Rx3 engine break in

[Ron B]

CSC sent a paper with the bike saying to keep it under 5000rpm for the first 500mi. How did you break your engine in ? seems like an excessive amount of time to run that low a rpm. thats not even making the speed limit in some places around town.

[Eco Mouse]

Just ride it how, you are going to ride it.

(remember, every bike that leaves the factory was run at redline for an hour anyway)

[detours]

There are lots of opinions on break-in procedure and I can't say any of them are wrong. For myself, I fall on the conservative side.

Engine Break-in

I agree that it's really hard to keep this engine under 5000 RPM. But IMO, for the first 500 miles try and keep the RPMs between 3500 and 6000 (under 7000 RPM for sure) to achieve a nice variable load that doesn't stress out your engine. A lot of this happens naturally, depending on curves and terrain. Rolling hills put the perfect load on your engine and let you naturally speed up and slow down. Curves do much the same, if you have any roads that follow a river or canyon.

The important thing is to vary your speed and load, so you're not pegging 6 or 7000 RPM for 20 minutes trying to get somewhere. Ease the RPMs down to 5500, then gradually bring them back up to 7000. Then drop them again. After 500 miles, you can be a lot freer with the throttle, but under 1000 miles, it's still a good idea to gradually increase the amount of time you spend at any given load, speed and RPM.

Also, keep an eye on your engine temps (2 bars), oil level (half of sight glass) and coolant level (half of the overflow bottle).

Brakes Bed-in

The front brakes on the RX3 need some help to properly bed in. I recommend going to an empty parking lot with a new bike and doing a series of 3 or 4 fast stops in a straight line from 25 mph. Let the brakes cool for a minute or two. Then do more stops from 35 mph and cool down. Then from 45 mph and cool down.

If at any time during this process you feel like your brakes are getting weaker, they're probably just too hot from this workout. Let them cool down for several minutes before continuing. Cool-down is very important.

This procedure will dramatically improve their stopping power right away, but the front brakes will continue to improve over the first 1000 miles as you ride.

Tire Break-in

For tire break-in, warm them up for 10-15 miles on normal roads. Then do some turns, gradually increasing lean angle over the first 50 or so miles. Some manufacturers recommend 100 miles to fully break in a motorcycle tire.

Remember that as you lean on a new tire, the edges aren't worn in yet and may be slippery. Some riders run sandpaper over the tire surface to speed up this process.

General Break-in Advice

Also use the first 500 miles to get to know your bike as a whole. How it sounds in different gears and under load. Listen for vibration, whining, buzzing, squeaks, etc. If anything sounds or feels funny, chase it down or ask questions.

All metal parts stretch, bend and compact under load. So recheck your bolts, cables and chain every so often, especially during break-in. Problems are rare, but you may find a poorly seated bearing, cooling issues, braking issues, loose cables, etc. It's better to find and adjust these things at low speed than at high speed.

[AdventureDad]

Very good advice. Don't forget the oil changes. I "think" gerry at CSC recommended 200 miles and again @ 1000. I think I'll do 50, 200, 500 & 1000, checking the valves @ 500, 1000 and 2500.
If I'm totally off, please make suggestions.

[detours]

Very good advice. Don't forget the oil changes. I "think" gerry at CSC recommended 200 miles and again @ 1000. I think I'll do 50, 200, 500 & 1000, checking the valves @ 500, 1000 and 2500.
If I'm totally off, please make suggestions.

On a new RX3, I like oil changes at 200 miles, 500 miles and 1000 miles. Then 2500 or 3000 miles thereafter with my paper filter.

[pyoungbl]

Ah, an oil change thread. The paperwork that came with my bike said to change oil and filter at 500 miles. Since CSC had already changed the oil once that would have removed manufacturing swarf, 500 miles of break-in sounds reasonable. I'll send an oil sample to Blackstone for analysis and then proceed based on what they report. The next oil change, per CSC, should be in another 2500 miles. Once again, send a sample to Blackstone and go with their recommendation. More frequent oil changes can't hurt anything but they certainly seem like a waste of time and money (particularly with the cost of the oil filter) if the oil is still within spec.

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

Peter Y.

[2LZ]

Like detours, I've always been on the conservative side on break-ins and all of my motors have lasted a very long time. Is this due to the easy break-ins and fanatical oil changes? I have no idea...but I want to give it a fighting chance for longevity. I manage to keep my bikes and most of my cars a very long time.

[Ron B]

Ive owned a few new bikes over the years , but none of them had this kind of break in. Most of them just wanted you to run them through about a 10 or 12 heat cycles then just ride them like you normally would.

[detours]

The break-in for my Vstrom 650 was similar to the RX3, but it had more usable power under 5000 RPM too, so you didn't feel so handicapped for 500 miles.

