New bike break-in

[Buster217]

Forgive me if this topic has already been beaten to death. I searched but couldn't find any discussion specific to my question.

Just got a new 2019 500X. I read the manual cover to cover and there is no mention of a break-in period. Did I miss something?

[ewryly]

This is what it says in the 2018 owners manual.  I followed this for 600 miles rather than 300 and avoided lugging as well as sustained riding at higher RPMs.  Then I did an oil change.

During the first 500 km (300 miles) of running,
follow these guidelines to ensure your
motorcycle’s future reliability and performance.
● Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
● Avoid hard braking and rapid down-shifts.
● Ride conservatively.

[PIGLET]

That's what i did with my 2019 and now it's very smooth so 600 miles will past quick then better mpg
also,

[AJC500]

Yeah, modern engines don't need much running-in like in 'the old days', but I did the same for about the first 1000 miles, no thrashing the engine, no labouring in a low gear either and no long rides at a constant throttle opening.  Not sure what harm heavy braking would do, although just gentle engine braking at first.

In fact, I pretty much ride like that all the time anyway (!)..... mix it up, treat it nice for a few hundred miles and it'll be a wee gem!!

[harryhendo]

For the first 1000 miles, I did no high speed high rpm runs, varying speeds and rpms. I recall coasting into a gas station in North Carolina and the guy at the next pump commenting "wow, that's so new you can smell the paint cookin'". And you really can for the first hundreds of miles as the painted parts of the engine get heated up a lot. But that goes away after about 1000 miles. Did the initial oil change at about 1000 miles. But I'd say that the engine really starts to smooth out around 5000 miles or so. Can kinda feel it breathing easier.

[Ceddy17]

I would add: avoid to take a pillion and/or heavy luggage on the bike.
Happy riding..
Ed.

[Tradey]

Having toured the Suzuki Motor Company assembly line in Hamamatsu, Japan, my hosts, several Suzuki engineers said not to bother running any vehicle engine in.

At the end of the production line the bike was wired up with fluids and diagnostic cables, put on a dynometer with a large electric fan for cooling, exhaust vacuum and subjected to over rev line speeds in every gear up and down for around 2 minutes.  Smoke was billowing from the engine.. I was dumb struck !

The head drive train engineer noticed my surprise look and said "Geoff san, don't worry about running engine in, it's already done.  The reason we say take it easy when you receive new bike, is so we don't have to fix it under warranty".

My new 2019 model is running like a Shinkansen !

[Ceddy17]

Originally Posted by Tradey

Having toured the Suzuki Motor Company assembly line in Hamamatsu, Japan, my hosts, several Suzuki engineers said not to bother running any vehicle engine in.

At the end of the production line the bike was wired up with fluids and diagnostic cables, put on a dynometer with a large electric fan for cooling, exhaust vacuum and subjected to over rev line speeds in every gear up and down for around 2 minutes.  Smoke was billowing from the engine.. I was dumb struck !

The head drive train engineer noticed my surprise look and said "Geoff san, don't worry about running engine in, it's already done.  The reason we say take it easy when you receive new bike, is so we don't have to fix it under warranty".

My new 2019 model is running like a Shinkansen !

I quit agree but don't forget that new bikes ususally have "running in" oil to lubricate the engine.
I suspect also that asking too much of the engine, provided whith that type of oil, is indeed asking too much. So in my opinion: easy does it.
Maybe that is the reason that the first oil change is so early in the bike's life?
Take care and enjoy...
Ed.

[Mister Paul]

My first X was ex-demo. It won't have been ridden carefully. I never noticed any issues because it wasn't run in.

[denislordm]

A couple of years ago a garage I worked at part time supplied a new CB500 to a local racer as his sponsor - that bike was simply stripped of road going bits and pieces and raced for 3 seasons in a 500 race series - I know for a fact that other than a new chain or sprocket and tyres the bike and certainly the engine never had a spanner on it in those 3 seasons. (Oil changed obviously)
These motors are as near to bullet proof as any i have come across.
This is not to get you to flog yours to death but just to highlight the fact that they will stand some severe treatment and therefore if looked after should provide you with years of reliable riding.