I look forward to the step by step for beginners like me. Bummer though, that must mean the break in period starts over after the ugrade? [:'(] Still looking forward to the upgrade instructions.

 

Hey deej,

My dad and his buddies did the same thing from the late 50's thru the seventies. And we did the same thing with my bike (XR75) twice. Once when we got it, and the next time when we bored it out to 81cc's. And now I applied the same thing when I got this bike.

I guess it is what people are comfortable with when it comes to breaking in their engines. If people are more comfortable doing it per the manufacture's way. please, by all means, do it that way. And if you feel comfortable doing it the mototune way, by all means do it that way.

But if you do it the mototune way, I would suggest that you take it off road or onto a track. that way you don't have to worry about maintaing a constant speed to do the speed limit.

That and the schmucks in cars who wont see you no matter what you do.

 

yeah my dad tells that to me alot that people stare at him. and the poeple that dont wear helmets there is a name that we call them (DONNERS)

 

Continuing to think about this break-in stuff. It is interesting to note that, regarding the "traditional" break-in, that around the time people report that little extra oomph that is typically indicative of when the rings are fully seated, that this generally comes AFTER their break-in cycle and when they start riding their bike hard. This fact has perhaps changed my mind.

So maybe there's something to that method. Like you, the "Mototune" guy is not the first place I've seen it. In fact, it seems as though he has just coined a catchy name for a process that has been around for as long as internal combustion engines themselves, and it is not nearly as controversial as what he claims. I think the key when doing this is to allow for a cool-down period between sessions to keep the engine from overheating due to the extra friction from the new parts wearing together.

Anyway, I'm on board with this, but again, I'm not so sure about this guy's so called "data" in the form of his photographs for the reasons I stated above. He also has a photo there of the warped piston (and engine head he said) which he attributes to "traditional" break-in method which of course is BS. Most likely that is a result of running the engine too hot due to too lean condition, too hot of a spark, etc. That makes me believe he's a bit zealous in this portrayal of "his" mototune method which casts doubt on some of the other things he's saying - and that was really the root of my skepticism. Show me good hard objective data and you'll win me over every time with little debate. But the way he portrays it on his web site strikes me as snake oil talk.

I do think the traditional method can work just fine also, or at the very least, ensure that the parts are working smoothly together for when one starts really loading the engine that the result is proper ring seating and not engine seizing. But who wants to wait that long ... if it is not necessary, may as well dispense with it and get right to the ring seating.

Cheers,

 

I went with the regular Break-in because I picked my bike up on the other side of the island and I didn't know of any place to really run it well. I did see the mototune stuff and am intrigued by the theory.

 

Fact of the matter is, today's engines are built to such tight tolerances, it will break in nicely regardless of your break-in method unless you do something very stupid. I usually go through the same routine when I break in a new engine. I vary the rpms, never ever get the engine too hot, never ever lug the engine, take it easy when the engine is cold and never leave it idling for a prolonged period(meaning no long warm ups). I think an occasional full throttle is good once the engine is warmed up and is spinning at a reasonable RPM. Never from a dead stop. I of course ignored the Kawasaki's infamous 4000 rpm sticker. I took it to about 7000-8000 rpm once the engine was warmed up. That sticker is a joke as they have the same sticker on every Kawasaki ever made since 1776, whether it be a 15,000 rpm redline Ninja or a 5000 rpm redline jumbo V-Twin.
I have followed this same rules on all my bikes and they have always produced strong running, smooth idling engines that don't burn a drop of oil.

 

Going back on topic, I do get a lot of looks especially on the highway. People just aren't used to seeing such a dirt bike looking DP going down the highway. I also get a lot of looks at the parking lot at the trail I go to where people are unloading their dirt bikes off their pickups. I guess a a shiny clean(not as clean as deej's) DP bike is a strange sight.