[mpmiksauk]

Well I am no expert but since I started going around on 2 wheels, I never had any engine problems ever. So far I have had from new; Vespa LX50 4T (2005), Derbi Mulhacen 125 4T Cafe (2008) and now Honda CBR250R (for four months now).
The Vespa has no 57,000km on it. No engine trouble at all, valve rocker arms adjusted once at around 40,000km (no shims in this engine).
Derbi Mulhacen 125 was traded in to Honda dealer with 27,000km on it. No shim adjustment done on this bike either. At 20,000km I measured the clearance between shims (exhaust and inlet) and camshaft and the clearance was spot on what it should be, so no wear at all.
My CBR250R is still quite new, but have done 1200km on it with no problems so far.

My advice is;

A) When you get your new bike, buy some top quality oil and a new oil filter from the dealer straight away. I NEVER wait for 1000km for the first oil change. I ALWAYS do it at 100km. If the break in period is several hundred km according to Honda, then that means you are still shaving off some metal in places during this period. This metal ends up in the oil. Don't forget that over a certain rpm, the oil filter by-pass valve open and lets that metal loaded oil around the engine.

B) During the first 100km ride around for a few km then stop but let the engine idle a bit. At idle when the engine is hot, the oil filter bypass valve will be shut and the filter will be doing its job, filtering out the metal you have just shaved off the inside of your engine while riding around.

C) Always allow the engine to warm up for a few minutes (2-3 minutes) before setting off. I now that the user manual says stuff like to be environmentally friendly, drive off immediately. Think off it this ways, how much does a badly worn engine pollute compared to a well broken in engine that you idle for a few minutes every time you start it up? I never put load on a cold engine and always set off when the first bar of the temperature indicator appears.

 

[Michael]

Well I am no expert

Thanks for your non expert advice. Now I think we will get all sorts of advice from breaking in experts.

I helped break in a horse when I was young. Jimmy was his name. He was an unexpected bonus that popped out of a mare we had bought a few months earlier, and was handled a lot from birth. He turned out to be a gentle soul; no problem to ride right from the start, but needed a bit of a kick in the guts to get him to do anything interesting.

I bought all my motorcycles second hand, so I have no idea about how they were run in initially, and I have done a high milage on most of them. I have had the engine of a couple of them overhauled, and then just rode them. The only difference from routine maintenance was to do the first oil change earlier. My current ride is a Honda Dream 100, which has done over 185,000 km, and was overhauled at 170,000 km.

Sorry if I seem a bit facetious. This topic has been done to death.

 

[madd-trapper]

What is this the forum of rerun threads? Been done to death all ready.

 

[mpmiksauk]

Well seeing as posts keep popping up about engine problems with low mileage and many people putting it down to bad construction, this is just my two pence worth.

Michael, lets hope you know more about bikes than horses then

 

[Michael]

Well seeing as posts keep popping up about engine problems with low mileage and many people putting it down to bad construction, this is just my two pence worth.

Michael, lets hope you know more about bikes than horses then

Well I did apologise for being facetious, but I guess that was not accepted. C'est la vies.

I suppose if I was a young fellow, wealthy enough to buy new motorcycles I would know quite a bit. Please excuse my second-hand old chappy ignorance.

I got up your way a time or two when I was working in England; some great riding to be had. The last time was in the mid 1990's. It was the last big trip on my 1981 CB250RS, which was stolen soon after, back in the UK

Yup, I bought it second hand with 48,000 miles (77,000 km) on the odometer. Had it for about 3 years, and it had done about 74,000 miles (118,000 km) when it disappeared. The only maintenance it got was a change of re-refined 10W-40 about every 1,500 miles (no filter on the CB250RS), a new chain and a couple of rear tyres. Oh, and I did pop in to an engineering shop near Baden Baden on that trip, to replace the rear wheel bearings when the originals packed a sad. And I never washed it once. Did I do my maintenance right?

Anyway, I recently wrote a bit about a day in northern Italy to use in a course I am teaching this term. Thought i might share it. Here it is:


One July Day
I camped the night at Chamonix, near the foot of Mt Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe. Rising at first light I started a short walk to check the place out. It turned into a rather long hike as I was drawn on up a steep mountain track by the ever-changing vista. I came to a fork in the path. One way went on up, and the other headed to the bottom of a glacier. I chose the latter, and soon came to the surprisingly noisy ice face.

