Does the engine "stretch out" as it breaks in?

[deanwvu]

I am around the 500 mile mark now.

Man I wish I had a tach to know for sure...


I have been taking my time breakin the bike in, as this is my first street bike (having only dirt bike experience).

It seems like the engine has kinda stretched out lately--like I can go faster at a lower RPM in every gear. It feels like the bike is working less for the same speeds.

Anyone else notice this too? Or is this a mis-perception of mine--am I simply getting used to riding?

[Apertureguy]

Yeah..pretty freaking cool...isn't it?!

I've got a few thousand on mine and she's running so darn good. The power is smooth and very deep feeling....and those gears can stretch way, way out without causing any strain.

I heard where Suzuki stated they're not responsible for inducing wide toothful grins...but it sure makes you think.

[Clint]

While power and efficiency improve slightly as an engine wears in, the relationship between engine speed and road speed do not change. That would require a change in gearing. "Gear stretch" is a myth and a misnomer.

Chances are you're getting cooler weather. You didn't fill out your profile, so I'll guess you're in West Virginia. Air temps that have dropped by 20 degrees or so make a dramatic difference in power output.

[T-Bone]

My engine is the same size as it always was! I'm hoping it will stretch to a 1450cc some day though. ha ha

Joking aside, I feel the same thing. I don't claim to know if it's the weather or not but my gears have stretched considerably. What you are feeling is normal. I think.

[kilthro]

When I first got my bike i read the Manual to see what the recommended shift points were according to the speedometer. However, as soon as I started riding that did not feel right. I would go 5 - 10 miles hr faster depending on the gear before I would shift. If I followed the book, it felt like the engine would be shifting too early and it would *lug* the engine. I have been around manual transmissions for quite some time and I have a good feel on proper shift points and what feels right is not what the book describes. Right out the door the gears felt longer than what was described. jmo

[Time4me2ride]

So stretching out is a description of the feel/sound as the engine wears in, not a technically correct assessment, but that's what it feels like. The engine sound improves, louder and lower, the power and efficiency improves a little, you become more familiar and comfortable with the bike and push it a little harder, stretching the shift points out and enjoying more of the power band. Its great. This is a much better bike after 5000 miles than it is out the door.

[geoffsimpson]

Same thing here. I have 4000 km's on mine now, and it's 10 times the bike it was when it was new.

[Apertureguy]

Bingo! Way better than when I rolled her out the door.

[Clint]

Yeah, the shift points in any manual are unreasonable and are mentioned only for emmissions reasons. No one follows them.

[jared1970]

What you're experiencing is the improved compression from the rings seating and all the parts seating now that the engine is breaking in. This results in better ring sealing, lower temperatures, and more torque across the operating range.

[scoobydoodah]

Originally Posted by deanwvu

I am around the 500 mile mark now.

Man I wish I had a tach to know for sure...


I have been taking my time breakin the bike in, as this is my first street bike (having only dirt bike experience).

It seems like the engine has kinda stretched out lately--like I can go faster at a lower RPM in every gear. It feels like the bike is working less for the same speeds.

Anyone else notice this too? Or is this a mis-perception of mine--am I simply getting used to riding?

I totally agree with the feeling that you are getting more out of your bike. I've got about 1600 miles on mine now and it seems to get better everyday. Have you thought about eventually putting an aftermarket exhaust and intake on the bike once it's broken in. I added both to mine along with a fuel manager and it feels like I get at least 10 mph more out of each gear...and the hp gains are awesome!

[Clint]

LOL! You guys.

Hp gains are probably in the 3% range - hardly noticeable on a day-to-day basis, and this whole more mph per gear thing violates the laws of physics. It just ain't happening!

What's more likely is that you're getting more familiar with the power curve in your bike, and you're developing your clutch and throttle control. I know I could drive my 95 hp Toyota pickup much quicker after a few months than I could early on.

[scoobydoodah]

Originally Posted by RowdyRed94

LOL! You guys.

Hp gains are probably in the 3% range - hardly noticeable on a day-to-day basis, and this whole more mph per gear thing violates the laws of physics. It just ain't happening!

What's more likely is that you're getting more familiar with the power curve in your bike, and you're developing your clutch and throttle control. I know I could drive my 95 hp Toyota pickup much quicker after a few months than I could early on.

well...I'm not sure about the "Physics" of it about the "physics" of it all, but I do know that there IS a very noticeable difference after adding those aftermarket parts...I mean...even if it's only a gain of 4 or 5 hp...that's a big difference on a 550 pound bike...i mean...where do you thing the term "horsepower" comes from. and maybe my shifting pattern has just changed...but I am definitely getting at least 10 mph more out of each gear before I need to shift. Just do a search and you'll find that alot of people agree with what I just said. you may not think it's much of a difference and i don't know if your bike is just stock or if you've added some aftermarket parts. but i do not...driver ability aside...with gains i've seen personally in my bike...a stock M50 wouldn't have a chance against mine in the quarter!

[hammersfan]

I found , that as the engine got broken in the engine felt looser , in the sense that it seemed to run better with less strain, I think that that is what you are experiencing

[texrider]

No doubt my M50 will pull through the gears harder now, with a few thou on the clock... But, it still 'aint goin' any farther past the rev limiter now, than it did before!

[Singular]

Please explain to me about the rev limiter?

Does that mean you can't over-rev the engine?

[Clint]

Yes. Almost all modern bikes have ignition retarders at a preset point.

Scooby, when did aftermarket stuff enter the discussion? It's a simple fact that gearing cannot change without a change in gearing, but there certainly are many factors that affect horsepower on a given day, including rider technique. I don't dispute that.