Hi everyone I wonder if you can give me some advice on the break-in period for a hypermotard SP. I bought it in January and because of the weather I only managed to do roughly 400 miles so far riding it quite gently but I was wondering if I need to really stick to what the manual says and keep it low for at least 600 miles and then STILL keep a close eye for a few more hundred miles. What do you guys think? Has anyone seen any difference in riding it normally from the very beginning or not following these rules? Thank you
I've read quite a few posts on this, although I don't know why as I have never been close to a new bike. Some say stick exactly to the book, others rag the sh1t out of it and change the oil lots, race teams don't run engines in slowly for 1000 miles. Motorcycle Extremist - Motorcycle Engine "Break-in" the Right Way! Personally, I'd do what Ducati says as they built the thing and that's what R&D teams are for.
I tend to follow the manufacturer recommended guidance but never sweat if I'm a few revs above or a couple of hundred miles out...
I vaguely remember years back one of the magazines a did side by side test once on 2 identical brand new bikes. One they thrashed the living day lights out of from zero miles. The other they carefully run in as per makers guidelines. Then after 1000 or 2000 miles they dyno`d both. The thrashed one had more power. Interesting but I guess without stripping the engine you dont really know what the differences in wear will be to compare either approach. When I bought my 748S back in 2000, Ducati recommended I kept it below x number of rpm for the first 600 miles. Which I did. Then at about 1000 miles I had a valve drop straight into the engine trashing half the engine. It went back to them and they rebuilt the engine and told me I had to run it in again. Obviously having just spent 600 miles poodling about on a new bike I didnt fancy spending another 600 miles doing the same, so I took it steady I think for about 150->200 miles before I started opening her up a bit more. Ended up doing about 6000 miles on her in 6 months or so without any other problems.
This is a question that is regularly asked, here is the best discussion you will find on running in Running In | Ash On Bikes
Apply some common sense. Don't tonk the shit out of it if you plan to keep the bike, but there's no need to pootle around like driving miss daisy either. The bike is built for the back roads, so use 'em rather than sit at a steady throttle opening for miles on end.
The engine needs to be worked , you dont have to redline em ,but make it work , squirt it through the gears . If you go over the recommended rev limit dont worry about it , its not going to throw the crank out .......... and if it does throw the crank out it would of done that no matter how you run it in , if something is not right with the engineering or machining process it will go wrong no matter what you do .
ok - but how long does this last? after the first 600 miles am I good to go? or do I keep it tame until 1500 miles? first bike I buy new....
Get it past the initial service, so that the oil and filters get changed, then see how you feel - it's your bike. Personally I'd be mono-ing up the road at mile 501...
I bought my sp in November took it steady for first 200 mile though this was down to road conditions as much as anything though often went over 6k rpm. Up to the first service I often went through the gears at 8k rpm, since the service I do change up around 9-10k and have red lined it a few times and maxed out on some dual carriage ways. I dropped the oil at 1000 miles and will do the same at 2000. I think it's best to give it plenty of variation through the rev range, don't be tottering about in top gear doing 40mph as this will do more damage than cleaning the cobwebs out IMO
Did 100 miles at below 5k then rode it normally but not redlining until 400 miles . Changed oil and filter at 400 and 1000 miles. Engine frees up and spins up noticeably faster after 800 miles. I've had lots of new engines and never had any issues with a short but sensible run in.
