Help, I'm riding like an idiot

[yjleesvrr]

OK, ever since I had a Yosh pipe installed on my SV650 three months ago, it's been very hard for me not to wring the engine every time I ride. The audible sweet spot is between 5k - 7k rpm. In most lower gears, that will have the 410 lbs. bike (wet weight!) pulling rather hard. Given this light weight (flickability), I find myself threading through cars on occasion that gives us motorcyclists a bad reputation. For someone who had a wreck back in December, I'm finding myself showing little of the prudence I should be showing when riding my Suzuki.

When I'm riding my Roadster and HD, I ride like a sane person. When I straddle the little SV, my alter ego that seldom reared its head during my life takes over. I'm going to be sentenced to piloting an Electra Glide for pennance!

[Biff's R]

You shall ride a Vespa for 60 days. That will teach ya.

[wncbmw]

The Virginia Highway Patrol might be waiting to bring you back down to earth!

[R4R&R]

The Virginia Highway Patrol ARE waiting to bring you back down to earth!

Fixed.

[yjleesvrr]

The Virginia Highway Patrol ARE waiting to bring you back down to earth!

Fixed.

Sheesh. That's for sure. Virginia cops are like the Gestapo compared to most other state police. I guess that's why we have one of the lowest crime rates in the country, especially for a larger (population) state.

A "middleweight" standard v-twin is a dangerous type of motorcycle for one's license. Too bad BMW doesn't build a v-twin!

[GypsyRR]

Yong:

You should ride this Yam FZ1 I have. I think I read somewhere it will do 0-60 in 2.7 sec. I have not done that, but I believe them. I don't speed - I just get to the speed limit very quickly. And it sure does corner well and it is soooo light compared to the RR.

I took the "for sale" sign off after having it on there for 1 hour, so I still have the bike. But I really should sell it now. So - if you want more fun than that SV650, I'll let this go for what I have in it!

But until I sell it, it's here in case any of the 'trusted' r1150r board members come to Texas and need a bike to ride while here. But I'm NOT paying for your tickets!!

I'm glad you are having fun. Stay sane and safe though.

[Sunbeemer]

A "middleweight" standard v-twin is a dangerous type of motorcycle for one's license. Too bad BMW doesn't build a v-twin!

Some say our boxers ar 180 degree v-twins!

And I know how you're feeling...I've been riding a little crazily recently through the spring-break traffic here...I just want to get through the mess and get down to business! Spring is in the air!

[CycleRob]

yjleesvrr,
I know exactly the sweet sounds and sensations mentioned that the little SV is capable of. It was the most popular entry racebike choice of customers that got the bug after doing a track day on their own bike. We prepped over 15 of them, most brand new and never registered . . . to be broken in on our DynoJet Dyno. The dyno has a solid steel 900 pound drum who's rotational inertia closely emulates actual road acceleration/deceleration. Strap the bike in, leave the computer off and go for a ride. The stationery break-in periods involved running it up and down thru the gears, gently on-n-off the gas a million times over 2---4 weeks until the odometer passes 500 miles. You don't have to sit on the bike and can actually stand along side it and . . . . closely eyeball the chain and rear sprocket at 90 mph if you want to. At the end, the bikes made excellent HP with no mechanical noises. Best of all, impatient customers did not have to deal with the restraint required for a proper break in during a NJ winter to make the March racing season beginning.

The SV was my favorite one to play with, especially the newer fuel injected ones. It's so pleasant to hear the engine accelerate that it didn't matter we were limited to partial throttle until the 500 mile mark. The sounds they make, the fat-n-flat torque curve for such a small motor and the price/performance bargain is why they are still so popular. Even the one 18K mile valve adjustment I did required no shim changes. An amazing machine.

It would make an excellent bike for your SO or wife IF she can touch the ground (tall seat height).

When it was time for a new bike in July 2002, an SV-650 and R1150R were my only two choices. I'm glad I bought the 1150R. It's a way different M/C than the SV-650 and worth the big extra money chunk..

[Ves]

One word... trackdays.

[R4R&R]

Cyclerob,
So your shop offered breaking in motorcycles as a service? That's a great idea; I've always wondered why some dealers don't offer that as an 'option'. That way you would know it was properly broken in, and ready to ride. That's one thing I dislike about buying a new motorcycle - having to take it easy, and bringing it back for the first service.

If you don't mind me asking, what did you charge for break in? Was it a part of the race-prepping?

I love the first generation SV650; someday I'll probably have one.

[yjleesvrr]

Kristi - In having ridden a buddy's R1 a few times, I know what you speak of. That inline-4 Genesis engine is potent. The acceleration is simply awesome. But there is something about a v-twin (and twins in general) that has a unique feel that makes you want to get mischevious. Hard to explain - the best way to convey the feeling is to simply have the other person ride one to experience it for him/herself.

Rob - it sounds like you worked at a nice shop. I've never heard of anyone offering motorcycle break-in service. I'm glad someone here knows what I speak of when I sing the praises of my little SV.

