FZ07 Breaking in

This is anecdotal, but I picked up my 07 a week ago and now have 400 miles on it. It did not run so well the first couple of days. It would die at long traffic lights when the engine was hot and it would stumble and hesitate at higher speeds such as rolling onto the interstate. It was also hard to re-start with a hot engine when I stopped for the first re-fuel. I then wrote a letter to Yamaha complaining. So then I decided to do a hard break-in since I had babied the bike to that point. Got it nice and hot riding around 20 min. and took it up to redline in 2nd, and immediately let off the throttle to create back pressure. Did this a bunch of times...maybe 10. Rode around a little more wringing out the bike a bit going up and down the gears. Changed the oil and filter at 104 miles and went to Rotella T6. Now the bike runs perfectly. I think it just needed a good break-in. Maybe it didn't need a hard break-in, but dying in traffic was not something I was happy with. The oil was very dark and dirty so it did need changing at the 104-mile mark too I think. The bike has not died or stumbled since. It re-starts quicker when hot now than when cold, so that problem has gone away too. When I picked up the bike, the chain was too loose, not quite straight, and the dealer had put too much oil in the crankcase, but that's another story. Everything is good now and the bike runs like a well-oiled machine. Well, I guess that's what it is after all. Ha.

NickJ said:

Yeah, I have always heard to use the OG dino juice for the first change. The synthetic is essentially too good and is not good for the new motor. After about 500 miles it is safe to make the switch in most cases. But again, this is the internet and there will be many folks that say that I am full of it.

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More and more motorcycles and cars come with full synthetic. Vespa, Tuono, RSV4, Triumph Street Triple r, Prius, Civic, plus many more. Those engines must get broken in. I'm not sure the rationale for waiting to go to synthetic is valid or or if it ever was, but then I can't say synthetic is better either. I have also read and often heard not to go to full synthetic until 1000-1500 miles, but I go to full synthetic the first oil change which I do early after a hard break-in because I live in Texas where it is hot and sunny, so engines get hot waiting in traffic and synthetic is supposed to be more resistant to breakdown from heat. Finally, Rotella T6 is cheaper than a lot of dino oil at $22 a gallon at Walmart, or less when on sale. Your bike would get properly broken-in even if you started with full synthetic, I think. I doubt it makes any difference in normal riding conditions or in any conditions for that matter which you use cause you wouldn't expect an engine to fail, a clutch to slip, or the piston rings to not seal or the engine to smoke or use oil, or be slower than normal no matter what oil you use provided it meets the specs. Bottom line: I doubt it matters which oil you use and when you change to synthetic or even if you stay with dino oil. I ride hard so I change more than recommended but I can't say that is even necessary. But hey, oil and filters are cheap and easy to change and I feel it makes my motorcycle happy.

Kawasaki EN 500 Ltd, Ninja 250r, 3 Ninja 300s, Triumph Street Triple r, Ninja 650, GSX-r1000, Grom, now the FZ-07 are my last 10 motorcycles and all got the hard break-in as described with an early oil and filter change. I went right to Rotella T6 at the first oil changes 50-100 miles.The Grom was the most noticeable of the group. Small engine I suppose, but it was slow the first day or so. After the hard break-in and oil change (there is no filter), the bike ran 8 mph faster, and smoother. I only ever had one problem with a motorcycle breaking-in and that was a Suzuki 2009 GZ250. I rode it home from the dealer and near my home, it started making a tinny and knocking sound. I don't recall now if I stopped or slowed down, but the noise went away after a while and no warning lights came on, but that was not a good sign. Never an issue with the bike after that, but I traded it away a little earlier than usual out of concerns. That was a traditional break-in and the last traditional break-in I believe.

I did my hard break-in mostly in 2nd gear to avoid speeding. You could do it in 1st gear too, but it might be jerky as you let off the throttle. 6th gear wouldn't work cause what is redline there...about 125 mph or so? It also wouldn't do to run up to redline, then downshift for obvious reasons...your rpms would surge way over redline and your rear wheel would lock up and kick out to the right but slowing down first then going to another gear as was just mentioned would work fine. Your piston rings don't care what gear you are in...only the rpms and compression. Make sure the bike is thoroughly warmed up before doing this, twist the throttle gradually, not like in a drag race, then when you get to redline or just below, quickly release the throttle and let the bike slow down on its own. Don't brake. Some people go over redline a bit, probably a lot more don't get to redline for fear of hurting something. I go right up to redline. How many times? I can't say. I do it a dozen times maybe and combine this with some more breaking in going through the gears up and down. Then change the oil and filter. The bike should have 50-100 miles on it (some say a few more...but not 600 mi. with this break-in method) Then change the oil and filter. The bike will now run smoother and faster and although you still don't want to drone on for miles at 70 mph on the intestate, the vast majority of the break-in is complete and you can ride the bike as you intend to ride it. The 2nd oil change should be at 600 miles or so.