I'm looking to see if there is any additional info or pointers on breaking in my new 1200 custom. We got our bikes in the last couple of weeks of October last year and was only able to put on a few hundred miles. I have followed and read the manual guidelines but are they any tips the manual doesn't share?

Thanks.

 

Very the speed and RPM constantly by avoiding the highway and taking back roads for the first 500 miles or so, staying under 4000RPM. For the next 500 miles just take it easy but have fun. Once you hit the magic 1000 miles change that oil and ride free dude. Take care!

 

A lot of crazy theories on break-in.

Just follow common sense. You want to break it in, not break it.

Since you are now taking it out of winter storage, I'd recommend an oil change (no matter how many miles are on the bike).

Just keep riding the bike while taking it easy. Run it through all the gears, keep in the low to middle part of the powerband.

Change the oil again at 1K (if not the full 1K servicing).

 

I was told to change the oil every 250 miles until I have 1500 on her. I changed it at the first 250 and was told of all the steel filings i would get in the oil. It was correct, got a lot iron filings in the waste oil. change ofter and get all those impurities out of there.

 

use a lot of engine braking. it loads the underside of piston rings and keeps the motor healthier from the start.

we did this on every motor we built new. BUT we had all the parts cryogenically frozen too.

point is it works for all new motors and is hardly used as it should be.

 

The break in that is in the manual works very well. I followed that very closely. After 65,000 miles, I rebuilt the engine. I can verify that the HD stated break in works very well. That engine was in unbelievable good condition when I took it down.

I tired one of the different break in methods with the new engine....time will tell if that was a good decision.

 

Thanks for all the great tips. I already planned to have an oil change done before hitting the road wednesday, and will plan additional changes in the near future. I will continue to baby and take it easy thru the 1k maintenance.

Thanks again!
Jay

 

With 250 miles on it already, there's probably not much "breaking in" left in it, if any.
Since there is two philosophies out there, ride it hard/take it easy, I tend to dp a little of both. I usually ride it hard for the first 20 - 50 miles, change the oil and then ride it like I normally would, not thinking about it. Just want to make sure you properly warm it up before riding.

 

Just ride it.

 

I varied my speeds for the first 500 miles and stayed off the highway on my 1200C. I felt the shift points in the manual always were too soon and left me lugging the engine. I just avoided hot rodding it until the 1,000 mile service and now I drive it like i stole it