This is my second Harley after having a Sportster 883 for a few weeks even though I loved the sound/rumble with the rinehart pipes I determined it just wasn't for me. Needed something with some newer tech/features and more power. So far the bike has been amazing aside from the sound which I hope to change down the road once some aftermarket pipes are available. I have not been able to find anything yet probably because the bike is so new? Just curious what everyone is doing for their break in with this Revolution Max engine? My local HD dealership told me to keep the revs under 3K for the first 500 miles and then to have the first service done anywhere between 600 - 1200 miles. I have seen people online saying they kept the revs under 3K for the first 50 miles and then after that they rode the bike a bit harder but didn't go above 6K or hit redline. Planning on having the first service done on June 18th around 600-700 miles. One of my friends who has a Sportster 1250S said he did his first service at 600 miles and the oil filter was loaded with contaminants. He was paranoid so he changed the oil again 100 miles later and said it was perfectly fine. Is that normal for a new motor have particles and shavings in the first oil change like that? Let me know your experiences and thanks for having me! Here's a shot of her downtown Chicago this weekend.

 

Hey, nice looking bike. Cool to see it in the wild. Yeah, metal in the oil is the reason for the first oil change being around 1000 miles. Nothing to worry about in most cases; it’s just a matter of parts wearing in. There will be more aftermarket parts down the line, but with the model being new plus the supply chain issues on pretty much everything, it’ll be a bit.

 

Great to see another midwestern Nightster owner! I live in Indianapolis, and haven't seen another Nightster around yet. Working on the break-in process, have less than 50 miles in so far. As far as break-in, just following the recommendations included in the manual (i.e. not reving above 5000 rpm for the first 50 miles, staying under 7000 rpm for the first 500 miles). BTW, no, my dealer did not include a printed manual, had to look it up through the harley-davidson website, LOL!

 

Don't baby it too much during break in. You don't want to be doing wide open throttle runs. But this bike is much higher reving so under 3000 rpms is too low. The best thing to do is constantly vary your speed and be somewhat aggressive in running it up to highway speeds. Taking it too easy your rings won't seat properly

 

I have the S&S Grand National slip-on. I like it.

 

I bought the s&s as well. overall VERY happy with it but I get a ton of popping on downshifts. I've been wondering if that happens for anyone else. I contacted S&S and they said 'that'll happen until you get it tuned'

 

I'm pretty sure my owner's manual says "don't exceed 5000 rpm for first 50 miles, then don't exceed 7000 rpm for the next 450.

I've been out of riding for a LONG time. When I saw this, it was love at first sight. Cruiser look. Under 500 pounds. Upright seating with feet under me (feels more natural and safer than the "recliner-like" forward controls on the S. Been completely happy. Has way more power than a bike should. . But everything works perfectly. I even like the sound, which is to say the lack of sound. Otherwise my wife would have shot me. Could say lots of other things, but basically "It is a Harley." which says more than enough. About the only thing that doesn't agree with me is sport mode in city traffic. Bit touchy. On the road, it works fine.

 

Thought I would follow up with a more detailed description.

First, about me. I am 75 years old. Bought my first harley (a 165 two-cycle) when I was 11 years old, for a whopping $25. Bike had sat in a garage for 3+ years. I spent almost the next year getting it up and going, using my paper route money to fund everything. Had to replace clutch, brake and throttle cables. Took forever to get into both drum brake units. Had to clean out wheel cylinders and find repair parts. Then on to the clutch. Ah, the clutch. Mine only had metal discs inside. Zero friction material. Went to local harley shop and they pulled one out for me to look at. Used cork as the friction surface. I decided I could do better by myself. Went to the local Motor Parts and Bearings store in Jackson TN, and bought some sheets of 1/16" asbestos (yes, asbestos). Made friction discs, used gasket shellac and I was getting closer. Jumped on the starter and it would not budge. Some disassembly showed the piston was frozen. At this point, I had bad feelings. But I was lucky. After a couple of days of soaking with an acetone/auto-trans-fluid mix, it freed up and it turned out it was just oil gum. Got it to working and almost exactly one year later from the day I plunked down my hard-earned $25, I was riding. (back then, no license needed, except if you wanted to ride after 8pm. Sold it when I graduated high school.

Flash forward to this past November. I happened to run across a nightster parked next to me and it was love at first sight. Classic cruiser look, V-twin, low seat height, exposed rear springs, etc, etc, etc. Not to mention less than 500 pounds

Convinced my wife it was time to get back into this. And I did. I've now had it for about 2 months. Here's my observations...

(1) Thing really rides nicely. Easy to double-flat-foot if you want. It is a big bike to be sure. 480 pounds is not bread crumbs. But it doesn't feel that heavy when riding.

(2) Quiet. Good thing or my wife would have killed me. But I'm not a fan of loud anyway.

(3) Power. Bit ridiculous. I wanted something that would cruise at 70 without turning 8000 RPM. Does that with absolute ease (about 3750 in 6th gear at 70mph). But roll on the throttle and this thing goes ape. And once it passes about 4500 rpm, it advances to ape-****. Really was surprising, and makes it a blast to ride. I started off in road mode, but have become acclimated to sport mode now and stay there all the time.

(4) misc. Clutch was a bit tight (narrow friction zone) but once acclimated, this was not an issue. Brakes extremely effective. Couldn't stand them to be any better. I have a minor issue with the mirrors. Like their location and functionality, but they "spread wide" and my Harley cover fits poorly. I have been loosening the two mirror retaining nuts and folding them in when covered. Otherwise, they are in a good location to offer a good rear view, being hung on the end of the bar ends.

I hear talk about a good beginner's bike when in "rain mode." Not so sure. I think throttle response is less important to a beginner than weight. And almost 500 pounds is a load when learning. Once you are riding, it is easy to ride slow and turn sharp without feeling like a drop is imminent. So once you are "riding" it is not a bad choice if the weight is not excessive. A 250cc bike has a lot going for it for a beginner.

So far, I like the riding position just fine. Fixing to take a 250 mile trip (1-way) so might have more to say after a big longer in the saddle. This thing has a number of bells and whistles, such as ABS, traction-control, slipper clutch for decel, self-canceling turn signals (didn't even know this until I started to catch it in the act...)

After 2 months, I could not be happier. Wish it had cruise control? Check. Wish it had the sportster S instrument module? Check. But otherwise, it's a real winner. And it looks damned cool while doing it.

 

I’m curious. Why aren’t you following the “break-in riding rules” as Harley calls them, and the maintenance schedule set by the manufacturer? The bike has a warranty. I would think those who built it are better qualified to advise you than anyone else. My local service manager gave me break-in instructions contrary to what is in the owner’s manual. I ignore his, and everyone else’s advice, and simply follow the instructions in the owner’s manual. I’ve never had a problem.