I imagine the strict instructions come from an overabundance of caution. But on the other hand, I know of one new RX3 owner who burned up his engine pinning the throttle on the freeway during the break-in period. There may have been other factors, like low coolant, low oil level or high outside temps ... who knows. But starting slow and watching engine temps and coolant levels might have saved his engine.

[AdventureDad]

Detours, sage advice on the break in. Not to easy, not too hard. And remember, you only have to do it once :)

[madsocial]

Ah, an oil change thread. The paperwork that came with my bike said to change oil and filter at 500 miles. Since CSC had already changed the oil once that would have removed manufacturing swarf, 500 miles of break-in sounds reasonable. I'll send an oil sample to Blackstone for analysis and then proceed based on what they report. The next oil change, per CSC, should be in another 2500 miles. Once again, send a sample to Blackstone and go with their recommendation. More frequent oil changes can't hurt anything but they certainly seem like a waste of time and money (particularly with the cost of the oil filter) if the oil is still within spec.

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

Peter Y.

I had no idea anyone did that! WOW! I'm going to test my car too. lol :thanks:

[SpudRider]

Ive owned a few new bikes over the years , but none of them had this kind of break in. Most of them just wanted you to run them through about a 10 or 12 heat cycles then just ride them like you normally would.

Detours, sage advice on the break in. Not to easy, not too hard. And remember, you only have to do it once :)

For my RX3 I kept the engine speed under 8,000 rpms for about 2,000 miles. I also varied the engine rpms, and didn't maintain the same engine speed for long periods of time. Then I rode the bike normally. ;)

Quite frankly, unless you constantly punish the engine, I don't think it makes much difference how you conduct an engine break-in. That's why people have such good success with so many different methods. ;)

[DanKearney]

I did exactly what the manufacturer said to do. I'm funny that way however. If I didn't follow the manufacturer's stated procedure and then suffered an engine failure how could I expect them to cover a repair under warranty?

I figure the engineers that designed the motor have a pretty good idea (Even if it is very conservative) of the proper way to bed the motor in. I won't second guess them.

Cheers,

Dan K.

[rjmorel]

On a new bike ,I avoid extremes. Don't ride it down the freeway for hours on end at 7-8000 rpm. I think one RX3 owner kinda did this and ruined his motor ??? And don't lug it around town under 3-4000rpm like grandpa. rj

[superdude]

Just ride it how, you are going to ride it.

(remember, every bike that leaves the factory was run at redline for an hour anyway)

I'd like to point out I dont remember myself or any other RX-3 riders I know getting that paper with our bikes when we got shipment..so I think it is very intentional on CSC's part to include that in there now probably due to unintentionally ignored break in procedures by new riders. And it definitely should be heeded regardless of what our other experiences are on other bikes so you can minimize any potential risk of engine failure.

On a new bike ,I avoid extremes. Don't ride it down the freeway for hours on end at 7-8000 rpm. I think one RX3 owner kinda did this and ruined his motor ??? And don't lug it around town under 3-4000rpm like grandpa. rj

Yes this was my buddy and he was riding his new RX-3 on freeway at 8k for too long with less than 100 miles on bike and the cam chain jumped and he bent a valve. If he would of had that paper probably would of not of happened because he would of opted for back roads instead. He also just bought a new triumph last week and his brand new triumph for 17k had stricter break in protocols and limitations than the RX-3, and the dealer told him to make sure he follows.

[Eco Mouse]

Well, here's the deal with my philosophy on this bike... first off, I'm not a timid newbie, and I know my way around a wrench.

But more importantly, we are ambassadors for a new market of bike being imported from China. Purchased, sight unseen, over the internet and without a dealer network. If this bike breaks sooo easily under real world riding conditions, it's ultimate long term sales and general public adoption rate will plummet.

If I coddle it, and baby the bike every step of the way, and at the end of the bike's lifecycle, whatever that may be 5-10 years... and brag about how I got 100,000 miles on my Chinese bike, they are built like tanks, everyone should buy one! Then that's rather disingenuous, and not reflective of a real world riding scenario.

I've skipped oil change intervals, ignored my tightening valves until I absolutely needed to adjust them. Forgot to oil my chain after a long weekend excursion. Etc... Basically, I'm riding this bike and enjoying it.

I wish I had some video for you guys, we took the RX3s on some gnarly desert single track, and up some pretty steep rocky inclines. The bike handled flawlessly, and nobody dropped their bikes this whole weekend! Point is, I flogged it, the bike took it. Some of the trails were beyond my skill level on this heavy of a bike.

At the end of this bike's chapter, I want to be able to say, I just bought it and started riding it. Here's the problems I had, and here's where the bike surprised me. And have a genuine opinion about the bike's real world durability.

