[Bmadd34]

Okay guys, let's get a good discussion going on proper break in of an engine. Here is a video I found that covers both careful break in by the books and the extreme break in of two identical engines. Will it make a difference? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpoglovyy_8 Let me know what you guys think.

[tooseevee]

   Sorry, but this guy's style and presentation (waving your hands around at me turns me off) just turns me off and this subject has been talked to death (like oil).

    I don't think it matters so much with the new engines anyway. It mattered a lot back in the old days.

      But I'm a dinosaur and not in the demographic any more.

[Bmadd34]

   Sorry, but this guy's style and presentation (waving your hands around at me turns me off) just turns me off and this subject has been talked to death (like oil).

    I don't think it matters so much with the new engines anyway. It mattered a lot back in the old days.

      But I'm a dinosaur and not in the demographic any more.

Agreed, but there are many that say it absolutely DOES make a difference. especially with RE.

[Richard230]

That presenter is a long-time motorcycle journalist who has been writing for a number of U.S. motorcycle magazines for many years.  You should believe everything he says. 

[ace.cafe]

Seat the rings with some good stiff accelerations and engine braking for the first 10-20 minutes of riding.  You don't need to go higher than midrange revs for this. Use short rides(<10minutes) to avoid overheating in warm weather.

Then ride fairly casually and normally, giving some attention to how well the engine seems to want more revs. If it seems like it labors to accelerate past a certain rpm range, lay off it for a while, staying below that rpm for a few days, and push it up again and see if it likes it then.
Stay off the interstates for at least 500 miles. Use back roads below 55mph. Don't lug the engine. Keep rpms in the happy midrange.
The engine isn't really finished running-in until at least 1500 miles.

[tooseevee]

That presenter is a long-time motorcycle journalist who has been writing for a number of U.S. motorcycle magazines for many years.  You should believe everything he says. 

     I don't believe everything ANYbody says. Especially if I'm told to.

     And I believe there is a huge percentage of the newer generations of bike buyers who do not want to hear one word about break in. Many only want to know  "where does the key go"? and "where's the button"?

     But that's only a jaded old dinosaur's opinion.

[Mad4Bullets]

Here's something else you might wish to consider during break in.  This will surely be controversial but I did this after my bike was fully broken in and it did reduce the overall vibration on my bike.  It also gave me an idea of what the bike is really capable of.  Do watch with an open mind. Regards,  Kevin Daly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XutKYYp2LKU

[GlennF]

Actually the biggest issue running in an Enfield for a lot of people is the temptation to short shift when accelerating and lug the engine, with full throttle at low revs (and hence minimum oil), to get more "thump".

[tooseevee]

Here's something else you might wish to consider during break in.  This will surely be controversial but I did this after my bike was fully broken in and it did reduce the overall vibration on my bike.  It also gave me an idea of what the bike is really capable of.  Do watch with an open mind. Regards,  Kevin Daly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XutKYYp2LKU

     Very good video and presentation.

      That's just about exactly the way I broke in my brand new 1961 Volvo PV-544 Sport. Had previously owned a '59 PV-544, but it was broken in when I got it. The difference in the two was in the transmissions where in the '61 they fixed the little bit too high 3rd gear, brought it a bit closer to 2nd. They both had a really tough little 1.6 ltr. 4 cyl. with 2 SUs.

          I took it out on two different days and wound it up tight in 1st, 2nd and 3rd then stop and repeat until the temp gauge said quit. First thing I did was put a real oil pressure and temp gauge in it, then a tach, then Michelins, KONIs and an Abarth exhaust. It ran marvelously for over 100K and then helped save me in a headon collision both of us doing around 40mph. It never burned a drop of oil. Redline was 7,200. Made many trips to Thompson and a couple to Watkins Glen in that car. Those were really fine cars that I would be happy with today.

[-KL-]

Re: break in - I agree it's like oil - lots of opinions. LOL, here's mine!

My experience having broken in various bikes since the late 1970's is to do what people have been saying. That is, don't lug it - don't wrap it out (go into high RPM's) if it "complains." And also - please do a lot of heating and cooling cycles, and avoid steady speeds.

I think you can kind of tell when the engine is broken in - it will be smoother and will burn less (should be basically zero) oil.

When I got my C5 recently, it was a 2012 with 1500 miles on it. I don't think it had ever been properly broken in. So I changed the oil, rode it conservatively for a bit - then changed the oil again and started doing some short bursts in the lower gears. I noticed that vibration started to decrease. I also rubber mounted the exhaust and moved the handlebar weights out a little father and mounted some bar ends.

I now have basically zero vibration and burn no oil. The bike will cruise at 70mph - and it won't "complain." I typically try to keep it around 62mph however (it's SUPER smooth at 62).

It took around 1500 miles for this to happen (I'm at around 3200 miles now).