I've found as others have stated, run in hardish, using the gears varying the revs etc, is best, and you can definitely tell a well run in engine, it will be quicker. Long uphill roads with a little load on the engine will bed the rings in. At the end of the day it's your bike, do what you feel comfortable with, don't forget it's a modern piece of engineering excellence, and will take more than most can throw at it.
Took mine to the track right after the 600 mile service and rode the piss out of it. Only problem has been the gear position sensor failure at 9000 miles.
Haha, great! Agree all the way, and the piston rings are just one part of the whole engine/gearbox/etc system... I'm a practical design engineer and have rebuilt many engines and designed machinery. When you hold the parts on your hands, put them together, understand the interaction between them and their lubrication you just get it. Armchair experts who think that somehow modern manufacturing methods (have they ever made anything themselves?) change the action of one metal part on another are deluded. Yes, of course modern machining and post-machining processes have improved massively over the last 40 years but gnashing machinery is not a bloody iPhone!
When I bought a new zx10 from Cardiff I had no idea what the running in process should be! I phoned the engine builder I use and who I trust completely, he told me to ride it the 3 miles to the m4 using the gearbox as much as possible,once on the m4 to ride it like I stole it! Redline it in every gear!! This was a zero mile bike! Must admit I was a bit nervous but that ended up becoming my race bike for three years! Definitely the most reliable bike I’ve ever owned and one of the strongest motors on the dyno! That was 2012 and it’s still running sweet as I sold it to a friend in 2016! This is how I run my bikes in but we all have our views!
So as I understand it you are prepared to make an assumption that those that have commented have never had any interaction with the parts or built an engine..,,. But complain they have made an assumption
I’ve had the same experiences. The one and only Chris Mehew who’s arguably one of the best motorcycle engine builders in the country / world built my last engine. Same advice. And that was on a world supersport motor which has tighter tolerances than most. As previously mentioned, those who are overly concerned and want to baby their engines may want to consider the fact that their bikes already had its arnoose pummelled on a dyno at the factory
But you’re called Keith. People called Keith are associated with ancient engineering practices. Thrash it from the crate!!! Yaaargh!!!!
So are people saying then that Ducati are talking out their ass and have not got any idea about modern engines so we should all ignore their advice and thrash the crap out of a brand new bike ?Maybe if you have bought the bike on pcp and have no intention of keeping it , or you are going to track it and then sell it on to some unsuspecting mug as a mint low miles bike you may do this ,but i would of thought that if you have worked your bollox off to buy said bike and its your pride and joy you will pay attention to the manufacturers advice . And of course there is a world of difference in running in a race engine and a road engines per the advice given by Chris Mehew.
Ducati themselves run the bikes up on the dyno at the end of the production line. I’ve seen it with my own eyes as have others on this forum that have visited the factory. I thought it was fairly commonly understood that it’s put in the manual to cover their ass.. i.e. new brakes... New tyres... etc etc As previously mentioned by someone in here. You pay your money, do as you wish.
I would have thought that there is a big difference in running a engine up through the gears on a dyno to check it meets the performance criteria ,which i would of thought takes a few minutes ,compared to as a example thrashing it up and down the your favourite road ,redlining it and banging back down the box etc .All the engines i have had to run in ,race and road i have not pussy footed them but also not abused them.But as you say each to their own ,for some a £20,000 bike is easy come easy go ,for others it is a lifetimes dream ,that is to be cosseted.
The panigale’s I saw on the dyno at the factory was getting its head kicked in. Back cylinder pipe was glowing
So just to make sure i have got this right , it is start engine and hold it on the limiter to warm it up for a couple of minutes ,and then ride it in first and second gear on the limiter until the first service
