Quick question when u are in 3rd gear and getting up to 60 from 30 you are switching gears right or are u staying in 3rd the whole time? Just wanted to know because buying a new bike and going to use this method so just wanted to know for the new bike. But all this makes sense to me. Another great post with great answers.
Engine Break In For New Motors
- Thread starter glider.
- Start date
Back in March when I picked up my Road King I performed the 30-60-30 in 3rd break in on the way home. It was tough watching out for cars behind me but I got it done. After a couple K miles I did a stage 1 with a TFI.
Now for the payoff.
Twice now when I've taken the bike to the dealer to have something done the tech who did the work and the road test came to talk to me. The first tech told me he'd ridden other stage 1 Road Kings but my bike was one of the strongest he'd ever ridden. The second tech was convinced I'd done a cam swap and head work. He didn't want to believe me at first when I told him it was just the stage 1 parts.
The TFI is very good and I took some care setting it. The AC is a Screaming Eagle off the parts department shelf and the pipes are 2" Rush slipons. Nothing terribly special. I figure the real difference is due to rings that really seal well. At 10K miles the motor doesn't burn any oil and the fuel mileage is excellent. This break in is probably the best thing I've done to the bike.
Now for the payoff.
Twice now when I've taken the bike to the dealer to have something done the tech who did the work and the road test came to talk to me. The first tech told me he'd ridden other stage 1 Road Kings but my bike was one of the strongest he'd ever ridden. The second tech was convinced I'd done a cam swap and head work. He didn't want to believe me at first when I told him it was just the stage 1 parts.
The TFI is very good and I took some care setting it. The AC is a Screaming Eagle off the parts department shelf and the pipes are 2" Rush slipons. Nothing terribly special. I figure the real difference is due to rings that really seal well. At 10K miles the motor doesn't burn any oil and the fuel mileage is excellent. This break in is probably the best thing I've done to the bike.
Thanks for that report Mitch, it's good to hear the end results. I can't help but think that it has to be really cool for the techs to come back talking about strong your bike is. 
Especially when you know that you got to that point with a lot less $$ & trouble than a lot of people.
Especially when you know that you got to that point with a lot less $$ & trouble than a lot of people.Thanks for that report Mitch, it's good to hear the end results. I can't help but think that it has to be really cool for the techs to come back talking about strong your bike is.
Both times it had me smiling all the way home. I'd say that a proper break in and the TFI for a stage 1 fueler is the way for anyone to go. It's what I'll do to my wife's new bike when she finally pulls the trigger on it.
I'm even thinking the bike should be picked up on a trailer and then just hauled out to the back roads somewhere to do the break in. She'll probably never go for that though. She'll want to ride it.
cedarbrook63
Junior Member
If you're in a busy traffic area for that first ride from the dealership, or there's heavy speed restrictions or whatever - why could you not, I dunno, do 10-30 or 40 and back 10 times in 1st or 20-50 in 2nd. Do the pistons and rings know what gear you are in???
If that's a stupid question so be it. When I get the conversion to 1200 done next month I want to break her in the right way from the off but it'll be a challenge to manage achieving 60mph 10 times with all that traffic, multiple roundabouts and lots of traffic lights where my dealership is at.
:eam:eam:eam
If that's a stupid question so be it. When I get the conversion to 1200 done next month I want to break her in the right way from the off but it'll be a challenge to manage achieving 60mph 10 times with all that traffic, multiple roundabouts and lots of traffic lights where my dealership is at.
:eam:eam:eam
Backroad Rider
Active Member
Until this thread, never even heard of this "rule". 1st new HD salesman told me to keep it under 3k rpm for 50 miles then ride as I normally would..I've done that on the past 3 and seem to work fine..get on and ride it like I stole it:s
Been a long time since i had a new motor but did put new rings in the honda about 6 years ago i just drive normally ensuring i dont lug or rev the engine during the break in period
as i live in a rural area in scotland lots of twisty roads so always up and down the rev range in all the driving/ riding i do
although i could do the 30 60 30 10 times on the huntly road before i got to ordiquill but thats perhaps something in the future
but riding normally usually does the break in without problems
Brian
as i live in a rural area in scotland lots of twisty roads so always up and down the rev range in all the driving/ riding i do
although i could do the 30 60 30 10 times on the huntly road before i got to ordiquill but thats perhaps something in the future
but riding normally usually does the break in without problems
Brian
Crzy Canuk
Member
When I picked up the new Street Glide w/ the Stage III 103 kit (had the heads ported and polished too). The engine builder told be 2500-3500rpm, nothing over 100km/hr (63mph), not to ride at a constant speed and to stay out of 6th gear.
Yesterday I just got the bike up to 300miles and am going to dump the oil and filter, still using fossil oil. I have done the 30-60-30, against his advice (well i never asked him and he never mentioned it).
Was late for an appointment after my ride yesterday, so I clicked into 6th and 85mph. This is how I plan on riding it, lol.
Am I doing anything thats gonna harm this engine? My concern is that the dealership is warrantying the engine as the kit I got is "race only"
Yesterday I just got the bike up to 300miles and am going to dump the oil and filter, still using fossil oil. I have done the 30-60-30, against his advice (well i never asked him and he never mentioned it).
Was late for an appointment after my ride yesterday, so I clicked into 6th and 85mph. This is how I plan on riding it, lol.
Am I doing anything thats gonna harm this engine? My concern is that the dealership is warrantying the engine as the kit I got is "race only"