I wonder if the low power setting would be a good option for break in. Also, when on the highway at lower rpm would the low power setting provide better gas mileage? Or is it simply a cutoff to the high rpm performance?

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if you are breaking in by the book, low power stting should be fine. I'm sure you can still hit 11,000 rpm with it if you don't pay attentio to the tachometer. If you go WOT in low power mode, yo uwill probably get something more like 1/2 throttle. It will still climb slowly to 11k rpm if you let it. ..at least that's how it is on my busa.

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I broke mine in pretty much following hte book, IIRC I used low the first 600 miles. Probably exceed the 4k (no more than 6k) limit a few times before 600 miles, and I think it was like 925 miles I let her rip once through the gears and then finished it off ~6k limit.

My bike runs like a raped ape. It's fucking insane. I can't wait to put CBlast flash in it...it's on the way.

Fuk that ride that mofo!
As intended. It's and "R" what does that tell yah!

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It's not the power, it's the rpm. The junk science goes like this. Ever cut wood with a power saw? Fast is the cut-thru, splinters would be left at the one end of the 2x4 say. Saw slow, less splinters to none to not many at the end of the 2-by.

Hard fast break-in caused my bike to use a lot of oil before the next 3k service. Say the highest book read for the 14 is 228 for first gen. I was 8 pounds under that book number. Why so high? The oil made for a better seal it was that bad taking that reading cold.

Book break-in showed my R was 3800 miles overdue for a change and the oil level never dropped. I would be adding oil between that range by now. And when I checked compression, 240 was about the average and 260+ is the highest range in the book. I am 20 pounds away. Why so low? To me, the oil loss was a better sealed ring with oil. Now? This now looks to me like a dry cylinder wall and why the lower number, right?

If I squirt oil in there next time, I'm a few pounds away from 260 is junk in, science out might explain this change in pressure to ring seal.

Signed,

I need a my tea vac like I need to jump in the lake with the break it in like you stole crowd.

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Hub, I feel like every time I read one of your posts I feel a headache coming on.. How do you manage to do that every time?
So what is the consensus here on breakin, rape it, or ride it like my 1 year old is on the back?
I want to race the bike in the texas mile, and some local drag races. I don't like motors that burn oil, that was one of the main reasons that I got rid of my KLR.

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From past experience with big bore Kawasakis, the one thing I would NOT do is break it in too easy. These big bore motors are not working hard at street speed and if you never stress the rings you never generate the gas pressure to help with ring seating. So I wouldn't rip to redline but I would occasionally give it a good handful of throttle. Don't run for extended times on a steady throttle.
I have had to re hone and re-ring several low mileage ZX1000 and Zx1100s for this reason.

Mad

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I've gone thru 3 14's. I've beat crap out of both and they both needed oil before 3k. And if I'm not at a ton just about every time out with all 3 and my MO has yet to change? That's beating some piston pressures on a daily. This one now, I broke it in and never hammered it over redline or past their break in limits. I had nothing to lose. Oh yes I did! I lost adding oil before 3k! The level remains the same... Never again with a hard hit at the walls if 2 leak and one slams the book down on the other.

Signed,
Not my bike so you have two choices in your head to listen to. The net or the people who wrote the book?

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How bad of an idea is a 250 mile ride on the highway on a new bike? I know it isn't supposed to 'cruise' much during break in..
So general consensus from the internet experts is use a good amount of throttle, but the dragstrip brake-in is probably a bit much?
Make sure to engine brake as much as possible, and change oil early?
With a harder brakein it seems like most people are changing oil at 500-1k miles? Just use dino oil until at least what 3k miles, or is it better to wait like a car and not use race oil before 15k? I don't usually do long trips though, would take me years to get to 15k and I want to run the race oil that I've seen on brocks site and Shane's zx14 build..

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First interval is 600 mi./change filter too. Install any oil you want after the OE oil is dumped. You never stay sustained even in sustained so you are constantly moving a few rpm here or there. I sustained during break in, still under the book rpm limits and no problems here. The no oil added tells me sustained might be a fallacy.

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Thanks for your insight Hub. No headache for once?!
Kinda getting ahead of myself here as I'm supposed to pick up the bike in eight days. Pretty exciting looking at my first new and more powerful bike though.

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There's not one actual piece of independent data that supports "motoman" or other rapid break-ins, dyno-break in do anything for your bike. The if you don't run it hard, it won't run hard thing is complete hogwash.

http://mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm Motoman... guess what? Says he's broken in over 300 engines this way? It was 300 2 years ago when I bought my bike...

http://usu.net/sites/motorcyclebreakin/breakin.html more deeply red-lined bullshit (...redline...). note that this genius references the motoman site. Does this guy even know wtf red-line really means?

So what is the consensus here on breakin, rape it, or ride it like my 1 year old is on the back?

I haven't had enough bikes to make a solid judgement so I'd say do it how it feels best to you. I don't think you will notice a diff either way. I broke the Kawasaki in by the book and the busa was broke in / motoman. The 14 has barely in spec compression at 40k miles. I'd never guess, it feels like new. I have not done a compression test on the busa yet but it also feels like new at 11k miles. The hard break in on the busa gives me peace of mind and I'd do the same with the next new bike. ..but that's me. I'd plan the break in runs and write the plan down on a paper you tape to the tank. mark the throttle 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%. Warm the bike up do a short test run to somewhere safe. You can use any gear but for the larger throttle openings and higher rpm roll offs, you will want to use second or third gear because 1st could be too harsh for a new 14r. Dump oil ASAP and change to Spectro4 !0W40 with blue cap (not gold--gold is synthetic). The bike is broke in but continue to ride as hard as you safely can on the street. Downshift hard, decell downhill, WOT uphill 6th gear. Do this stuff every time you ride and do it a lot even if you look like a madman. Work the engine hard but not harsh. Peak performance but smoothly. Gradually taper off until you are riding normal as often as you want. I'd change the oil a lot and he probably the filter too. I did it something like 30 miles, 150 miles, 300, 1000 all with Spectro4 conventional. It will be expensive but peace of mind is priceless. At ~2500 miles change to whatever you want. I'd run at least one more course of conventional Kaw oil to 4500 miles and then go with synthetic. I wouldn't wait any longer than 5000 miles if you go to synthetic.

