lots of different opinions on this, just wondering what you guys do.

It's really between the first two, vary the speeds and take it easy the first 300 miles, and then take it in for a checkup after the first 300.

Ian

SnowTech had a good article on sled break in a couple months ago. It was more indepth than any other break-in procedure I'd ever seen. I believe in letting everything get lubed properly, and let the all the metals take their set before going hard on a sled. Metals expand less every time they are heat soaked and cooled; so if you break them in properly, all the pieces will mate together well and you shouldn't have any problems down the road.

balls to the wall for me.. LOL

depends on where my first ride is i guess. if its open roads it may be more agressive with the break in than most. it breaks it breaks.....:(

660ft at a time....... :wink:

100 to 1 and take it easy riding,,,,run the first tank out and change plugs, refill, and then give her a little more,,,,,third tank, have a ball. knock on wood, I have had no problems with this,,,,,

I voted for vary the speed. Some of the boys around here take the sled on to the ice (with no pics) and hold it wide open. If it dosen't blow it's good to go. I've seen some of these sleds make it past the 5000 mile mark with no problems...I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

Mix the first tank 100:1 with oil and drive it how I normally drive. This is how we break our sleds in and haven't had a problem.

I like the " hold it to the bar one." :p

I'm partial to the varying speed method ( i.e. trail riding ) with the occasional 3/4 throttle blast for short durations for about 300 miles. If this is not possible, tow a buddy's Viper around the yard for an afternoon will do!! w00t :p :p

i drive it like i'm going to drive it. i only owned one brand new sled. a 98 zr 500 i was young, dumb and full of c*m. i held it to the bar from the get go. It was fine, i sold it one year later and the guy who bought it siezed it up, dumbass. :D

Originally posted by FlyingDutchman@Nov 20 2003, 07:29 PM
If this is not possible, tow a buddy's Viper around the yard for an afternoon will do!! w00t :p :p
so i need to buy 2 vipers then.............. :cool:

Yeah Powder, if you have 2 Vipers you're going to need the full day to break them both in with my secondary method. Make it a family event if you do it on the weekend. LOL :D

What is a break in ??? I have not been lucky enough to have a new sled :(

IMO, extremely elaborate break-ins are not needed today with the close tolerances. The first 10-20 miles I take it fairly easy. Then start in on a few 5 sec bursts of wide open followed by more easy riding. Pretty much keep it up for the first tank and then ride it normally. I didnt buy it to putt around on and if it needs to be re-ringed at 4000 miles, so be it. My buddy just got a new sled a month ago and has been breaking it in in his back yard full throttle grass draggin. We'll see how it runs this winter. He's got 20 miles on it LOL!

I try to go thru a couple of heating/cooling cycles...get it up to tempurature, then shut it down for an hour. Then repeat twice. Then I duct tape the throttle to the handlebar.

Originally posted by FlyingDutchman@Nov 20 2003, 07:29 PM
I'm partial to the varying speed method ( i.e. trail riding ) with the occasional 3/4 throttle blast for short durations for about 300 miles. If this is not possible, tow a buddy's Viper around the yard for an afternoon will do!! w00t :p :p
Yeah sounds like we'll have to do that alot this year!!! :hallo1: :hallo1: :hallo1:

With todays more efficient maching methods and piston ring materials,if you don't ride it hard in the first 30 minutes,you may never seat the rings properly. I don't mean run long distance to the bar,but accelerate hard at 3/4 to full throttle and decelerate in uneven patterns. Hit it hard,back off,hit it hard,back off. First 20 to 30 minutes will do. once thats done,take it easier than long bar runs till first tank is done. Then drive it like ya stole it ;)

Funny how nobody responded that they follow the instructions in their owners manual. I would like to think that Suz., Rot., Pol. & Yami do more testing in a day than many experts do in a lifetime. You'd think they would know more than the expert down the street wouldn't you?

I choose how I ride it. I ride perty hard anyway. I am a firm believer in beat it in to break it in. Motors with a new cam (cars/bikes) I will run for 20 mine at bout 2000-3000 rpms, then let cool, then beat. Do you seariously think that even places like Lingenfelter put 500 to 1000 miles on thier cars before they run them balls to the wall on the engine or chasis dyno?