05 WR450 Break in period?

[skidxr]

What is the correct break-in period for a WR450? The manual is not clear (as far I can tell)... Specifically,, how many miles until an oil change? Valve adjustment? Any other areas that need attention..

Thanks guys..

[clark4131]

Here's my method:

-Change your oil & filter immediately upon delivery. Put in 10W40 petroleum-based motorcycle oil (I use Honda GN4), no synthetic at all as it can inhibit proper seating of the rings.

-Change it again at around each 100 mile interval until you hit 500 miles. At 500, you can switch to synthetic, but I'm waiting for 700 miles just to be safe.

-Check your valve clearances at 100-150 miles and adjust if necessary.

-Check again at 500 miles. If all is good, check 'em every 6 months or if you begin to have starting issues which may indicate tight valves.

I'm sure there are plenty of dissenting opinions on this method, some more precautionary, some less. This is what works for me and it tends to lean towards a more cautionary approach. $6000 may not be a whole lot of money in the grand scheme of things, but I want my bike to run forever, relatively speaking. Also, when it comes to break-in procedures, I run it hard, with lots of heat cycles to the upper limits of the rev range and back down again. Heat it way up, cool it off, then do it again...SC

[WGP]

Its in the Manual, you just have to look hard, its in the very first pages and is only a small paragragh.

I broke mine in with a series of short (30-40 min) street rides in 3rd and 4th gear until I had 100 miles, changed the oil/filter/strainer, did the mods, let it rip ??

Valves at 300 miles and 3 were tight.

[minion]

Its in the Manual, you just have to look hard, its in the very first pages and is only a small paragragh.

I broke mine in with a series of short (30-40 min) street rides in 3rd and 4th gear until I had 100 miles, changed the oil/filter/strainer, did the mods, let it rip ??

Valves at 300 miles and 3 were tight.

I've got possibly a dumb question: What if I don't check my valves soon enough? What if I wait 1000 miles? It doesn't actually cause the bike any damage, right? Its just making it burn oil that it normally wouldn't?

It just seems excessive to me - I never checked the valves in my street bike, and after years of riding, it still runs great. And it redlines at 12 and a half, so its a high rpm vehicle too.

[banffboy]

Here's my method:

-Change your oil & filter immediately upon delivery. Put in 10W40 petroleum-based motorcycle oil (I use Honda GN4), no synthetic at all as it can inhibit proper seating of the rings.

-Change it again at around each 100 mile interval until you hit 500 miles. At 500, you can switch to synthetic, but I'm waiting for 700 miles just to be safe.

-Check your valve clearances at 100-150 miles and adjust if necessary.

-Check again at 500 miles. If all is good, check 'em every 6 months or if you begin to have starting issues which may indicate tight valves.

I'm sure there are plenty of dissenting opinions on this method, some more precautionary, some less. This is what works for me and it tends to lean towards a more cautionary approach. $6000 may not be a whole lot of money in the grand scheme of things, but I want my bike to run forever, relatively speaking. Also, when it comes to break-in procedures, I run it hard, with lots of heat cycles to the upper limits of the rev range and back down again. Heat it way up, cool it off, then do it again...SC

Excellent advice ?

Minion- Is your street bike sucking in dirt, mud, water,etc??? Check your valves early as mentioned above, once it's done the first couple of times it's pretty infrequent after that

[AZFLYBOY]

Be careful putting synthetic oils into the wr, the bike as a wet clutch which means whatever oil you put into the engine is the same oil getting all over the clutch pack. Synthetic's could cause your clutch performance to slip. Just be sure before ya do.

[clark4131]

Not checking your valves regularly has the real possibility of screwing your top end up big time on these types of bikes. 4 pistons turning 12K RPMs is a helluva lot different that 1 piston doing something in the same neigborhood. You run the risk of destroying your entire top end which will be serious money to fix, which is fine if you're a trust-fund crack head. But why take the chance when a 1-hour procedure for little to no money can prevent it? ?

Lastly, synthetic oil is fine after break-in as long as it doesn't have any friction reducing additives in it...it'll tell you on the label. I'll be running Amsoil 10W40 when it's time to switch. Ya, I know, another Amsoil disciple. What can I say, I have a dealer account and the shit works great in all my other vehicles for the same price as all the other synthetics...SC

[MorrisWR]

Well, I'm not a dealer but I use Amsoil as well. No problems with any of WR clutches using it but I suppose it might depend on the synthetic blend. Again, that is after breakin since you don't want to use synthetics on break-in.

I've always broke my bikes in hard and never had problems. I do a first ride hard and change the oil/filter then change it about every 2 rides (80-100 miles).

[gregwr450f]

Be careful putting synthetic oils into the wr, the bike as a wet clutch which means whatever oil you put into the engine is the same oil getting all over the clutch pack. Synthetic's could cause your clutch performance to slip. Just be sure before ya do.

I got 3,500km on mine and it has never slipped using synthetic oil.

Just make sure you use motorbike oil as most car oil is "friction modifyied" and you don't want that, because it will make your clutch slip.

[MorrisWR]

I got 3,500km on mine and it has never slipped using synthetic oil.

Just make sure you use motorbike oil as most car oil is "friction modifyied" and you don't want that, because it will make your clutch slip.

Yeah, I use Amsoil motorcycle oil. It works well.