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I recently found this great web site - and In Fact it is how I break in all my NEW Engines, but I want to to hear from you guys! How did you break-in your new engine? Did you follow the user manual - Or did you ride it like you stole it? LMAO Lets hear about it! Here is the article / Website:
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
Andrew :thumbsup:
Still not quite buying that method is appropriate for Chinese bikes, as the manufacturing methods here are not like what he mentions. He's talking about "modern" manufacturing methods and not the 25 year old technology used in most bikes here. That said, I've never babied any of my bikes in their early life, just avoided long bouts of high RPM running.
Cheers!
ChinaV
Quite interested in this topic, as I'll get the bike soon.
I already heard and read about the "hard break-in" theory, or at least a normal break-in period, without going too high in the RPM for too long, but not necessarly always under a given number of RPM, just as long as you often change the RPM, not only same RPM over a long run (highway cruising for example).
What do you guys recommend, what did you do for you bikes, and what results can you see ?
After upgrading to 150cc cylinder, replaced rings and piston, I rode a few kilometres to a hill and climb hill with full throttle. Changed oil after 30km. That was how I break in my GS150. It has been running OK.
Inspired by the theory, I also ride a 110cc pitbike, hard on engine early, the engine runs OK.
All the methods might work but I have been going for the easy break in for the last 50+ years.
Here's an intresting Video Part 1 Be sure and watch all PARTS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_Y1hDgBJ7Y
Andrew
So the first 20 miles are really that important? I was under the impression that the break in period was more like the first 500km's.
Like Fred, i'm soon to buy my first bike and interested in this issue.
There's a lot of opposing ideas, i'm still thinking i'll take it slow n steady for the first few hundred K's. No prolonged bouts on the revs, but i might stretch it a little in 2nd and 3rd during the first few days of use. That's seems a balanced mix of the two trains of thought...
I'd be interested to learn what ZMC says on the matter, and how he broke n his Raptor 250G.
I just ride sensibly.
On my gsxr600 I had, I just rode around, varying revs. Once I hit 300miles, I wound her up once to about 10,000rpm, then back to normal sensible riding.
On my pulse I am just riding it. Only riding in 30/40mph zones, although 40mph is 6000rpm which is about the manuals limit, I am not too worried. At the end of the day I am not looking for 1bhp more power because of the run in, its only a 125, just want it to last. Even once it is run in, I wont be going much over 6000 rpm, no point on the route I ride.
Barnone - Your telling your Age! But glad that method has worked for you. How many bikes you got now? 6? 7? hahhahahaha. I'll probably take it in the middle of both methods.....I wonder How BoostCrazy broke in his XF. Having gotten 20HP with his Mods, I'm guessing he broke it in Hard......
I think BoostCrazy needs to recalibrate his dyno. No way the XF200 will make 20 rear wheel HP with just jets and can. BTW, He bought his XF200 used.
Take all HP,MPG,fishing claims with a grain of salt.
Alas, when running in a China bike we have to keep a lot more in mind than just what's happening to the piston, cylinder, valves and drive train as we introduce them to the stress of riding. We have to be thinking: Will the bloody thing fall apart? Were all the critical bolts properly torqued? Endlessly debated theories about whether running too lightly will cause unwanted carbon deposits on the cylinder walls mean little if you are afraid your engine is going to fly off its mounts!
I'm exaggerating, of course, but only slightly. What China bike rider does not have a story about parts simply falling off or breaking in place due to poor quality or poor build or both?
With my Jialing JH600, I took it easy for a couple hundred km, but the damned thing was so much fun, and the roads and expressways around Chongqing so devilishly inconsistent and challenging, I couldn't help but hammer her but good. Never quite redlined her, but once I was confident the engine was not coming off, I started pushing pretty hard. I'm now approaching 10k, and she's running sweet and strong. Really love this China bike...
Great News - Sounds like you broke it in just right. I spent many hour staring at my Qlink XF200 and I am anxious to break it in, but have to wait a couple more weeks proabably for all this snow tto disaapear. Hopefully Soon.!!!! Can't wait to ride! All the Mods have been completed. Seat Mod cuase I'm short, Complete Exhuast Replaced with Pro Circuit T4 System Jets replaced in the Carb, Front Sprocket swapped with a 16T - Color matched hand guards, front headlight swapped out for a better looking more functional one. NEW Battery - Added quick connect for battery tender. After all this I think she and I are ready to ride.
Quote:
Originally Posted by euphonius
路遥知马力日久见人心
Going all poetic today, are we?Quote:
Originally Posted by jape
It's an elegant aphorism, Jape, and adds depth to our discussion of running in a new engine! (Translation: Just as distance tests a horse's strength, so time reveals a man's heart.):deal:
Your Chinese is improving rapidly!:clap:
cheers
One thing worth remembering is that Chinese factory engine oil is usually not very good. Particularly if you have an air cooled engine or the weather is cold when you first run-in the bike, the oil may not be the right cold or heat grade for your engine. 20-50 could cause start-up damage in very cold weather and 10-30 could cause hot weather engine heat stress problems. As well as metal shards in the engine potentially left over from manufacture. I'd always change the oil in the first 50km, and give the bike a gentle introduction run up until the first change. Then change to the most appropriate best quality mineral oil possible and run the bike in a variety of rev ranges, just not continually at any rev range including high revs and steep mountain roads. A cool trick I learned was to ride downhill rev the bike up and let the bike idle down to a medium range. The theory is that this causes engine compression that sucks the head and gasket down onto the rest of the engine body. Of course bolts should be checked before the bike is even ridden for the first time!
