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| | #1 (permalink) |
| TurtleWax Taster ![]() Joined: Mar 2006
Bike: 08 ElectraGlide ( IN Vivid Black)!!!!!!!!!!
Location: Bridgewater, Ma
Posts: 576
| Ok now that I have had the C50 for sometime (16000 miles in 16 months) the wife says its time to start lookin for a new ride. She sat on the back of an 08 electra glide yesterday and liked it. I was just courious what is the break in proceedure for a new HD? Fishpart anyone... What did you do vs what the owners manual says to do?
__________________ The faster I go the behinder I get..... US Navy 68-72 Amphibs, Little Creek, Va. "The Old Man" Last edited by Dave Nadeau; 09-03-2007 at 11:39 AM. |
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| | #3 (permalink) |
| Seat Tester Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 59
| I have done the Joe Minton recommended break in the last 4 Harleys I've had. He says with todays fine tuned machining and factory refinement that really all one needs to do is properly seat the rings and that is not done by babying the bike. Run the bike 10-30 miles to thoroughly warm it up and make sure there are no strange sounds that would indicate loose or mis-assembled parts. Then get the bike up to 35mph in third gear, give it wide open throttle to 65 mph then release the throttle letting it engine break back to 35. Run this third gear cycle from 35 to 65 back to 35 ten times without stopping or touching the brakes: you're done, the rings are seated. This should be done at a comfortable time of day, not over 80 degrees and where you have room to accomplish without traffic. After seating the rings you still shpuld vary cruising speeds for the first 1000 miles and avoid the liberal use of redline RPMs but you can ride pretty normally and rev freely through the gears. HD says change oil at 1000 miles. I changed the engine oil and filter at 250 after this breakin process. I'll still take it in to the dealer for initial service by 1500 because HD and the dealer insists on the first service done by the dealer to validate the warranty. Mintons article was in American Rider Magazine. This link is from Mototune and has similar info: Break In Secrets--How To Break In New Motorcycle and Car Engines For More Power I had a friend break his in just as Harley said and the thing used a Qt of oil every 1000 miles from day one. My SE doesn't use a drop in over 4000 miles nor did my RK Custom. |
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| | #4 (permalink) |
| Bridal Boutique Manager ![]() Joined: Oct 2005 Location: St Paul Mn
Posts: 2,873
| It's really no different than any other bike. As dlrshort said, don't run it at a steady RPM for the first 500 miles, and stay away from holding the throttle open. Personally, I don't think giving it full throttle for 1, or 2 seconds will hurt anything as long as the motor is warmed up good, but for sure don't hold it open. On the subject of warming the engine up, Harley's seem to be susceptible to valve problems if you do a lot of revving of the motor when it's cold. Air cooled motors don't have as tight of tolerances, as liquid cooled ones do, and you need to let everything heat up, and expand, before you get heavy handed with your right wrist. The other thing I do is just a quirk of mine, and I do it with all my new motors. even lawn mowers. I change the oil, and filter right away, between 50, and 100 miles on a motorcycle. My idea is to get any particulate that might be left over from assembly out. MoonRunnerI'm pretty sure, it's illegal for a dealer to require you to have them do the break-in service, in order to validate the warranty. I have 16,000 miles on my Road King, and it's never been back to the dealer. I have heard good things about the Minton procedure, but I have never used it myself. My FLHRI also doesn't use a drop of oil.
__________________ Ever notice that the person telling you to calm down, is the same one that got you worked up in the first place. 2008 1250 Bandit ABS 2008 DR 650 2006 HD Road King 2005 DL1000 V Strom (sold) 2004 Twin Peaks 700 2003 KTM 525 EX/C (for sale) 2005 Santa Cruz Heckler Last edited by Rickster; 09-03-2007 at 10:45 PM. |
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| | #5 (permalink) |
| TurtleWax Taster ![]() Joined: Mar 2006
Bike: 08 ElectraGlide ( IN Vivid Black)!!!!!!!!!!
Location: Bridgewater, Ma
Posts: 576
| Rick, I actually used the MOTOTUNE procedure on my C50 with great results. I will probably do the same on the next ride. We are going to rent a new Electraglide in a few weeks and head up into the Green Mountains of Vermont. We did it (400 miles) two weeks ago and had a blast so the wife feels that it would be a good deal to test one out on a trip like that. Better then a ride around the block and then speed 20k and not like it. Well I would like it, but she is the VP of Entertainment and Finance!! So I make sure she gets a vote . ![]() IF you get my drift..........
__________________ The faster I go the behinder I get..... US Navy 68-72 Amphibs, Little Creek, Va. "The Old Man" |
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| | #6 (permalink) |
| Bridal Boutique Manager ![]() Joined: Oct 2005 Location: St Paul Mn
Posts: 2,873
| Cool, your going to love that cruise control. I have heard that some dealers will refund you the rental fee if you wind up buying a bike from them.
__________________ Ever notice that the person telling you to calm down, is the same one that got you worked up in the first place. 2008 1250 Bandit ABS 2008 DR 650 2006 HD Road King 2005 DL1000 V Strom (sold) 2004 Twin Peaks 700 2003 KTM 525 EX/C (for sale) 2005 Santa Cruz Heckler |
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| | #8 (permalink) |
| Fourth gear and illegal ![]() Joined: Apr 2005
Bike: 2007 Harley Davidson Electa Glide
Location: York, Pa
Posts: 756
| I did it just like the factory said and I did it in one day (the day I picked it up). Over 13,000 miles so far and no problems. Note: I also broke M50 in the way factory said.
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| | #9 (permalink) | |
| Banned ![]() | Quote:
so thhats what I did. Hope that helps. | |
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| | #10 (permalink) |
| TurtleWax Taster ![]() Joined: Mar 2006
Bike: 08 ElectraGlide ( IN Vivid Black)!!!!!!!!!!
Location: Bridgewater, Ma
Posts: 576
| Hey Fishpart, Just wondering...how far is it from the Harley Plant near you to say Laural, Md? I might be going down there in a few weeks and I might talk the wife into going for a look see.
__________________ The faster I go the behinder I get..... US Navy 68-72 Amphibs, Little Creek, Va. "The Old Man" Last edited by Dave Nadeau; 09-06-2007 at 03:19 PM. |
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