Running in of new engines

[MrGrumpy]

A little OT, but the best way to run a new engine in is something we have discussed before. Just came across this youtube video



who did some actual tests and they come to the conclusion that it makes sod all difference!

[orange1290]

That guy used brand new components in both engines that had never been run before, that's not what you're getting with a brand new bike. When you buy a new bike, the engine will have been bench tested for a short period of time to full rpm to make sure it's putting out the power and torque as specified. Engines that fail these tests are rejected, stripped down and analysed. The best advice is always to follow the bike's owner's manual for 'running in', as the manufacturer who designed, manufactured and tested the whole bike will have the knowledge about everything related to the bike in question.

[Greyerbeard]

That guy used brand new components in both engines that had never been run before, that's not what you're getting with a brand new bike. When you buy a new bike, the engine will have been bench tested for a short period of time to full rpm to make sure it's putting out the power and torque as specified. Engines that fail these tests are rejected, stripped down and analysed. The best advice is always to follow the bike's owner's manual for 'running in', as the manufacturer who designed, manufactured and tested the whole bike will have the knowledge about everything related to the bike in question.

Exactly. Why would you choose to believe 'blokes on the internet', about whom you know absolutely nothing...

[roadster]

As with all things internet you have to weigh up what you hear based on your own judgement and to me this video seemed authentic. The only real conclusion was that a modern engine will show virtually no measurable wear after 1000 miles. If something similar had been attempted for a pair of engines from the 1950s/60s/70s production lines things would have been very different. For a start no comparison between components would be possible because they are likely to have been too dissimilar unless they came from the same manufacturing batch. Engine assemblies would also vary because they are likely to have been assembled by hand. Yes I directly base that on personal experience in UK automotive when Honda were already getting ahead! Running in instructions in manuals are mostly completely out of date repetition of conventional wisdom not changed in several decades. It is naïve to think that the owners manuals are written by the same engineers that design and test the engines when its obvious to anyone who has waded through them that they are written and edited by legal and marketing teams. But its good news that manufacturing quality is now so much better.
All in all some good advice I thought, especially the summing up towards the end.

[Funkycowie]

I'm a firm believer of both sides, so a combo of riding it like I stole it and manufacturer's recommendations.

[Argyll]

I don't think that it really matters to many people how they run a bike in as it's highly unlikely that it will ever be an issue to them personally. It's the next bloke who will gain/suffer from your riding style and most folks couldn't give a toss about that.

But, of course, there are many (like you and me) who have a natural tendency to respect the clever engineering which one has ownership of, even if it's temporary, and will neither thrash it nor piddle around just above idling speed. I reckon that's just common sense.

[Steve_D]

I don't think that it really matters to many people how they run a bike in as it's highly unlikely that it will ever be an issue to them personally. It's the next bloke who will gain/suffer from your riding style and most folks couldn't give a toss about that.....

Which is why you should think carefully before buying that ex-demo dealer bike. It's had the nuts thrashed out of it. Come on, who respects that demo bike - you want to see what it will do, dontcha?

[MrGrumpy]

Which is why you should think carefully before buying that ex-demo dealer bike. It's had the nuts thrashed out of it. Come on, who respects that demo bike - you want to see what it will do, dontcha?

Well...yes! However, the guys in the video would claim that their tests show it doesn't make any difference! However...if I do ever buy another brand new scoot, that doesn't mean I'm to thrash its nuts off from the 1st mile...

[StephenC]

In these days of electrickery, I would worry that not abiding by the maker's recommendations would show up on the little black boxes and cause a loss of warranty cover should something go bang.

I had a warranty claim many years ago and the dealer told me that the ECU had recorded some over-revving. It worked out fine in the end but it was a shock that this was recorded by way of an error message that could be downloaded if you had the right kit (which was actually a Nintendo Game Boy with a bespoke cartridge and suitable connecting cables) long after it had supposedly happened.

[MrGrumpy]

These days, you'd expect the engine to report any over-revving directly to HQ over a phone link, and you'd get a 'warranty now invalid' text on your phone within 2 minutes!!