EFE ZX-14
Novice Class
Posts: 35
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posted February 08, 2008 01:38 AM
Breaking-in a new ZX-14?
How many of you followed the manual to break-in your ZX-14? Staying under 4k for 500 miles.
How many of you just acted like the bike was already broke-in? Perhaps taking it to 5, 6 or even 7k.
On other forums with other bikes, some say they like to break-in their bikes fast and have never had a problem with excessive wear later. I know some that feel the same way about breaking-in cars.
I put 250 miles on my new ZX-14 driving it home from the dealership yesterday. I must say, I went over the 4k mark several times for some short runs and the bike just felt like it was made to fly right out of the box. I don't believe I went past 6500 but I did hit it a couple of times very quickly and easily.
If these engines are put together well with good clearances, I don't believe it will hurt taking them up to 5k or 6k after 50 to 100 miles.
I'd like to hear your opinions?
Thanks,
EFE ZX-14
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EFE ZX-14
  
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mark524
Expert Class
Posts: 297
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posted February 08, 2008 03:23 AM
hard acceleration and deceleration will seat the rings better. I just got on a country road and go wide open up to about 8000 rpm, then let off completely letting the engine decelerate. Doing this over and over as much as possible for the first 50 or 100 miles. Don't just cruise at a steady rpm, you want to vary the rpm. In my opinion, it's pretty much broken in at 100 miles or so. Then I changed my oil and was running it at the dragstrip with 200 miles on it. just my opinion.
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BobC
Pro
Posts: 1736
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posted February 08, 2008 04:22 AM
 Edited By: BobC on 8 Feb 2008 04:23
There have been threads on this subject before with learned folk explaining heat cycling and so forth, good advice I'm sure.
My method is to remember that the tolerances on a new 2008 built engine are very small indeed. They do not need a lot of bedding in, however you do need to go carefully at first since it is a newly assembled machine and does need a shake down. I usually go for a couple of two to three hundred mile runs and slowly build the revs, the engine loading and the speed, varying these all the time. A mixture of small twisty back roads is better than an interstate highway or motorway. Don't do any short runs.
I think mark524 is probably correct, all the real running-in is done in the first tank-full of gas.
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Candy Thunder Blue 2006 ZZR1400
Stock wheelbase
Max: 205.4 mph in 1.25 miles
2012 ZZR1400 in Golden Blazed Green
Brock CT Full System. etc
Max: 203.1 in 1 mile (so far)
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mark524
Expert Class
Posts: 297
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posted February 08, 2008 08:22 PM
i actually just started breaking my motor in today. It's got new bearing and rings and some other goodies. I took it out for a few minutes, but it's hard to enjoy a long ride with this Ohio weather. It will be on the dyno Monday morning and I'll probably have around 100 miles on it.
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smokinzx14
Needs a life
Posts: 10197
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posted February 08, 2008 08:25 PM
I went to the drag strip with 250 miles on the bike ...I did change the oil before i went .... No problems so far with 2900 miles on the bike ..
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Smokin Performance Cycles..
Tampa Bay , FL .. Brocks Performance Dealer ..
Gen 2 ZX14R Best ET 8.43 , Best MPH 164.95
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Jus Cruisin
Novice Class
Old Dude
Posts: 53
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posted February 09, 2008 02:35 AM
I followed the break-in pretty much by the book. Right or wrong by other "experts". I figured it was what Kawasaki engineers recommend, so I might as well follow it. It only took a couple weeks. I know a couple guys that bought new ZX-14's and broke them in hard. They run fine but they seem to consistantly run hotter than mine.
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2008 ZX-14 Midnight Sapphire Blue
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bigdtd
Needs a job
Interceptors
Posts: 4209
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posted February 09, 2008 10:19 AM
follow the manual, when in doubt
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2006 Black ZX-14,6 inches over,16/42, flies out,BMC Street Filter,Brock's Street Meg,Brock's Radial Mount Strap,PClll with Race map,Dynojet LCD w/Techmount, ZX-14 fender eliminator,Pilot Power2CTs,Speedohealer,Pazzo Levers,Cox Radiator Guard, Garmin Nuvi 265WT
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NinjaNick
Needs a job
'08 ZX14 (Blue)
Posts: 4558
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posted February 09, 2008 10:28 AM
quote:
i actually just started breaking my motor in today. It's got new bearing and rings and some other goodies. I took it out for a few minutes, but it's hard to enjoy a long ride with this Ohio weather. It will be on the dyno Monday morning and I'll probably have around 100 miles on it.
Where at in Ohio?
Dayton area here. 
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stevewfl
Moderator
Posts: 27920
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posted February 09, 2008 11:09 AM
ok since we got the 50,000th "breakin" thread....lets again discuss OIL 
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2010 Concours14
'08 R1 YAMAHA
ZX14 gone!
CBR600RR track bike
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Tool Man
Needs a job
Posts: 4493
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posted February 09, 2008 11:11 AM
Steve... What kind of oil, do you use during break -in?
:d
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The banks are failing..
The banks are failing...
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stevewfl
Moderator
Posts: 27920
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posted February 09, 2008 11:14 AM
LMAO
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2010 Concours14
'08 R1 YAMAHA
ZX14 gone!
CBR600RR track bike
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mark524
Expert Class
Posts: 297
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posted February 09, 2008 02:00 PM
quote:
quote:
i actually just started breaking my motor in today. It's got new bearing and rings and some other goodies. I took it out for a few minutes, but it's hard to enjoy a long ride with this Ohio weather. It will be on the dyno Monday morning and I'll probably have around 100 miles on it.
Where at in Ohio?
Dayton area here.
Lancaster. I'm coming down to Dayton (Beavercreek) to get it dynoed. Do you race at Kilkare?
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NinjaNick
Needs a job
'08 ZX14 (Blue)
Posts: 4558
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posted February 09, 2008 05:32 PM
I will be heading to Kil-Kare a few times this year. Never raced there yet.
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zx14mike
Zone Head
Posts: 891
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posted February 10, 2008 12:45 PM
I did mine fairly quick, under 5000 first 100 miles, under 7000 next 150 then an oil change and rode it hard..........i took it to the dragstrip at like 375 miles.
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