Break-in New Motorcycle

Break-in on the New Motorcycle: Yes or no? Among the usual doubts when buying a motorcycle, the question of breaking in a motorcycle sounds a bit old-fashioned, doesn’t it?

Surely more than once you’ve been told, “You pass if today the engines come run-in from the factory…, but although it is true that now the engines do not arrive as sensitive as years ago, it is true that your bike will appreciate that you do a good break-in during its first kilometers of life, and we will explain why and how to do it in the best possible way.

Do not be in a hurry in its first days; a little patience will be essential for the health of your bike and for its future performance. If you are going to buy a second-hand bike, this is a step you can skip, but it is not a bad idea to ask the previous owner if he did a break-in or not to know more about your future bike.

Is it necessary to break-in a new motorcycle nowadays?

The answer is yes, because although, as we say, the engines no longer come out of the factories as before, it is true that a little touch with them at the beginning will be something they will appreciate throughout their lives.

And also, do not forget that not only the engine is run-in, but the whole bike: clutch, gearbox, brakes, suspensions, etc.With a good break-in, you will find that the engine consumes less oil, loses less power over time, and has a longer life.

Brands test some of their production engines to check that everything is OK, but many others arrive at the stores having been run only once. The parts that make up the engines are millimeter-tightly fitted together, and all of them need to seat properly from the moment they are put into operation. That is the function of a good break-in.

How to make a good break-in of our motorcycle

The secret of a good break-in is to take the engine into a wide variety of situations without ever forcing it. It is convenient to constantly vary the number of revolutions, so a trip on fast roads, where the revolutions are always the same and neither clutch nor brakes come into action, will never be a good break-in.

Riding in the city is a good scenario for breaking in the bike. The rhythm changes are constant, with the revolutions going up and down little by little, with constant gear changes, soft braking. Keep in mind that the brake pads will also be new, and sudden braking could crystallize them. Remember to start slowly.

Engine speed: neither too high nor too low

You will see that each brand recommends a maximum number of revolutions for their models depending on the type of engine, so the same recommendation may not be valid for all motorcycles. It is likely that some brands set a maximum rpm for the first 100 km, others for the next 400 km, and others for the remaining 500 km until reaching 1000 km. Others may set them from 500 km to 500 km.

The general target is the first 1000 km of the bike, when a first service usually takes place to check that everything is OK and a first oil change is carried out.

It is good for the engine to move, to go up and down in revolutions, and not to stay in low revolutions for fear of damaging the engine. On the contrary, the most advisable thing is that there be movement and a variety of revolutions, always little by little and without exceeding the limit marked by the manufacturer.

Don’t overdo it with the efforts

It is best that during the first 1000 kilometers you do not subject the engine to excessive stress. That is, avoid climbing steep slopes that would require more work or carrying too much weight, such as when carrying the bike loaded with luggage or taking a passenger with us. You will have time later; be patient; the bike will appreciate it.

See more: How Often do you Have to Change the Tires on a Motorcycle?

Be careful with the oil level

When running the engine, what we get is that all the metal parts of the engine are perfectly coupled, as well as the clutch, gearbox, and brakes.

In the engine, at the beginning, the friction between its components is higher as they are completely new, and this will cause the oil consumption to be higher. Now more than ever, you will verify the importance of oil. Do not forget to check the oil level from time to time; you will see that as the kilometers pass, the oil consumption will be reduced.

In addition, it is important that you do not skip that first oil change that manufacturers recommend after the first 1000 km. The friction of the engine parts at the beginning will cause the oil to contain small metallic particles that, for the good of your engine, it is better not to let stay there for too long.

As you finish the break-in time, it will be good to gradually bring the engine to a wider range of revolutions with faster accelerations and reductions, but not go crazy after the first 1000 km.

You will have time to rev the engine as much as you want. Go slowly, without rushing, and remember that those first 1000 km are only an approximate safety figure. Over time, the cylinders will be polished, the parts will fit perfectly, and the whole operation will be smoother and more precise. The more careful you are and the more you pamper the engine of your first car during its first kilometers of life, the more you will be grateful for it in the future.

The last piece of advice

As the kilometers go by, it is advisable to play with the revolutions up to the high part of the marker from time to time, so the engine will always be in good shape and ready to give its best at all times. An engine that never revs up is a sleepy and lazy engine; the ones that are always ready to give their best are the ones that live in a happy and energetic way. Don’t forget it.