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Desert X Running in question

2204 Views 18 Replies 13 Participants Last post by  BUZZ71
So my little book says to not exceed 5,500 within the first 600 miles with lots of varied riding. I can see the virtual orange indicated lights up if you exceed 6000rpm. I have now completed the 600 and my bikes in for a service soon . What advice have your dealers been giving for running in ? The book mentions a second period from 600 - 1500 miles but i can't see what limits it recommends. I'll ask the dealer at the weekend, just curious as to what advice you have all been given?
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I think you’ll get a new lease of life in HP an expected to take it easy on full revs flat out, until 1500 miles covered totally.
Just ease the revs gently an vary them as you’ve done on the 600 miles , without redlining it in every gear until the mileage has been covered , then ride it like you stole it 👍😜
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In the past, owning a Multistrada, ride it like you stole it!!
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I asked the service guy at my dealer about rev limits while I was getting my 600 mile service. He looked at me funny, laughed, and told me to ride how I wanted and added you dont need to baby new modern bikes. I don’t red line, but I’m certainly riding it how I want.
Right or wrong...I did a wheelie through 3 gears when I left the parking lot on mine. The first 600 miles was mostly above 6k rpm. I do think that having widely varied RPM has proven to be beneficial in the break in period.

I've read that modern engines are broken in at the factory and even receive final valve (etc) adjustments before leaving for the dealership. Not that I know this is factual...but it does make sense with the elevated service intervals we're seeing now.

I visited the Ferrari factory and while there I noticed this constant drone of high performance engine noise. I asked a local worker and they said there is about a dozen engines being run in by computer.
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New engines are absolutely broken in at the factory, on a dyno, redlined through the gears to seal the rings. 90 percent of the break in is done on the dyno. baby the first 150 miles, vary rpm, load and speed do not worry about going over 5500, but do no hold high rpm, the motor still needs to loosen up under real life conditions/loads. good to shut off and cool it down periodically in the beginning only to let the rings cool, but no need to let the engine get back to room temperature new casting methods and alloy's are so good that heat cycling the rest of the engine is basically useless. (when i say let the rings cool its not for the metal, its only to keep high and low points from causing extra friction and extra leakage at the same time and causing glazing and improper seal) - but then again that's more for a rebuilt engine with brand new rings and cross hatching on the cylinder walls - not one thats basically broken in from a factory.

They tell you to keep under 5500 so you don't kill your self on an unfamiliar bike, and have your widow sue ducati. Most motorcycle accidents happen on new bikes. Ride it like you stole it is what most guys who take apart engines will tell you. - Ride it how ever you normally would ride is my advice. I changed the oil and filter at 100 miles 300 and 600 on my DX, excessive but I like looking at it to know whats going on.
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So my little book says to not exceed 5,500 within the first 600 miles with lots of varied riding. I can see the virtual orange indicated lights up if you exceed 6000rpm. I have now completed the 600 and my bikes in for a service soon . What advice have your dealers been giving for running in ? The book mentions a second period from 600 - 1500 miles but i can't see what limits it recommends. I'll ask the dealer at the weekend, just curious as to what advice you have all been given?
After the run in period just send it , I've done this on all my bikes which have been mainly supetbikes and mx/enduro bikes and never had a issue,
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After the break in miles on various new bikes I've owned I've just rode them like I've stolen them
New engines are absolutely broken in at the factory, on a dyno, redlined through the gears to seal the rings. 90 percent of the break in is done on the dyno. baby the first 150 miles, vary rpm, load and speed do not worry about going over 5500, but do no hold high rpm, the motor still needs to loosen up under real life conditions/loads. good to shut off and cool it down periodically in the beginning only to let the rings cool, but no need to let the engine get back to room temperature new casting methods and alloy's are so good that heat cycling the rest of the engine is basically useless. (when i say let the rings cool its not for the metal, its only to keep high and low points from causing extra friction and extra leakage at the same time and causing glazing and improper seal) - but then again that's more for a rebuilt engine with brand new rings and cross hatching on the cylinder walls - not one thats basically broken in from a factory.

They tell you to keep under 5500 so you don't kill your self on an unfamiliar bike, and have your widow sue ducati. Most motorcycle accidents happen on new bikes. Ride it like you stole it is what most guys who take apart engines will tell you. - Ride it how ever you normally would ride is my advice. I changed the oil and filter at 100 miles 300 and 600 on my DX, excessive but I like looking at it to know whats going on.
How did your oil look on those first 3 changes?
New engines are absolutely broken in at the factory, on a dyno, redlined through the gears to seal the rings. 90 percent of the break in is done on the dyno. baby the first 150 miles, vary rpm, load and speed do not worry about going over 5500, but do no hold high rpm, the motor still needs to loosen up under real life conditions/loads. good to shut off and cool it down periodically in the beginning only to let the rings cool, but no need to let the engine get back to room temperature new casting methods and alloy's are so good that heat cycling the rest of the engine is basically useless. (when i say let the rings cool its not for the metal, its only to keep high and low points from causing extra friction and extra leakage at the same time and causing glazing and improper seal) - but then again that's more for a rebuilt engine with brand new rings and cross hatching on the cylinder walls - not one thats basically broken in from a factory.

