Hey people

I have a new 1200 sporty and I have a couple of running in questions.

The owners manual suggest nothing over 3000rpms ( for the first 80kms) in any gear but not to lug it. I have no rpm meter and this is my first Harley so its a little hard to read the bike. I have been following the gear change manual which suggest.

1st  - 2nd 25km

2nd -3rd 40km

3rd - 4th 55km

4th -5th 70km

I have been following the manual but it feels like im lugging sometimes, especially changing to 5th at 70 when the revs feel too low.

Should I go by the feel or should I strictly follow the manual. Just trying to do the right thing by the bike and a little unsure.

cheers in advance.

 

ride it hard dude. not pussy the bike around, and dont let it sit at one rpm.

T1

Cheers guys......il just rev it out a little further between changes. Just didn't feel right following the manual. The sportster manual the dealer gave me maybe better suited to 883's.

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm


hard!!! im upto 31,000k's on my bike and it dosnt use any oil....

T1

Yeah I would agree with smoke. I was also told to avoid heavy stop/start traffic, sitting at lights for too long etc, anything that cooked the motor.

I did most of my break in up & down a coast road nearby, up & down on the revs, avoided the busy metro.

Slap.

I am in the same boat. I've had my Iron for about four weeks. Up to about 900 kms..........I too threw the manual in a draw. Although this is my first brand new bike, I had a sportster XL883 super low...........as has been said, let it warm up and gun it............obviously don't thrash it......I was doing 110 after owning it for five minutes..............it's under warranty............doubt you'll break it........you'll get a feel for the bike. Worst thing you can do is low revs so the engine is working harder...........keep the revs up and enjoy

Thanks for the advice much appreciated. I will definately ride it harder without thrashing, lots of theories with running it which are at opposites..Go hard vs go soft, ill try for somewhere in the middle, alternate my speeds and just enjoy. My first ride was around 50kms distance second ride around 70 kms. only done around 125km all up. Not sure why the manual suggest those figures for riding. I did get a backfire changing from 4-5th at around 72kmph( as per what the manual suggests), wont do that again.

Anyway i shoulda asked these questions before i took it out on its maiden voyage. lots of knowledge here. Absolutely in love with this bike and been saving my ass off for ages to get it....i want it to last.

Thanks again

Farticus, I will last mate. if these bikes were not built to last, Harley would be out of business pretty quickly. Regular service and regular rides and she'll be fine. They should be about to give you an idea at your first service at around 1600 ks that all is going okay...

The manual suggested that gear change at 70 kmph ha ha...................goes to show I don't read manuals..............I wouldn't do that gear change...........you need to keep the revs up....................low revs are the worst thing for running in a new engine............that will screw it over thrashing it................he engine has to work super hard to pick up and that is when troubles start...........I stay in gear slightly longer running in..........keep the revs up but not too high and you'll be fine.............

I'm sure you got the general idea by now, but I'll add my 2c worth.

Don't baby it. Don't thrash it. Run it in like you will ride it. I was also advised to find some hills and work it through the gears as well as varying the revs while on the flat open roads. I change into 5th at about 90-100 and as a guide, I change up/down a gear when the speed zone changes up/down. so if I see the 80 sign, I go down a gear, see the 60 sign, go down another gear then as you come out of the town and see the 80, up a gear see the 100 sign back into 5th.

Not saying this is right or wrong, but it saves me getting a fine for speeding through any country towns.