[Dr. Strangelove]

You shall ride a Vespa for 60 days. That will teach ya.

Oh man, there could be worse fates. My Vespa was my introduction to powered two wheels and I really liked it. For crowded city riding it is nearly perfect. And it had style

But, yjleesvrr, if you don't watch out, just think of all the episodes of "The View" you'll be able to watch from your hospital bed.

ride safe.

John

[socalrob]

Yong,

As you are sitting beside the road with the cuffs on, please remember me & my TWO tickets for 100+ mph within one year. One in Cali, $3,500 in legal fees to dismiss, one in Texas, $500 (The Justice of the Peace told me it would only be $250 for a Texan, I thanked him) fine but not put on driving record.

That might slow you down. It did me.

You might want to investigate consequences in Virginia, like when it rolls over from being a standard speeding ticket (more than 25mph over) to reckless, and if Virginia has special 100mph + tickets like Cali. It would be a real bitch to get a suspended license, not to mention expensive.

BTW, I now am the proud posseser of a 100 percent clean driving record, ie, the best money can buy. The only ticket showing, from 1997, dropped off after 10 years.

[yjleesvrr]

WOW Rob! You've paid your price for riding fast. Yeah, I'm well aware of what everybody's saying. It's a matter of discipline and pent up desire to enjoy the fine weather we had up until today (The East Coast is undergoing a cold front more reminiscent of February ).

I don't know how people can ride literbikes. Sheesh. I'd be arrested for doing 160 on I-66.

[CycleRob]

R4R&R,
We were so troubled when one customer bought a new bike and put it right on the track after riding it up and down the street that we decided to provide the service. The shop rate was $54/hr but a slowly progressing dyno break-in was $10/hr, performed by only 3 people, under strict guidelines, during slack shop/retail moments. The owners were allowed an occasional (free) heat cycle only if they behaved. Those guidelines were things like a low rpm drive-away warm-up, half throttle bursts only after 8 hot/cold heat cycles, occasional 1 second duration full throttle bursts after 200 miles then slowly advancing to redline full throttle only after 500 miles. It usually amounted to $200. Winter was the most popular time, especially since there's a frigid snow cover outside. We made a little extra income and the customers got a bike they could HAMMER on at day one. Everybody's happy.

I know all about those fast break-in techniques, mostly by "mechanics" and "experts" that will not keep for very long the "fast" bike they broke in quickly. They also won't notice it's clanky, clicky, ticky idle and heavy glitter sparkling in the first oil change's pan either.

Engine break-in involves gradual honing in of bearings, camlobes, pistons and the heatcycle cure finalizing of the piston's shape before severely loading them. Gordon Jennings experimented with new pistons by measuring them and then heat cycling them in an oven. After 6 hot/cold cycles without the confines of the cylinderwalls they all became very dimensionally out of specification. That's why your bike's manufacturer has the procedures printed in your owner's manual. They would tell you the easier/better/faster way if it were all of those things. . . . . or just say there is NO break-in.

Any old guys & gals out there might remember the VW Beetle's advertising that bragged it was made so precisely that no break-in was required and it could run flat out all day. As it turns out, the small diameter and lengthy intake manifold piping was so restrictive that performance gearheads, after modifying them with multi-carb on head adaptations and having unheard of engine failures, estimated the stock motor was only getting about half throttle. A German governor that ensures nobody will overheat and damage their air-cooled engine by driving it at top speed. Maybe the original unlimited Beetles had handling/stability problems at high speeds?? Those German engineers are smarter than you think.

[Rog(UK) - Yorkshire Dales]

I totally agree with you Rob and it is the only reason I would buy a bike new instead of used. - I don't want to inherit a bike which has only 2000 miles on the clock but has been owned by someone who practises the 'fast-running-in' technique.

Engineering tolerances and surface finishes produced by the latest tooling produce an engine which possibly requires less running in than one of forty years ago, but I still use 1000 miles as my running-in benchmark. After that, I simply look after my engine by asking it to do a little more each time I ride it and listen to it talk to me.

I wish there was a little more scientific evidence on the subject of running-in/oil consumption. It does seem that a lot of people here feel that if a bike is 'gunned' almost from day one, then oil consumption soon drops to virtually zero. umm....!

Interesting subject and one which brings out as many diverse opinions as 'Tyre Choice' or 'What oil should I use'

Ride safely,

Rog

[yjleesvrr]

Not sure that most people here believe that you should begin flogging the engine from the moment you leave the dealership. I took it wasy on my Roadster for the first 600 miles, and gradually worked up to where I was revving it close to redline down at Deal's Gap when I had 3k miles on the odo. Mine also experienced sustained highway cruising speeds between 75 and 105 mph during the first 6k miles. Once I hit 12k miles, my engine has not been burning any oil. None added in between the 3-3.5k miles I go in between changes with synth oil.

[OU812]