Apparently frozen solid, glaciers are really rivers of ice and snow, constantly moving, albeit ever so slowly. The movement of the solid mass, and its transformation into liquid gives rise to continuous crackling and popping sounds. I was transfixed for a few fascinated minutes before realising it was time to move on if I was to get on the road that day.

Returning to my tent, I decamped, loaded my motorcycle, and was on the road heading for Mt. Blanc tunnel by about 10.30. I stopped for a few minutes at the French end, wondering what to expect before entering its darkness for the next 20 km. The road is straight and narrow, just two lanes with no division barrier. The sensation is strange, with the constant echo of engines, the oncoming lights, and a feeling of commitment. There is no room for stopping, or passing. Travelling at 80 km/hr, reaching Italy takes a very long 15 minutes.

Eventually I did emerge, to be greeted by a large sign advising motorists of the bewildering range of speed limits on Italian roads – big, fast cars are allowed to go faster than small, slow cars! I headed down the steep, winding road to the valley below. Milan was just a couple of hours away, but I did not make it.

The Alps called again, and soon I found myself leaving the main road, heading up an increasingly narrow and twisting alpine road. I stopped at a farmhouse to buy a block of homemade cheese. The climb continued eventually coming to the St. Bernard pass on the Swiss border, where they really do have St. Bernard dogs. There was quite a bit of snow around, and an icy lake, but the air was fresh, not chilly. In the afternoon sun I was wearing just a T-shirt, jeans, and a leather jacket.

Heading downhill again, I went through mountain grasslands, then vineyards, for about twenty-five thrilling, winding kilometres to the outskirts of a town. Again the mountains beckoned, so onward and upward I went.

As dusk fell I came to a small pub not far from the French border, so I made camp in a field nearby. After a hearty pub meal, I drifted off to sleep to the sound of cowbells in the surrounding hills. The day had been a taste of motorcycling heaven.

 

[mpmiksauk]

I am perhaps young, but the only reason I buy new motorbikes instead of second hand is because I live in Italy and would never buy anything with two wheels or four wheels second hand in Italy. Most Italian mechanics have confirmed that the vast majority of Italians never even do the scheduled maintenance on bikes or cars, most go along with the idea that if it ain't broke don't fix it. That is fine if it is a sewing machine, but if it is a car or a bike, and you know that Italians like to drive/ride those fast, then following that approach can be hazardous. Perhaps part of the reason why they have so many road deaths in Italy.
As for me, my new bikes have always been quite cheap, and aside from the minimal intervention from the dealer in order to keep the warranty valid, I do al the maintenance myself, both for cost reasons and because I personally think I will do the job well. This includes changing chains, tyres, wheel bearings, pinions and crowns, rusted suspension links...etc...
Apart from the frequent oil changes (the Vespa LX50 4T does not have a rea oil filter either and so needs frequent oil changes) you got one other thing right............never wash a motorbike with soap and water. A damp cloth on the painted bits and paper towel elsewhere to get rid of dirt, excess grease etc....I shudder when I see someone cleaning a bike at a car wash, pointing the power washer straight at the wheel bearings because they want to get their wheels all sparkly new.

 

[w0rM]

Yeah... this subject is getting beat to death around here lately. Everyone has their own opinions about what's best. I get it. No offense to the new guy but let's move on.

 

[madd-trapper]

What early engine problems? I know theres a lot of new people who thought they had clutch problems till they figured out how to shift.

 

[tim]

Well, I for one will go ahead and say thank you for taking the time to tell us about your experience with breaking in a new bike. It is much appreciated. As a new rider myself, it is sometimes difficult to figure all these little things out, but thankfully we have people like you who take the time to share your information (despite the "haters"). There will always be trolls who feel the need to be negative in any situation, but please continue to share information with all of us!

 

[madd-trapper]

Gee tiny tim thanks for resurrecting this thread. Maybe you can go bring back the other 43 how do you break your motor in threads. Or you can just read the CBR manual supplied from Honda which tells you what to do.

 

[tim]

My apologies, I just felt the need to give the OP some positive feedback. I really enjoy reading the different experiences on this forum and I would hate if people stopped posting due to all the negative feedback.

