[-Fisher-]

Hi guys. I'm hoping to get a little break-in advice. This is my first new bike, and I've been stressing a bit about messing something up by not breaking in properly.

I've read the guidelines in the manual, but under 4000 RPM is tough at highway speeds, since at 60 MPH in 6th it's running around 5000 RPM. It feels like I'm spending way too much time looking at the tach.

I've got around 200 miles on it so far, most of which has been to and from work with mixed highway and city.

I've been letting it warm up before riding, doing my best to keep it under 4000-5000 RPM, not hauling ass (top speed so far is around 60), and not revving. I have let it lug briefly a couple of times at low speeds mainly because I think I'm fixating about being in a higher gear to keep RPM down.

I'm not looking to redline it or get crazy, but I would like to be able to focus more on enjoying the bike and the ride and quit worrying about f'n something up.

 

[mpskowski88]

Welcome. First things first, don't worry so much. You'll hear stories from guys who have brand new bikes and take them right out for track days. And it's true, it works out fine. One of the biggest things with the RPM stuff is varying. So stop and go, alternating speed travel is perfect for break in. You really don't want to get out on the highway just cruising in one gear at say 65 for extended amounts of time. Speed up, slow down, vary the revs. Have done that on all three of my bikes during 'break-in' (and redlines on all of them) and no issues to date.

 

[-Fisher-]

Welcome. First things first, don't worry so much. You'll hear stories from guys who have brand new bikes and take them right out for track days. And it's true, it works out fine. One of the biggest things with the RPM stuff is varying. So stop and go, alternating speed travel is perfect for break in. You really don't want to get out on the highway just cruising in one gear at say 65 for extended amounts of time. Speed up, slow down, vary the revs. Have done that on all three of my bikes during 'break-in' (and redlines on all of them) and no issues to date.

Thanks! That sounds pretty close to how I've been riding and seems much more reasonable than the strict under 4000 RPM guideline. Makes me feel better already.

 

[snapdragon]

My Z650 was a dealer demo model that was ridden hard from the first time it was turned on.

I recently put it on the dyno and it's making the exact amount of power it should be, so obviously the hard break-in wasn't detrimental