:rolleyes1: I don't understand a word really! I have been trying to understand the Chinese, preparing fro my trip. I do not travel just as a sightseer usually. When I find a phrase or any material on China, as I do other things, I note it down and try and use it in my own ideas. This one turned up in a book by chance and I used google translate to be sure it was correct in context. It felt very apt to your, and my, emotion of getting to love our 'horses' and finding our own hearts as we did, in the riding and the familiarity.Quote:
Originally Posted by euphonius
It offends me when some here and elsewhere portray the Chinese as stupid, ignorant, ill-equipped for commerce and manufacture etc. I don't see it that way at all. Convoluted, opaque to our own mindset perhaps, difficult even for old china hands such as yourself with knowledge of the subtleties. But certainly not stupid!
Our own western races are usually the crude, self-centered, blinkered and arrogant ones.
And all races can be murderous, devious and misguided.
The red gang and the green gang are one and the same.
Best not to be colour-blinded I think.
The very phrase, 'breaking in', is as with horses, too blunt - and does not explain the process. it is 'easing in', even if done firmly. As with 'horse-whispering', the alternative, you have to understand the beast. If you do, you love it.
That phrase or proverb is subtle indeed and can be read more than one way.
To be fair, China made engine nowadays is not that bad. My workhorse Suzuki GS was assembled by Jinan Qingqi (Made in 1994, at that time China had not made decent gs engine copy), the engine was made in Japan. Parts I upgrade was China made, piston, cylinder, rings. I was hard on break-in. Those components are fine up to now. Even my cheap 110cc pit bike, the engine itself only cost 600-700 RMB(taobao price) and I hard on break-in it. It has been good for 2 years(except start motor fail), and I have been constantly push it to red-line, but of course regular oil change.Quote:
Originally Posted by euphonius
My point is they are not that bad, in fact, those Japanese replica like GS EN, they are very reliable. So don't worry too much, hard break-in those engines.
Jape, if that's the only phrase you learn in Chinese, you can utter it wherever you go and the Chinese will bow before you and believe you are the second coming of...
of...
of...
David Carradine as Kwai Chang Caine!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...in_Kung_Fu.jpg
"I do not seek answers, but rather to understand the question." – Caine
BUT you can find those Literary Chinese materials that most "modern" ppl Don'T fully understand :mwink:Quote:
Originally Posted by jape
For me, all language is an art form, chinese calligraphy is a very beautiful expression of that Humanbeing. Just good to look at!
Medieval english is just as difficult, but worth the effort when reading the classics or early writings even with a dictionary next to you, you get a better feel for the mind of the writer and sometimes you find a rhythm, almost a song, in the writing that does not show in the translations. But pinyin and so on is a good idea, for the masses then to be educated and get at least some exposure to the classical scholars through simple proverbs.
Jape,
A good primer on Hanzi characters. Go through this and you understand how characters are formed.
Calligraphy is also a form of meditation here.
thanks for that!
Now to get this thread back on topic....
全世界摩友团结起来！
(Motorcyclists of the world unite!)
hey wouldn't that be a good phrase for our mcm patch?
Lol not very sure. And during my last trip I found common people to be just as fine as motorcyclist, if not even more fine. I would not want McM to become yet another motorcycling elitist group.
Back to Topic - Engine Break-in
I am debating holding out for alittle warmer weather before I fire it up. We're still in the 30's here hit and miss 40-50 degree days. Does anyone have a comment on the temp affects, weather it is suggested to run her in alittle warmer temps or should I just do it? Open to suggestions - And No Comments from Jape! Grumpy old fart! JK Jape. I'm sure he'll chime in with his comments. LMAO :)
Andrew The Break-in Procrastinator! LOL
Andrew,
Just do it.
Dear JTC,
Unless you are tens of degrees below freezing, ambient temperature shouldn't have a lot to do with it. Except for rider comfort, of course. if you are getting days up into the 40s and 50s, which for us in the 99% of the world that uses Celsius translates into the 5-15C range, hey, that's pretty rideable! Just strap on your long johns and some safety gear and, if the pavement is dry and snow-free, as Bar None says, swoosh, just do it. Give her time to warm up before hitting the streets. Then see how she runs, and if she's not complaining, start pushing her a bit. Lord knows you've had enough time to look at each other.
Good luck!
Hahahaha - Yeah we have stared at one another long enough It's time to ride! I think when I close the store Saturday we're going Riding! As long as there's No Snow or wet / icy roads. Time to Ride! Thanks Guys!
Andrew