Advice running in Twin Cam Street Bob?

[JohnT]

Hi
I picked up my 06 Dyna Street Bob last Saturday and it's fantastic, but everyone I speak to gives conflicting advice regarding running in, what speed?
Is there any 'official' best advice on this? How about oils to use and when to change them during the run in period. The complimentary service is at 1000 miles, but some in the club recommend I change the oil and filter at 500.
Thanks JohnT

[Mike Benis]

HI John,

congrats on your bike.

You'll do just fine following the advice in your manual.

Don't listen to anyone who tells to "just ride it like you stole it" right from the word go.

Don't lug it. Don't pull wheelies. You can accelerate firmly in low gears, but don't go racing. Don't rev it madly but don't just ppotle along. Keeping up a steady legal pace on courtry roads is a good way of runing a bike in.

Don't ride it at constant speeds for a long period of time. Varying the speed and occasionally taking it slightly higher than recommend, briefly pulling the clutch and then dropping the revs are both good ideas: they help wear in the rings and help lubricate the bores.

Oil changes before 1,000 miles wouldn't be a bad idea though I can't imagine everyone agreeing on whether 50 and then 500 miles would be over the top. Many might think 50 is. Others would make their minds up depending on the colour of the oil. If you find it's already very dark at 50 or 500, go for it, if it isn't reconsider.

hth

Mike

[kiwidave]

DO NOT USE synthetic oil.

Fossil oil provides better ring seal in break in period. Proven fact. Then go to synthetic later.

change oil at 50, 250 and every 250 miles until 1500.

VARY THE REVS in the first 500 miles. This is critical.

Go up and down the gears, DO NOT thrash it and equally DO NOT LUG the motor i.e. do not sit in 4th at 30mph.

Do not expect motor to be totally sweet and purring like an angry kitten until 10,000 miles at least.

Search the archives for the full story.

After removing barrels for base skimming, mine have been honed and re-ringed and I will be following my own advice in current weeks.

People will say of the above oil changes: ''that's way OTT.''

Well, it's my money, my bike, and at 80,000 miles without any smoke ever, it ain't hurting none

[JohnT]

I can't believe that I post a thread on a Sunday evening and that within an hour, two guys have already helped me with excellent and detailed advice!

Thank you so much. What a great club.
JohnT

[1sportyrich]

JohnT, that's what we are all about, helping each other.

[Phil]

Exactly right from both answers, I would do the oil changes at 500 intervals, but thats just personal.

[BaZa ®]

JohnT.... >>THIS<< is what you will be wanting next. Also >>THIS<<

Even our technical adviser and friend ex pat' Phild from across the pond at a H-D dealership is a club member.

[sue_M]

You need to keep it clean as well John!! ;)

Private joke guys!

I agree with the above advice re: oil changes - it will never do any harm to change the oil more frequently than the manual says - although of course your wallet will suffer...
PS - you've got one of the now rare Street Bobs too - lucky you!!

[banquo]

Agree with all above, but with proviso that it's perhaps better to get the running in period carried out in long, rather than short journeys - nothing less than 50 miles at a time, and none of it in city riding, if it can be avoided. Doing the first 500 miles in one or two long journeys is much better than 10 or 20 short ones, and you should try to avoid any journey of less than 20 miles, as most of it (in this country at least!) will be with the motor below its normal working temperature. The oil should not deteriorate over the first 2500 miles, if you keep to longer rides, and the new micro-filters should keep it more than clean over that time. Changing it more frequently over the first period can give you a nice, warm, satisfied feeling inside, and can do no harm.
Enjoy it...