Getting an X/Question about Break-In.

Hello All!

After an exhaustive deliberation between it and the DRZ400sm, I have just put a down-payment on a spankin new 2008 WR250X!

This will be my first dual sport motorcycle, however I have been riding off an on since 1989 on street bikes. My last was a Honda 599. Great bike, but I felt it was time for something with a little more versatility and a little less top end.

While I am going to use the X primarily for commuting at first, I am psyched at the opportunity to put dirt wheels on it and hit trails for the first time on a motorcycle! I love back country mountain biking. I am sure it is apples and oranges compared to riding a trail on a motorcycle, but I would like to think that a couple of skills will transfer over.



One question right off the bat: I am purchasing the WRX new from a dealer 300mi away from home. I would like to ride the bike home, but am concerned about how this will effect my break in.

I can take backroads and keep the speed in check. I would like to do an early oil change at 150 or so, to be on the super safe side. (I have read about first changes sometimes having a high metal content in the oil) I don't want to risk the investment, so it is just better for my peace of mind to change it.

Any thoughts on if the big first ride is do-able or not recommended. Should I keep it below a certain speed, or sustained rpm's/throttle? I can possibly break it into two days of 150 or so miles.

Glad to find this forum. I used it to help with the decision to buy the X.

I'm sure it pains you to hear this, but avoid the interstate at all costs. The only thing that can really hurt the motor during break in is sititng at a constant rpm all day long. Make sure to keep the throttle reasonable, then take the fun roads home and vary those revs! If you're worried, buy 2 quarts of regular yamalube and an oil filter while you're at the stealership, throw them in your bag along with a 12mm and 8mm socket, do the oil change halfway home or wait till you get home.

On my first one, which was stolen, I waited till the recommended 600 miles to change the oil. On the second one I'm riding now, i changed it at 60 miles because my dealer was a spirited 60 miles from my apartment. Both bikes ran about the same at similar mileages (17k+ on the old one, ~8700 on the current) and neither used/uses oil.

Ah, you answered what I forgot to ask...the specific tools needed for the oil change.

Actually, it is no problem or surprise about avoiding the slab on the way home. I will just look for the curvy stuff. I guess I will camp in front of the autozone at 100 or so and be "that guy" that does all the work right there in the parking lot. I wonder if I could return a used oil basin too. :)

Bummer about the stolen bike. Nothing lower than a motorcycle thief. They know the joy of riding and yet take it away from another.

Good to see you got a lot of miles out of your first ride at least.

Take the backroads home and make sure you vary your speed. I would ride around the town where you're buying it a bit first before hitting the road. The starts/stops/acceleration/deceleration really helps seat the rings. If it's only a couple hundred miles to home I would change oil when I got home.

Good luck and welcome to club WR!

Thanks for the good advice.

The dealership is in KC, so there will be plenty of stuff for the wife and I to do there. So I could get some city miles in prior to hitting the road. When I do, I will vary the speeds and try keep it on the low end. No harm in taking it slower and sight seeing a bit. I know the bikes are reliable, but I want to baby it a bit on the break in.

Is there truth to seating the brakes with a wide range of stops (heavy and light)?

Zed, the cart tracking looks fun. Would be fun to try someday!

I use moderate accelerations an then quick backing off the throttle for the first bit on the engine. Not really hard on it but not being really easy on it either.

For brakes I do a firm braking sessions going from 40mph down to 20mph. After about three of those the brakes will be pretty warm and will want to just be ridden for a bit to cool. After that cycle a few times the pads and rotors seem good. I've only seen one pad/rotor combination that didn't seat well and that was because the person never really uses their brakes so they were only ever lightly used. To this day they squeal with little stopping power.

In my opinion, most likely normal city riding will break the bike and brakes in well, so I wouldn't worry too much.

The cart track is huge fun. I haven't been back to the road track with the big bike since I started riding the X on the cart track.
Just put on my third set of tires, all ready to go on Monday.

OK, thanks again. I will try and get a good amount of city riding in while we are in KC.

This is only my second new bike purchase and the first one I was able to break in without having to get it so far home, so the typical break-in was no issue.

Welcome to the pack, and sorry for the late reply...I'm usually more on the ball than this.

SheWolf wrote:

Welcome to the pack, and sorry for the late reply...I'm usually more on the ball than this.

Gee, about time there. Here we are trying to hold the world up without you.


In case you hadn't noticed cannon, SheWolf is the local greeter and den mother here.

Well...I try but summers always seem to be hit and miss with me. You got nailed twice by that already. Thank BCFS. I'd hand out beer for the guys and ice wine for the gals, but then we'd need a hot tub to make it complete. I knew I was missing something!! The hot tub! *sighs* Better watch what I say..next thing i'll wake up with 4 feet of snow in my yard and not be able to ride. But hey, there'd be beer ice wine, and a hot tub!

Yeah, the 'S' word is predicted this week and it seems I've hardly ridden. Oh well, here's to Hot tubs and cold drinks after a good ride.

Surprised I haven't found this mentioned anywhere on here. Know plenty of people that followed this way of break-in, with great success. Just food for thought ;)

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

A good article, but I very deliberately didn't mention that or the "motoman" break-in procedure. Too often people come away from those articles thinking that the "ride it like you stole it" attitude is best. This is simply not the case. Without getting into metallurgy, mechanical wear and bearing design, it's hard to explain, but there are reasons not to do this. The rings do need pressure and acceleration to seat them, but they really just need acceleration in the negative direction (ie. deceleration). If you were to run a new engine only slowly up to the suggested maximum break-in rpms, but mostly quickly snap the throttle closed (ie. quick negative acceleration) then the rings will seat nicely.

EVERY new engine I take out and every new ring job I take out, I do this for the first few miles. Gentle positive acceleration followed by quick negative acceleration. After a few miles of running it up and down through the gears with this treatment (making sure not to over-rev it) I can usually feel the difference.

If it's a broken in engine that has just had a new piston or rings, then it should be good to rev up to the normal top end. If it's a NEW engine, then you want to limit the rpms until the cams and all the bearings are mated comfortably. As the NEW engine breaks in it will let you know when it want's more rpm. That often coincides with what the manufacturer's suggested rpm limits are. With a bike with no tach, they will mention an amount of sustained throttle which is hard to translate but they mean the same thing.

Thanks BWA. Very interesting article. It seems to make sense, but I am no mechanic. I am interested to hear more opinions on the subject.

Zed, first of all, forgive me for my ignorance, but what are the suggested rpm's and is going over the suggested rpm's the same as 'over revving'.

SheWolf, thanks for the welcome!

BTW, I have pretty much settled on throwing the bike in the back of the truck to haul it back. This will give me a little more leeway with the break in.

Now I have to learn to load it in the truck.

Seriously though....I can't wait to ride it!

The owners manual lists something about sustained 1/2 throttle for so many miles, then no more than sustained 2/3 throttle for so many miles, etc. It's a guide only as there is no tach. You'll feel what the engine wants. Just don't lug it, over rev it, or keep it at constant rpms. That's why I usually just tell people to ride it around on the street for a while. If you've got access to loading it in the truck, that's what I'd do.

Tip: Don't let it fall on you whilst loading it. Don't be afraid to get help and advice from the dealer where you're buying it. It's a thing to learn.

Enjoy!

ZED wrote:

Tip: Don't let it fall on you whilst loading it.

That's one situation that the bike does feels pretty heavy.

I would suggest not riding it up the ramp, NOR idling it up the ramp and walking beside it.

*hehe, been there. Boy do i wish i could have reached my camera.