They tell you to keep under 5500 so you don't kill your self on an unfamiliar bike, and have your widow sue ducati. Most motorcycle accidents happen on new bikes. Ride it like you stole it is what most guys who take apart engines will tell you. - Ride it how ever you normally would ride is my advice. I changed the oil and filter at 100 miles 300 and 600 on my DX, excessive but I like looking at it to know whats going on.
I’ve read everything I ever could find about running in and this post seems to be on the money.
Just many oil changes I don’t do, mainly because the first oil in the bike is formulated to assist the bedding in if the metal faces in the gearbox. Or so it seems. I think we can do whatever we want!!.
New engines are absolutely broken in at the factory, on a dyno, redlined through the gears to seal the rings. 90 percent of the break in is done on the dyno. baby the first 150 miles, vary rpm, load and speed do not worry about going over 5500, but do no hold high rpm, the motor still needs to loosen up under real life conditions/loads. good to shut off and cool it down periodically in the beginning only to let the rings cool, but no need to let the engine get back to room temperature new casting methods and alloy's are so good that heat cycling the rest of the engine is basically useless. (when i say let the rings cool its not for the metal, its only to keep high and low points from causing extra friction and extra leakage at the same time and causing glazing and improper seal) - but then again that's more for a rebuilt engine with brand new rings and cross hatching on the cylinder walls - not one thats basically broken in from a factory.

They tell you to keep under 5500 so you don't kill your self on an unfamiliar bike, and have your widow sue ducati. Most motorcycle accidents happen on new bikes. Ride it like you stole it is what most guys who take apart engines will tell you. - Ride it how ever you normally would ride is my advice. I changed the oil and filter at 100 miles 300 and 600 on my DX, excessive but I like looking at it to know whats going on.
What oil are you using? Did you change out the filter at the same time?
Any idea what oil filter they use? Mine had its first service at 320 miles before I bought it off the dealer, so I wouldn't mind doing an oil and filter change at about 1000 miles for peace of mind.
HiFlo 153 fits most Ducati engines, supposed to work on the Desert X as well. Any quality synthetic as well.
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Hi all,
New owner of a DX in hot & humid Singapore. Am currently still in the 'running in' phase (currently at 300+ km) and have not done a 1k km service nor changed oil on my own.

Would you wait till after the 1k km service interval before swapping out the cat for a 'racing' mid-pipe or just go for it now?

P.S. I'm staring at my mid-pipe box (unopened) as i type this! :)
I would wait for sure, ride it and get a feel of how the machine works stock. After you get used to it your more likely to feel any changes you make to the bike, good or bad.
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Hi all,
New owner of a DX in hot & humid Singapore. Am currently still in the 'running in' phase (currently at 300+ km) and have not done a 1k km service nor changed oil on my own.

Would you wait till after the 1k km service interval before swapping out the cat for a 'racing' mid-pipe or just go for it now?

P.S. I'm staring at my mid-pipe box (unopened) as i type this! :)
Spent over 15 years living & working in Singapore, a great place, great people and wonderful food but don’t miss that ‘heat n humidity’. Enjoy the Dx 👍 🇸🇬
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I think you’ll get a new lease of life in HP an expected to take it easy on full revs flat out, until 1500 miles covered totally.
Just ease the revs gently an vary them as you’ve done on the 600 miles , without redlining it in every gear until the mileage has been covered , then ride it like you stole it 👍😜
😆😅😅😅😅😆 who gave you that wisdom of running in a engine 😆😆😆😆😆😆 600 miles is more than enough for a engine to be run in, half a dozen heat cycles is enough for most engines and 3 heat cycles on a mx bike is all that's needed and they rev alot harder and higher rpm
Right or wrong...I did a wheelie through 3 gears when I left the parking lot on mine. The first 600 miles was mostly above 6k rpm. I do think that having widely varied RPM has proven to be beneficial in the break in period.

I've read that modern engines are broken in at the factory and even receive final valve (etc) adjustments before leaving for the dealership. Not that I know this is factual...but it does make sense with the elevated service intervals we're seeing now.

I visited the Ferrari factory and while there I noticed this constant drone of high performance engine noise. I asked a local worker and they said there is about a dozen engines being run in by computer.
Engines are run up at the factory's for a few minutes on their rolling roads to make sure they are putting out the correct parameters in power output and ridden out of the factory to be packaged and ready to be sent out for the dealers after final inspections..
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