Run-In Virtually Completed

[Jamie]

Here I am, 600 miles/1000 kilometers later, i.e. since Nov. 15, despite constantly adverse weather conditions.

This is a GEM of a bike, folks. Probably the highest, instantaneous "smile factor" (to quote my old friend Aussiebikerdave who has one on order) in my 40 years of biking

Frozen Jamie

[vega 0]

I am on 835 miles now

The weather here has not been too pleasant, but the bike performs great in the wind and rain!

Looking forward to some full throttle action soon, and making the front end defy the laws of gravity

[Diego]

Just got back yesterday evening from a two-day trek to my dealer for the 500 mile service, myself, and I'm still as delighted as a youngster on Christmas morning.

(The reason for spreading the trip over two days was that I didn't quite have 500 miles on her, so trailering would not have been a good option, and yet I didn't want the engine to be at full temperature from riding straight to the appointment on Wednesday morning. This is one that doesn't lose its stored-up heat very quickly.)

The return trip yesterday was even more round-about than the one over there on Tuesday, mainly thanks to the gusty winds from a frontal system. I kept almost exclusively to back roads, to be able to maintain sensible speeds without getting run over by maniacs on the main routes. The upside of that devious route is that I'm now over the 600 mile mark, so I have even more rpm to play with.

I'll be posting some "second impressions" tonight in the 'Christmas Eve' thread, if anyone is interested.

[doggy675]

I'm on about 670 miles now, the weather has been crap lately, but managed an hour out on Sunday,still in love with her at the moment.

[Diego]

Since it looked like the steering damper discussion was going to be ongoing, I moved it to a thread of its own where it would be more on-topic.

[Diarmuid66]

this could rustle a few feathers esp as I am a total newbie.
A biker mate of mine sent me this link

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

I read it . Reread it . Reread it again! It gets you thinking! Could we be damaging our engines by sticking to the Triumph run in schedule!I had allready done 100+ miles by the time I got this and in truth I`m too scared to do it to the full extent...but I am
a) letting the engine warm up really well
b) opening the throttle fully in 2, 3 , 4, up to (ok slightly beyond the rev limit ie 5k ( I`m going to 6 maybe the odd 6.5 )
c) shutting the throttle totally letting the engine spin down to idle.
d) I`m trying to avoid steady engine speeds ie M way



what are your opinions? If you read the thread about changing the oil as early as possible it seems to make sense ...anybody had the 1st service done a bit early ...

[doggy675]

I don't think i could break a bike in that way, although i haven't been particulary carefull with mine upto 6k for first 500miles then upto 10k revs.

[Diego]

> It gets you thinking!

I would challenge that use of the term. Especially if it makes people ask things like:

> Could we be damaging our engines by sticking to the Triumph run in schedule!

Put that thought completely out of your head.

First thing to ask yourself--who is it that warrants my engine for two years, unlimited mileage, if I follow something resembling their procedure? Do I listen to Triumph, who designs engines, builds them, tests them day in and day out for thousands and thousands of miles, and stands to lose both money and reputation if they don't work? Or some clown whose only claim to fame is that he could figure out how to post a Web page that grabs attention with a lot of outdated facts and half-truths? In other words, who has a vested interest in NOT harming my engine?

Modern engines aren't built the same as 30 years ago, when some of those things this guy says were more valid. Nor are most of us pro racers who need peak performance right out of the crate and will be rebuilding our engines all the time anyway as a routine matter.

Fortunately, modern engines are strong enough that most of them won't fly apart immediately if you use some wacky procedure...but knowing that a lot of folks do buy into ideas like this is exactly why I will not buy a used bike that I did not run in myself. (Doggy and I may differ somewhat on just how many RPM is "too gentle," but at least it appears we both agree on the spirit of Triumph's procedure. )

Diarmuid, you haven't harmed your engine in any way by doing what Triumph said for the first hundred miles. Nor, fortunately, have you probably done any damage with what you've described so far, but I sure wouldn't go overboard with it. Whatever you choose to do about early oil changes, don't go to synth before 500 miles, and don't delay too long after that in switching to synth.

[Diarmuid66]

Thanks John, ....I hope I havn`t damaged my engine....actually as a newbie rider I doubt if I have the ability to anyway !! I`ve driven a lot of fast cars and Karts ....but I`m taking it VERY easy on the bike ...I`ve kept it to under 6k the massive majority of the time and now I`m up to 250+ miles (in one week.with this weather..shows you how much I love the bike !) ....I was hoping for a post like your one actually.....I was just wondering if anyone had the bravery/stupidity/faith to do as that guy says! Its something I would love to try....ON SOMEONE ELSE`S BIKE

The only thing I am progressively doing is opening the throttle hard (when the bike is warm) and short shifting around 6k , and occasionally letting the engine "brake" and spool down....I cannot wait to do the next few hundred miles !!!

Ah John, I see you are in Kansas, I need to explain the remark about the weather....It has pi**ed it down every day this week in the UK !!

[Diego]

I doubt there has been damage to worry about, especially if you started off the conventional way.

The main thing in what you are presently doing that I would recommend against, though, is the hard throttle business. First, it won't help in seating of the rings. In newer engines, that largely takes place within the first 20 miles without any special effort, or else it's not going to happen anyway; and it almost always does. Second, opening the throttle hard applies additional stresses on pistons, rods, gaskets, bolts and bearings that they really shouldn't experience until they've had plenty of full heat/full cooldown cycles; not to mention the friction of relatively tight components working in the somewhat less slippery break-in oil.

As near as I can tell, the caveat against full throttle before 500 miles appears to be more important than any specific engine RPM number. Right up there in the same league is the one about not keeping the engine at constant RPM for too long, which I gather you are heeding, and not letting it load down at too low an RPM for the gear you are in. If you mind those key points and don't get too carried away with throttle until after the 500 mile service, I believe you will have a long and happy relationship with your bike.

I can imagine the difficulties of running in a bike in late-autumn English weather. We haven't had too much rain here since mine arrived, but the temperatures have turned colder than normal for this time of year and any warm day is accompanied by horrendous winds. The weather tends to wear out the rider faster than it wears in the engine.