How bad of an idea is a 250 mile ride on the highway on a new bike? I know it isn't supposed to 'cruise' much during break in..

That's just fine but run it at WOT in second gear every few miles. Decel, WOT, different rpm..you'll be a busy boy for 250 miles! Just don't run it at constant rpm. Hit the high and the low as much a s you can.

So general consensus from the internet experts is use a good amount of throttle, but the dragstrip brake-in is probably a bit much?

Not IMHO. I would not launch but WOT to redline all the time.

Make sure to engine brake as much as possible, and change oil early?

Yep. Change oil a lot. Molybdenum and other reak in metals that come oof in the oil are good for the engine and you will be dumping them...that's why you use the Spectro if you are changing often.

With a harder brakein it seems like most people are changing oil at 500-1k miles? Just use dino oil until at least what 3k miles, or is it better to wait like a car and not use race oil before 15k?

I'd stick with dino for at least 3000 like you said. Synthetic might be too slippery for break in. Don't wait more than 5000 to go with synthetic. Synthetic will clean away gunk left behind by dino oil and that gunk might seal gaskets and seams in the motor. If the engine depends on gunk deposits to seal it, it is more likely to leak once the synthetic cleans the gunk away---which it will do.

* Last updated by: Rook on 5/20/2016 @ 8:52 PM *

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Thanks for your advice everyone. I like the idea of sending the bike to Brock's for a dyno breakin. Not in the cards money wise though. Maybe for my next bike.

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The dealer prep:
1. I walk up to the bike, bend over, check the chain slack before I sign papers saying the delivery was... You are better off reading each checkoff block and walk up the the area stated and inspect. The walk up to the rung is first thing.
2. My pocket is filled with a paper towel and a little plastic hotel shampoo bottle filled with vinegar. I first dry rub against all 3 discs. I take a small sample of vinny onto the paper towel and rub one more time. It better be clean before I roll.
3. I pull out my air gauge and 42psi better hit on the money fore and aft.
4. I'm checking air and checking rear tire. Do I see a burnout, abuse? There goes the break in.
5. The less they touch the better.

* Last updated by: Hub on 5/23/2016 @ 5:50 PM *

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I don't think a dyno break in is any better than doing the same on the street but it won't get you in trouble with the law. You could go to some other dyno closer to you or do a track day. $300. Might find a drag strip that charges $50 or less for an evening of runs.

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All new bikes are run to redline at all gears on a dyno at the factory before they leave anyway.
So, each bike has been run hard from brand new. At least once anyway.

Mad

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When did they start testing all new bikes at the factory on a dyno? It seems odd that if that has already been done that they still have such a slow break in procedure.

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Takes hours to rub down the high spots.
One more time:
2 brand new, never started at the dealer = Beat it ~ Both burned oil
1 new bike, never started either = Book broken in ~ Not a drop burned.

Signed,
Enough junk science to convince me is slow and steady.
Same BS with the brakes being bedded in = Slow and steady and not a peep of a squeak.

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I think as long as there have been dynos. Look at this guy whip piss outta that 6r. They all get that treatment as a final quality control test. Manufacturers don't want any weak bikes coming out of their plant so they test them like sipping each batch of wine. Every bike has the hp/tq result on the crate. dealers will not disclose because of course, everyone will go with the Ninja with 2 more hp rather than 2 less.

You'll notice he's not shifting lightening fast or snapping the throttle open. It's as peak performance but not harsh.

* Last updated by: Rook on 5/24/2016 @ 5:01 PM *

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And thus my point to the motoman crowd. If the engines been railed at the factory, then there should be no need to hard break it in...

I mean right? Now, I say there's two other things at play here. You are not just breaking in an engine, you're braking in a motorcycle. You're braking in tires, suspensions, fasteners, brakes, electronics, etc. The other thing is you're getting used to the bike. Not that there's a likely chance of failure of these systems, however I guarantee someone gets a new bike and does a bolt inspection at 600 miles they'll find loose bolts.

Interesting. I'd pay a few bucks more to get a bike with a stronger motor.. Never knew that the crates came with that info. Thanks!

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I wonder if the low power setting would be a good option for break in. Also, when on the highway at lower rpm would the low power setting provide better gas mileage? Or is it simply a cutoff to the high rpm performance?

When I first messed with the mode buttons, I was slow rolling, tapped the button, felt this clump of a bump. Say the feel is being on an elevator and when it stops, it make this last bump and settles out even with the floor. That was ignition bump; if I were to guess a fuel from an ignition curve change.

Would that change the mileage any? I need to run low power and see where the AFR lands? That should tell me something. Next time out.

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Interesting. I'd pay a few bucks more to get a bike with a stronger motor.. Never knew that the crates came with that info. Thanks!

Well, everything has a price. I don't know if it's actually on the crate but the dealer has access to the numbers from the factory dyno run. My dealer told me he had it or was able to find out but he would not disclose. If you grease the right palm, you might be able to persuade someone to pick the strongest one in stock (if they keep stock these days).

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I'll see what the dealer has to say tomorrow. I'm getting even more excited!
Thanks for all the tips..

Any recommendations for the first few oil filters, and then after the break in to run with full syn oil?

* Last updated by: CoolBrzBlu on 5/27/2016 @ 6:52 AM *

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