Running in a new GS

Commuter · Apr 11, 2003

So what is your advice on running in the new bike? Is it the first 600miles , 1000miles.?

I have seen the "drive like you stole it style website advice" but would prefer to get some opinions first.

In my experiences of twins, it will take a good 10k to losen up. If there is anything you have experienced, your comments are welcome.

Thanks,
Commuter

Jimb · Apr 11, 2003

Don't let it labour for the first 1000 miles keep the revs to 4000 and vary the speed, not motorway driving, up and down the gears after the first 600 miles you can open it up a bit till you get to 1000 miles then drive it normally.
It won't be run in for 15000-20000 miles until it has stopped using oil.

RussellAisbitt · Apr 11, 2003

I've tried the drive it like I stole it routine on my 1150GS bought in March. I've been careful to let the engine warm up before using full throttle and more than 4000 revs, but it's been full throttle use from new with only the revs restrained to 6000 before 600 mile service and 7000 before 1000 miles.

I changed the engine oil at 100 miles. It was changed again at 650 miles as part of 600 mile service.

It has required topping up with 250 ml oil at 400 miles (300 miles since last oil change/topup), at 1200 miles (550 miles since last oil change/topup) and at 2100 miles (900 miles since last oil change/topup). Which clearly shows oil consumption is rapidly reducing.

Power seems good in comparison to others (some who have followed it have asked if it has been chipped, which it hasn't).

Isaac Hunt · Apr 11, 2003

give it about 150-200mls of gentle runing then prrogesifly flog the tits off it once warm. rev i'ts brains out after 5-600 and it will not use much oil for the rest of i'ts life.change oil and filter at 250 and 750,do'nt use sinthetic oil ontil 10000
did this with mine and it flys and do'nt use any oil

Lawrence McEwan · Apr 11, 2003

I got my Adventure in march and the technician advised that I could take it up to 5k (90mph) but vary the load on the engine and work the box. I have about 1500 on it now and it feels great. Changed to a Y piece with standard can last week. what a difference, the bike is outrageous now. my two mates one on an R1 the other on a zx9 could not believe the big GS showing them a clean pair of heels coming out of corners

MikeO · Apr 11, 2003

Lawrence McEwan said:
my two mates one on an R1 the other on a zx9 could not believe the big GS showing them a clean pair of heels coming out of corners

I'm sorry, Lawrence, but if you out-accelerated them on the way out of a bend, you have complete pussies for mates.....

MikeO

Lawrence McEwan · Apr 11, 2003

running in a new GS

granted they are pussies sometimes, but I had a 929 fireblade and a 2001 GS last year, and I could ride my GS far quicker through the twisties than my blade(maybe I am a pussy) simply because of the way the drive is delivered on the GS, sometimes less is more (BHP that is) and you gas it quicker without fear of breaking traction

MikeO · Apr 11, 2003

But Lawrence, that means either:

1. Your GS has stickier tyres than your mates' sports bikes (kind of unlikely, eh?), or
2. They have developed no skill or judgement as to how much power they can safely put down which, let's face it, should be considerably more than any GS can.

Like I said - pussies.

MikeO

Vern · Apr 11, 2003

One magazine done a test with two fireblades some years back. The one they thrashed from the crate,and the other they pampered, never reving it hard, and always taking it easy.
At 12000 miles, the thrashed one was knocking out about 20bhp more that the pampered one,but as the milages grew,the tables turned.The one that was thrashed didn't stand a chance against the pampered one after 30000 miles. It ran better and turned in a better mpg as well as bhp.
If you're keeping your bike long term, take it easy for the first 24000 miles (no,I don't mean potter about at 40mph every where) just let the engine loosen up on it's own,you can feel it happening every time you ride it.
If you want a bike to thrash for a year, then it doesn't really matter how you treat it, because some other sucker is going to have to deal with any problems.
Synthetic oil in a GS. Why, whats the matter with Castrol GP all of a sudden, and why put synthetic in an air/oil cooled engine?

roadrider · Apr 11, 2003

running in

Went to the Berlin factory in 1998, and had a tour of the production line, and at the end of the line every bike built is filled with fluids and tested on a dyno cum rolling road, the guy who operates it does the following.

turns the key, thumbs the starter and full throttles the bike in every gear to max revs, when he gets it in top hold it at full throttle for 1 min, thumbs the kill switch. he gets off, bike shoots out into the dismantle and crating dept.

The chief roadtester does the following
turns the key (cold engine), thumbs the starter, first gear and goes, simple.

HeatedGrips · Apr 12, 2003

The thrash it like hell theory of running in is used in light aircraft engines - not something that you want to fail prematurely.

Instructions for a new seven-litre Continental air-cooled flat six say to use NOT LESS than 80 per cent power for its first 15 hours of life.

Apparently the cylinder bores are scored lightly with cross-hatch marks which help the rings bed in, if you go too softly the bores glaze over (rather like some readers by now, I expect) and you're knackered, it's stripdown time.

I've just got my second GS. I ran the first one in as per BMW manual and it was still using oil at 24,000 miles. This one I thrashed from the off - once it was warmed up - and after 1,000 miles it feels crisper and is already using less oil.

Greg Masters · Apr 12, 2003

Mr H Grips makes a perfectly good point - whatever your running in strategy, wait until the motor is at operating temp before giving it any stick.

Perhaps less critical with air/oil-cooled engines which have larger tolerances, but different parts of the engine expand at different rates. The whole unit is designed to run at its operating temperature - to paste it earlier risks unnecessary wear on some components.

Greg

Ming · Apr 12, 2003

you did omit one very possible option mike ..

Mike O said:
I'm sorry, Lawrence, but if you out-accelerated them on the way out of a bend, you have complete pussies for mates.....

MikeO

and that is the fact you are sat upright and have wide bars it is very possible you have a higher corner speed mid-corner hence less power is needed to pull away.power isnt every thing my last bike had 172 brake at the rear wheel and would lay darkies out of corners . but the gs is as much more fun day to day

Wakey · Apr 12, 2003

More Miaow than Meeeeeow. Mike's right (he always is!)

londonw1 · Apr 12, 2003

Well ridden hard from the off and love the bike, but do I have the only GS on the planet that has not used any oil in the first 1500 miles? First service was not done till 1100 miles and still oil halfway up the window.........?

cecilthecat · Apr 12, 2003

I rode mine fairly hard from the off and it has not used any oil since the 600 mile service, now on 1500 miles.

roadrider · Apr 13, 2003

Commuter said:
So what is your advice on running in the new bike? Is it the first 600miles , 1000miles.?

I have seen the "drive like you stole it style website advice" but would prefer to get some opinions first.

In my experiences of twins, it will take a good 10k to losen up. If there is anything you have experienced, your comments are welcome.

Thanks,
Commuter

running In why bother
Went to the Berlin factory in 1998, and had a tour of the production line, and at the end of the line every bike built is filled with fluids and tested on a dyno cum rolling road, the guy who operates it does the following.

turns the key, thumbs the starter and full throttles the bike in every gear to max revs, when he gets it in top hold it at full throttle for 1 min, thumbs the kill switch. he gets off, bike shoots out into the dismantle and crating dept.

The chief roadtester does the following
turns the key (cold engine), thumbs the starter, first gear and goes, simple.

Running in a new GS

Commuter

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Jimb

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RussellAisbitt

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Isaac Hunt

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Lawrence McEwan

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MikeO

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Lawrence McEwan

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MikeO

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Vern

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roadrider

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HeatedGrips

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Greg Masters

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Ming

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Wakey

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londonw1

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cecilthecat

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roadrider

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