The Engine Run In Myth

As distances between town is far greater in France, than here. Not really surprised but I guess that you didn't buy it?

 

No, usual paint stripped engine, not a panel that was not scraped or broken. Well used but not loved. Discs knackered,brakes just working leaking fork seals, ripped seat. Wanted 1200 euros for it. No MOT in France some real dogs about. It's probably still running.

 

Sounds very French!

 

Well I'd say it depends on of Ducati can check the ECU to see if/how it was run in.

And if you are just handing it back in 3 years or if it's a keeper.

Wonder how many end of PCP bikes handed back in were never run in as per the manual as the bikes were never going to be kept anyway?

Ex demo bikes probably haven't been run in nicely either.

Can't they control the revs with the ECU anyway?

 

A friend blew up a GT3 engine on a track day once many years ago, dropped down too many gears too quickly. Valves and pistons collided. Told Porsche it had ‘just happened’ while on his way to work. ‘Uh uh, tut tut’ they said. ‘We’ve checked and the engine hit 9000rpm when it happened’. Needless to say the rejected the warranty claim. Car ECUs may be cleverer than bike ECUs but I’d lay money on modern bike ECUs being able to store a whole load of data.

 

Guarantee it will register fault codes. Overreving must trip a code somewhere. VAG could even program to detect MOT emissions testing and change ECU to suit. Smart suspension, will be logging weight loading, ABS braking forces. Gear position will cross reference to revs, front end lift monitored, GPS relative position on bends. Crash helmets will be fitted with drug and alcohol detectors, jackets will monitor heart rates, jeans testicular positioning.We're all being watched. Repeat I am not paranoid. I am not paranoid.....

 

IME Porsche do absolutely everything to wiggle out of any warranty clam.

 

My X7 used to blow to bits if I didn't run it in.....
I know 'cause I did it 7 times....

 

I'd definitely do the early oil change.

 

IME idiots down shifting to the wrong gear is idiot operator error, quite fraudulent and not a warranty issue!

 

I thought Ducati put a mineral oil in from the factory which is then changed at the first (600 mile) service for fully synthetic oil. Using mineral oil for the first few hundred miles allows the engine and gearbox moving parts to bed in properly, but as mineral oil isn't as temperature stable or long lasting as fully synthetic oil (hence the need to thoroughly warm up the engine before riding and to change oil at the first service). My understanding is that when running fully synthetic oil it takes a lot longer for components to bed in. Of course, I could be completely wrong

 

You are absolutey right. First oil change also clears away all those sub micron particles from initial bed in. Modern bikes, few exceptions have integral clutch and gearbox sharing same oil. Oils are a complete science.

 

Agree but he was trying it on to avoid an expensive engine rebuild bill

 

Haven't read all the replies but having owned a few BMW M cars that have a 'run in' service at 1200 miles, the general theory seems to be that it's more about the gearbox and diff bedding in properly over the 1200 miles rather than the engine, although they do use mineral oil and that's why the revs are limited.

 

There’s a difference between thrashing an engine and riding it fast.

labouring engines is not good for them at all. Especially during running in, or sitting at the same revs.

Personally I’ve always ridden the bike sedately until the oil is hot and then opened them up. But not sat at prolonged high rpm’s and used plenty of engine braking.

All of my motors have been strong!

And for the fairies amongst us, your engine will have had its head kicked in on a dyno at the factory. So I wouldn’t worry too much about babying it haha! Ducati are especially known for this.

these days it’s mostly so that people bed brakes etc in as a ‘just in case’ but also covers the bike against all the different types of dick heads in society

engine builders put their engines on the bench or dyno and run them all the way through the range.

 

^^^^^^^ as above.

I worked in motor manufacturing for many years (Toyota) and engines are bench tested straight off the assembly line. I can't see Ducati being different than any other oem when it comes to an assembly line.

With manufacturing tolerances you really don't have to 'bed' things in anymore.

 

When you say fail, was it major?

 

My 999 seems to get pissed off if we don't go out very often.
Started it up, engine management light on, stop and start again, light on, third time lucky, started up with no light.
Do you think it's trying to say something?

 

For me, my experience is that I’ve always built the revs and load slowly over the 600 but I normally Rev it a bit more on the way to the 600 mile service so that it’s at least done some revs prior to dropping the run in oil.

I’ve had a few Daytona’s I bought a new one and my mate bought a ex press fleet one that had obv been used on track at the launch, his used barely any oil and mine which was pretty much run in by the guidelines with a few k more revs and mine drank it, like 1L per 1k miles.

I’m getting a V2 in a few weeks and I’m planning to just ride it normally with good amount of time to warm up and plenty of heat cycles as personally I think that’s where the bedding in is done more than mileage