 

[tim]

Also, in order to "resurrect", wouldn't the thread need to be several months or a year old? I guess when you're on the forums everyday of your life, 20 something days seems like a lot.

 

[jpit]

I think the highest mountain in Europe is the Elbrus in Russia.

 

[madd-trapper]

Also, in order to "resurrect", wouldn't the thread need to be several months or a year old? I guess when you're on the forums everyday of your life, 20 something days seems like a lot.

No, especially when the subjects been done to death it just gets old. Get used to it tiny tim or go make me some **** hot pockets!

 

[w0rM]

Yeah, no offense but this subject has been beaten to death here... in many threads.

 

[spdklls]

(quote) [I now that the user manual says stuff like to be environmentally friendly, drive off immediately.]

I am actually quite positive that the manual states the exact opposite...to let the engine warm up for a couple minutes before riding

 

[starzandstripes]

Well I am no expert but since I started going around on 2 wheels, I never had any engine problems ever. So far I have had from new; Vespa LX50 4T (2005), Derbi Mulhacen 125 4T Cafe (2008) and now Honda CBR250R (for four months now).
The Vespa has no 57,000km on it. No engine trouble at all, valve rocker arms adjusted once at around 40,000km (no shims in this engine).
Derbi Mulhacen 125 was traded in to Honda dealer with 27,000km on it. No shim adjustment done on this bike either. At 20,000km I measured the clearance between shims (exhaust and inlet) and camshaft and the clearance was spot on what it should be, so no wear at all.
My CBR250R is still quite new, but have done 1200km on it with no problems so far.

My advice is;

A) When you get your new bike, buy some top quality oil and a new oil filter from the dealer straight away. I NEVER wait for 1000km for the first oil change. I ALWAYS do it at 100km. If the break in period is several hundred km according to Honda, then that means you are still shaving off some metal in places during this period. This metal ends up in the oil. Don't forget that over a certain rpm, the oil filter by-pass valve open and lets that metal loaded oil around the engine.

B) During the first 100km ride around for a few km then stop but let the engine idle a bit. At idle when the engine is hot, the oil filter bypass valve will be shut and the filter will be doing its job, filtering out the metal you have just shaved off the inside of your engine while riding around.

C) Always allow the engine to warm up for a few minutes (2-3 minutes) before setting off. I now that the user manual says stuff like to be environmentally friendly, drive off immediately. Think off it this ways, how much does a badly worn engine pollute compared to a well broken in engine that you idle for a few minutes every time you start it up? I never put load on a cold engine and always set off when the first bar of the temperature indicator appears.

As a new rider, I greatly appreciate advice like this. Its what you can read and learn from the manual that concerns me. These types of posts educate new riders like me.

 

[Luke]

I thought "resurrection" was three days?

 

[tim]

Yeah, no offense but this subject has been beaten to death here... in many threads.

Regardless if it has been "beaten to death", there is no crime in posting your own opinion on the topic . If you don't have anything positive to say than try commenting on another thread somewhere else where you could be helpful. Forums are designed to be helpful not to be a room where a bunch of whiny b**ches can complain all day.

I have a new approach for you guys... If you are going to take the time to post something, try posting your own experiences and ideas on breaking in a new bike. The thread could actually go somewhere in a forward direction. Everytime you guys post the thread takes a step backwards. But I highly doubt you will take a mature approach to what I am saying, so please respond with your enlightened thoughts.

 

[madd-trapper]

Regardless if it has been "beaten to death", there is no crime in posting your own opinion on the topic . If you don't have anything positive to say than try commenting on another thread somewhere else where you could be helpful. Forums are designed to be helpful not to be a room where a bunch of whiny b**ches can complain all day.

I have a new approach for you guys... If you are going to take the time to post something, try posting your own experiences and ideas on breaking in a new bike. The thread could actually go somewhere in a forward direction. Everytime you guys post the thread takes a step backwards. But I highly doubt you will take a mature approach to what I am saying, so please respond with your enlightened thoughts.

Only thing I got to enlighten you is that my monkey is going to mount you everyway but sideways. Heck he might even do ya sideways!

Morphman resurrected? Hes morphed into MorphTim