br. Vince all fired up.......can't find a thing.  No one recommended anything that would trash the engines and if you read Steve's post carefully, he proposed a very reasonable break-in. I personally take a good 1500 miles to break mine in......my synthetic oil changes are excessively frequent.....rpm, loading and speed are all critical factors.

[SteveThackery]

Do you really think the manufacturer can build the bike, then be so stupid that they don't know how to break it in or maintain it?

I think it's possible with RE, yes.  The running-in instructions are identical to the old iron barrel engine, despite the fact that the UCE is different in lots of important ways.  The idea that the identical procedure is perfect for both engines stretches credulity.  I think they just didn't bother to change it, on the grounds that it would be difficult to determine in any scientific sense the ideal procedure for the UCE, so they might as well stick which what they've got.

It's faulty anyway: as Ottonian said, it's not relevant to set a speed limit - it should be specified in terms of load and rpm (and load is more easily expressed as a throttle opening).  Thus something like:

"No more than 1/3rd throttle opening, and no more than 3500rpm, for the first 500 miles, then gradually increase both over the next 500 miles.  Maximum throttle and maximum rpm may be used after 1000 miles."

.....would be far more valid from an engineering point of view.  (I'm not arguing for those specific figures, but for the way the running-in procedure should be specified.)

[Arizoni]

For the CGT you have a valid point but giving RPM values for the other Royal Enfields would be pointless as they don't have a tachometer.

[Vince]

     The instructions in the manual will ALWAYS work. They are kept simple so as not to confuse the people who need someone to read the instructions to them.
     Arguably, there are other ways. Most of them are not as good as you would like to think. I base this on over 40 years in the industry observing the various "improvements" my customers come up with.
     A very experienced rider could probably carefully monitor engine response as he uses his one and only best way to precisely break it in to his specs. Or, he could give it over to an experienced dyno operator for a controlled machine monitored break in.
     Again, in my experience, most of these riders are not as good as they think they are. People go out of their way to reason out the best way without the knowledge to come up with a way that is better than the stock procedure, which ALWAYS works.
     I do get worked up over this. Over the years I've had too many customers destroy brand new bikes and rebuilt motors because their buddy told them the "right" way to break it in. If you are happy with the way things turn out for you, then great. But even if you are right, the person you are "educating" may not grasp everything you are telling them. Their results won't necessarily match yours. To avoid these issues, all they have to do is follow the manufacturer's instruction.
     That ALWAYS works.

[skyfli]

Very well said Vince.

[REpozer]

"Ride it like you stole it."
  "Ride it hard, and put it away wet."
       " Rev it high, and ride it fast, to" teach" the new engine"
  " There is this new technique all the race builders are using"
" My Uncle used caster oil, and rode fast"
  ................

[gizzo]

Treat it mean to keep it keen ? 

[Otto_Ing]

True, the manual must protect the manufacturers from the sort of people who dry their cats in the microwave and than sue them for building it. And yes it is exceptionally hard to say if they are morrons or just extraordinarily smart.