How to break in a new engine?

[mchaggis]

I just recently bought a brand spanking new honda replica; (Hongdou HD125), which uses the same engine as the CG125. This of course means that I need to break it in. I've found a few places saying just keep it under 4k rpm for 500 miles and under 5k rpm for the next 500, but isn't that just a bit simplistic?

Another site I found:
https://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
say that hard and fast is the best way. The only trouble is, that site's dealing with 400 sports bikes, not puny 11hp 125s.

I thought this place would be best to put out some feelers and see what people have tried and see what should work well. Thanks in advance for any constructive replies. I'd ask the owners manual, but at this moment it's somewhere in a crate with the bike, yet to be delivered.

[mr.z]

One thing you will need to do is oil changes, when you break in an engine it will nauraly shead some metal apparently, you dont want this to be floating arround in your engine so you will need to do an oil change within the first hundred miles or so, may be wrong somebody will no doubt know if i'm correct in this...

What i have also been told is make sure to vary the revs as much as possible, country roads and twistys will do that a treat
Your brakes will need beding in, for the first 50/100 miles you will need to be extremely gentle with them, no jaming them on, best not to generally anyways...
Your tyres will need scrubing in for 50 or so miles, wait till its not raining to do this...

As far as i know the hondogu is a chinese built replica of the cg of the 70s just change the oil reguarly, keep the chain adjusted and in chain lube spray and it will serve you for many many miles!

I'd imagine it will need serviceing quite soon as well, you'd do well to go and buy a CG125 haynes manual (unless they make a hondogu specific one) and read though it as you will learn allot...


Bet your looking forward to geting on it? my cg took me allover the place for a year, and for hardly any money and 2/3 oil changes thats about all the attention it ever needed!
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[Kickstart]

Hi

I would say go for the gentle running in.

The hard running in process is possbily better for power, but if you read that article one of his main points is that modern Japanese bikes are very accuratly made. Not sure how a accuratly a Chinese copy of a 30~40 year old Honda design is made.

While with that bike the oil change is probably a good idea, do not assume that for all vehicles. Some makers fill the vehicles with a special oil until its first service. Changing this at 100 miles when it meant to stay in their until the first specified service may not be a good idea. Don't know if any bike makers do this, but I know some car makers do.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Claud 14.7 to 1]

Do as manufacturer recommends. I recon that guy talks from his ...

Honda (all other manufacturers) would not spend big bucks and give you false advice.

I say all other manufacturers because GENERALLY same run-in procedures are the same for any engine. ie low revs for x ammount of miles etc etc etc.

May be worth changing the oil after run in though, as i should imagine there being some "fillings" in the oils, plus it is probably a base mineral oil for "abrasive" properties. get some half decent oild in there.

enjoy bike.

[mchaggis]

I'm still stuck at uni, got to wait till next week to get home and see my new baby . Only trouble is I can't stop being distracted by wanting to get home and get on it.. Perhaps joining a bike forum isn't going to help with that though...

[divuk83]

I was gentle running my bike in from new and I killed the cylinder as it had big score marks inside it when I took it off. My new cylinder was ragged from the start on the Dyno and then hardly run in at all and it is still fine. I think it depends on the kind of cylinder (my new one is nicosil lined) and warming it up properly.
Leave the bike running for a few mins before you set off and start off gently with it. Once it has warmed up properly it should be harder to damage. Be gentle with it for the first few miles and then avoid any long amonts of time at constant revs. The key is definately in warming it up before you use it as I never let my stock cylinder do that properly.

Good luck and enjoy your new bike.

Dave

[atom]

I'm running my bike in just now, an RS125, I'm just following what the manual says, under 6000revs until 800km under 9000until 16000 and then it says just avoid red lining it, first oil change etc at 1000km. 1000km in two weeks so far.... It was like getting another bike being able to take it over 6000revs wonder what over 9000 is like? It a really testing my self control. I would do what the manufacturer says.

Yeh and joining a bike forum is not the easiest way to get on with other stuff, My productivity at work has really tailed off.