[AdventureDad]

EcoMouse... you made some salient points. I, personally, dont want to abuse it, nor coddle it. I may take it a bit easier for the first 1k, but you made a good point. Buy it, ride it, enjoy it. This first batch will essentially make or break Zongshen (worldwide) and/or CSC.
The bikes have come a long way thus far with ADV acceptance, garnering more and more respect. If they were fragile, a styling exercise, unreliable, etc, that will set Chinese bikes back 5-10 years in the US and elsewhere.
How many of us baby our cars and trucks? Exactly.

[DanKearney]

There's quite a difference (IMHNEO - In my humble, non-engineer opinion) between breaking-in a motor properly vs "coddling" the bike.

Break it in properly, then ride it hard.

The break-in period is an important determinant of the long term reliability.

Cheers,

Dan K.

[2LZ]

Everyone treats their own things differently. I'm a maintenance freak because it's also my hobby. I love to wrench on bikes and keep them as close to perfect as possible....plus ride them. It's just how I play.

Regarding break-in, I just basically do what the manual specifies by the people who built it. There are "hot spots" for the first handful of miles that can create tons of friction until the parts are surfaced. There was a guy here a while back on a brand new Q who grenaded it due to running it dang hard and full out with virtually no miles on it. I saw the motor in the shop and it was definitely due to not breaking it in properly. The cam froze in its bearings (hot spot), snapped the cam chain and you can picture the rest. The dealer (known as Doug here) was nice enough to cover it the first time but told the guy "no more". If he was going to beat it like a bad donkey, then he was on his own.
Not sure whatever happened to him. He just vanished from here.

[CSaddict]

I have always believed, if it's going to break, it's going to break. You should be able to take this thing right out of the box and ride it like you would every other day. The guy who took it out of the box and blew it up on the highway would have prolonged the death of the engine by taking it easy at first. It would have blown up anyway. With that said. I'm keeping my bike under 7k and under 6k most of the time for 500 miles then I'm letting it have it. If it dies it dies. I feel no need to justify my purchase if it isn't truly warranted.

My blog will reflect every success and failure in bold truth.

Still waiting on how Destini's bike died.

[SpudRider]

...Still waiting on how Destini's bike died.

Who is Destini, and what bike does he own?

[Eco Mouse]

...The guy who took it out of the box and blew it up on the highway would have prolonged the death of the engine by taking it easy at first. It would have blown up anyway...

Thank you, that was the long winded point I was trying to make. :tup:

If it's going to break, it's going to break. The price of this bike is so low, that I could just buy another one while this one is being worked on. Or... a whole new spare engine would barely set me back $1500 at maximum. I've spent that much on a set of Panniers.

[Ron B]

Thank you, that was the long winded point I was trying to make. :tup:

If it's going to break, it's going to break. The price of this bike is so low, that I could just buy another one while this one is being worked on. Or... a whole new spare engine would barely set me back $1500 at maximum. I've spent that much on a set of Panniers.

Wow.....you have way more money to blow than I do. :hmm: I need to ask for a raise...

[Eco Mouse]

I promise, you probably have more cash on hand than I do. But I look at money differently now. It comes just as easy as it goes. I have no resistance to it, nor do I feel there is a lack of it. (Even if my bank account says otherwise) :hehe:

If there is something I want, I get it... (maybe it takes a bit of time) but I don't let the price tag deter me. Sometimes, I have to get what's OK for right now, like Harbor Freight stuff, or like this Cyclone... but I'm still getting basically what I'm attracting. (ie, tools and a motorcycle)

Live free my brother! Freedom is in YOUR mind, no one else's!

[jbfla]

........ a whole new spare engine would barely set me back $1500 at maximum...

Complete new engine = $2,500......plus shipping.

http://www.cscmotorcycles.com/ENGINE-p/z25-100.htm

jb

[CSaddict]

Who is Destini, and what bike does he own?

Destini is on the Facebook group and had a complete failure on an RX3 that required an engine replacement. CSC sent the motor up to the shop. That's all I've heard so far. I'm interested on what exactly failed.

[SpudRider]

Destini is on the Facebook group and had a complete failure on an RX3 that required an engine replacement. CSC sent the motor up to the shop. That's all I've heard so far. I'm interested on what exactly failed.

Please keep us updated regarding this matter. Also, please invite Destini to join us at China Riders. ;)

[Eco Mouse]

CSC isn't the only place you can get that engine. Plus, do the math on $2500 engine bought from them... It's way over priced. If the bike originally sold for $2895 on their "Don't miss the boat sale" and even if they only made $200 profit per bike, you really think that engine is worth $2500, and the entire rest of the bike and all it's components only total a few hundred dollars? Please...

I doubt the guys are CSC are really that bad at math that they would wander into the expensive, time consuming venture of importing and regulating bikes, if there wasn't a profit to be made on every nut and bolt. In the retail world, there two types of "Profit". The kind you show, and the kind you actually make.

Plus, it's also not that unreasonable, with a couple of weekends in the work shed, one could put in any number of transplant engines into the subframe. People do it all the time.