Buying a new motorcycle is exciting, whether you’re in the saddle of a luxurious Honda Gold Wing, an adventurous Honda Africa Twin, a street bike like the Kawasaki Vulcan, or a sportbike like the Suzuki Hayabusa. We understand that excitement firsthand and know the first thing you want to do is explore the capability and handling of your two- or three-wheeled powerhouse. However, our responsibility as your trusted motorcycle dealership means we always educate our customers on the importance of that first tune-up and why the initial break-in period is critical to your experience behind the handlebars.
The Break-In Period: What It Means and Why It’s Important
Think of a group of dancers working together for the first time on a new routine. At first, they individually master the steps of the choreography before putting it all together to make one cohesive performance. They each know their individual roles and movements, recognizing that their seemingly small part in the dance is integral to the execution. But what does this have to do with your motorcycle and the initial break-in period?
Think of the initial break-in period as your motorcycle mastering the choreography of a new routine. The individual components, from the engine to the wheels, brakes, and suspension, are competent performers like the individual dancers in our example. However, those first few hundred miles serve as the practice that leads to the dress rehearsal (the tune-up) and the epic performance you expect from your bike.
The Makings of a Well-Choreographed Machine
Your new motorcycle rolls off the production line ready to ride, but its best performance doesn’t occur when you ride it off the lot. Instead, everything needs a chance to break in and learn how to work together like a well-oiled machine or a well-choreographed dance. For example, the many moving components of the engine are factory-fitted and pristine, but they have microscopic rough spots that, for the sake of our comparison, add flaws to the dance routine. So, how do you fix the issue?
During the initial break-in period, your engine generates more friction because of those microscopic rough spots, reducing fuel efficiency and increasing emissions. As the components rotate, slide, and rub against one another, those rough spots wear down and bed in, which improves efficiency, performance, and longevity. It also means fewer emissions because the engine’s components work together more effectively; think of it as working smarter, not harder.
As the engine components bed in and master their choreography, you’re also breaking in the tires and familiarizing yourself with how your motorcycle handles. The most experienced riders will tell you that every bike has a distinct personality and unique responsiveness, which means there’s a slight learning curve anytime you get behind the wheel of a new bike. The break-in period gives you the freedom to safely explore how your bike handles and its personality while the engine finetunes itself, ultimately setting the stage for unleashing the potential of your new motorcycle.
Common Tips for the Break-In Period
Every motorcycle manufacturer outlines the recommended break-in period in the bike’s owner’s manual, minimizing any guesswork about how long the break-in period should last. In most cases, the break-in period is anywhere from 600 to 1,500 miles and ends with your bike’s first tune-up, which we’ll discuss below. But how should you treat this break-in period in terms of riding style and performance? Do you dive into those first 600 miles full throttle or ease into it? It depends on who you ask.
While some argue that you can easily push the limits of your bike in those first few hundred miles, others recommend a more conservative approach by not pushing the engine’s performance, testing its stopping power, or gauging its cornering capability. We recommend a more balanced approach that errs on the side of caution. Why?
Initially, the break-in period should start conservatively because you’re familiarizing yourself with the bike, how the throttle responds, and how it handles. You’re also giving the engine and its components time to master the choreography. Moreover, if something should break or you’re in a situation that challenges your control over the bike, riding conservatively means you’re likely not traveling at high speeds or in extreme conditions that could threaten your safety.
As you become more familiar with your bike over the first few days of taking it easy, you’ll gain more confidence in how it handles and responds. Likewise, the engine has more time to adjust, the tires lose their newness, and you gain a better feel for the brakes as you put more pavement behind you. Eventually, the bike feels like a natural extension of yourself, and you feel more comfortable pushing the throttle for shorter periods to finish the break-in period and reach the 600-mile finish line.
The First Tune-Up:
The initial break-in period is critical because it gives your motorcycle time to master and finetune its choreography. Whether this break-in period lasts 600 miles or more, it ends with your bike’s first tune-up or what we like to call the dress rehearsal before your motorcycle’s masterful performance. So, why is this first tune-up such a vital component to your motorcycle’s performance and longevity on the road?
As we mentioned, your bike is a capable performer when it rolls off the production line, but it isn’t a well-oiled machine. The initial break-in period gives the engine the opportunity to finetune itself, smoothing out the rough areas as the parts slide, rotate, and work together. Naturally, as the engine wears into its optimal rhythm, small metal shavings wear off the components and are picked up by the engine oil. While this is undoubtedly the oil’s job as it lubricates, cleans, and cools the components, these shavings can be detrimental to your engine’s performance if ignored for too long.
The first tune-up mitigates this risk by changing the engine oil and filter, eliminating any buildup of these metal shavings and other debris. Once the oil and filter are changed, our technicians will also review every major component on your bike. For example, we’ll ensure the slack in the chain is within the manufacturer’s specifications, tighten the axle nuts, and confirm the throttle and clutch are correctly adjusted. Then, we’ll assess our work and how the bike performs with a final test ride before cleaning and returning it to you.
Making the Most of Every Mile
It’s easy to get so excited about your new motorcycle that your first inclination is to ride full throttle and see if it fulfills its promise of delivering jaw-dropping thrills in the saddle. We understand the appeal and excitement, but we also know how crucial it is to take things slow at first so you can enjoy the full scale of your bike’s performance every mile ahead. That’s the purpose of the break-in period and the first tune-up: to set you and your motorcycle up for success.
Your motorcycle has exceptional potential, but reaching that potential isn’t achievable if you avoid that initial break-in period or skip the first tune-up. The break-in period ensures your bike and its components, from the engine to the tires, transmission, and brakes, master the choreography necessary to deliver an epic performance as you chase the horizon. In most cases, that mastery comes after 600 miles and ends with a tune-up that confirms everything is exactly as it should be. From there, you can confidently “ride it like you stole it” and know you’ve done everything necessary to protect your investment, extend its longevity, and optimize its performance mile after mile and adventure after adventure.
