After 3 months of waiting to receive my 2010 Zx-14. I have a problem. I have to pick it up here in Germany and it is at a shop around 250 miles from my house. I have always bought used and have never gone through the break in process and have heard all the stories. I am wondering with all of the experience here what would you recommend, I would like to ride it back as it would be a great way to get aquainted or to rent a truck to bring it home? My big concerns are that I would have to ride on the autobahn and not to sure about riding at a constant speed.

Hi! Well, if you follow the maintenance chart in the owner's manual, they tell you not to exceed 4k RPM within the first 400 I believe it is. Then, to keep it under 6k until 600 miles I think. So, I'd think as long as you kept it within that range, you'll be fine. They DO have a SLOW lane, but I know the temptation would be overwhelming on a bike of this caliber. Just take 'er easy and I think you'll not have issues.

How To BreakI In A New Engine Article
04/12/09 7:30 AM
.
" There are a lot of myths about engines...
easy break-in is one of the biggest "

KNOWLEDGE = POWER !!
Tecleo aquí para la versión
Español !!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Warning:
This is a very controversial topic !!
I wrote "Break-In Secrets" after successfully applying this method
to approximately 300 new engines, all without any problems whatsoever.
Links to this article now appear on hundreds of motorsports discussion forums from all over the world. The reason is that over time, large numbers of people have done a direct comparison between my method and the owner's manual method, and the news of their success is spreading rapidly.
The results are always the same... a dramatic increase in power at all RPMs. In addition, many professional mechanics have disassembled engines that have used this method, to find that the condition of the engine is much better than when the owner's manual break-in method has been used.
The thing that makes this page so controversial is that there have been many other break-in articles
written in the past which will contradict what has been written here.
Several factors make the older information on break-in obsolete.
The biggest factor is that engine manufacturers now use a much finer honing pattern in the cylinders than they once did. This in turn changes the break-in requirements, because as you're about to learn, the window of opportunity for achieving an exceptional ring seal is much smaller with
newer engines than it was with the older "rough honed" engines.
In addition, there is a lot less heat build up in the cylinders from ring friction
due to the finer honing pattern used in modern engines.
The other factors that have changed are the vastly improved metal casting and machining
technologies which are now used. This means that the "wearing in" of the new parts
involves significantly less friction and actual wear than it did in the distant past.

With that in mind ...
Welcome to one of the most controversial motorsports pages on the internet !!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How To Break In Your Engine For
More Power & Less Wear !
One of the most critical parts of the engine building process is the break in !!
No matter how well an engine is assembled, it's final power output is all up to you !!
Although the examples shown here are motorcycle engines,
these principles apply to all 4 stroke engines:
Street or Race Motorcycles, Cars, Snowmobiles, Airplanes & yes ...
even Lawn Mowers !!
( regardless of brand, cooling type, or number of cylinders. )
These same break in techniques apply to both steel cylinders and Nikasil, as well as the ceramic
composite cylinders that Yamaha uses in it's motorcycles and snowmobiles.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What's The Best Way To Break-In A New Engine ??
The Short Answer: Run it Hard !
Why ??
Nowadays, the piston ring seal is really what the break in process is all about. Contrary to popular belief, piston rings don't seal the combustion pressure by spring tension. Ring tension is necessary only to "scrape" the oil to prevent it from entering the combustion chamber.
If you think about it, the ring exerts maybe 5-10 lbs of spring tension against the cylinder wall ...
How can such a small amount of spring tension seal against thousands of
PSI (Pounds Per Square Inch) of combustion pressure ??
Of course it can't.
How Do Rings Seal Against Tremendous Combustion Pressure ??
From the actual gas pressure itself !! It passes over the top of the ring, and gets behind it to force it outward against the cylinder wall. The problem is that new rings are far from perfect and they must be worn in quite a bit in order to completely seal all the way around the bore. If the gas pressure is strong enough during the engine's first miles of operation (open that throttle !!!), then the entire ring will wear into
the cylinder surface, to seal the combustion pressure as well as possible.

The Problem With "Easy Break In" ...
The honed crosshatch pattern in the cylinder bore acts like a file to allow the rings to wear. The rings quickly wear down the "peaks" of this roughness, regardless of how hard the engine is run.
There's a very small window of opportunity to get the rings to seal really well ... the first 20 miles !!
If the rings aren't forced against the walls soon enough, they'll use up the roughness before they fully seat. Once that happens there is no solution but to re hone the cylinders, install new rings and start over again.
Fortunately, most new sportbike owners can't resist the urge to "open it up" once or twice,
which is why more engines don't have this problem !!
An additional factor that you may not have realized, is that the person at the dealership who set up your bike probably blasted your brand new bike pretty hard on the "test run". So, without realizing it, that adrenaline crazed set - up mechanic actually did you a huge favor !!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's How To Do It:
There are 3 ways you can break in an engine:
1) on a dyno
2) on the street, or off road (Motocross or Snowmobile.)
3) on the racetrack

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On a Dyno:
Warm the engine up
completely !!
Then, using 4th gear:
Do Three 1/2 Throttle dyno runs from
40% - 60% of your engine's max rpm
Let it Cool Down For About 15 Minutes
Do Three 3/4 Throttle dyno runs from
40% - 80% of your engine's max rpm
Let it Cool Down For About 15 Minutes
Do Three Full Throttle dyno runs from
30% - 100% of your engine's max rpm
Let it Cool Down For About 15 Minutes
Go For It !!
Frequently asked Question:
What's a dyno ??
A dyno is a machine in which the bike is strapped on and power is measured.
It can also be used to break in an engine.
NOTE: If you use a dyno with a brake, it's critical during break - in that you allow the engine to decelerate fully on it's own. (Don't use the dyno brake.) The engine vacuum created during closed throttle deceleration sucks the excess oil and metal off the cylinder walls.
The point of this is to remove the very small (micro) particles of ring and cylinder material which are part of the normal wear during this process. During deceleration, the particles suspended in the oil blow out the exhaust, rather than accumulating in the ring grooves between
the piston and rings. This keeps the rings from wearing too much.
You'll notice that at first the engine "smokes" on decel, this is normal, as the rings haven't sealed yet. When you're doing it right, you'll notice that the smoke goes away after about 7-8 runs.

Important Note:
Many readers have e-mailed to ask about the cool down, and if it
means "heat cycling" the engine.

No, the above "cool down" instructions only apply if you are using a dyno machine to break in your engine. The reason for cool down on a dyno has nothing to do with
"Heat Cycles" !!!
Cool Down on a dyno is important since the cooling fans used at most dyno facilities are too small to equal the amount of air coming into the radiator at actual riding speeds. On a dyno, the water temperature will become high enough to cause it to boil out of the radiator after
about 4 dyno runs. This will happen to a brand new engine just as it will
happen to a very old engine.
(Always allow the engine to cool down after 3 runs whenever you use a dyno.)
If you're breaking your engine in on the street or racetrack, the high speed incoming air will keep the engine temperature in the normal range.
(In other words, you don't have to stop by the side of the road to let your bike cool down.)
What about "heat cycling" the engine ??
There is no need to "heat cycle" a new engine. The term "heat cycle" comes from the idea that the new engine components are being "heat treated" as the engine is run. Heat treating the metal parts is a very different process, and it's already done at the factory before the engines are assembled. The temperatures required for heat treating are much higher than an engine will ever reach during operation.
The idea of breaking the engine in using "heat cycles" is a myth that came from the misunderstanding of the concept of "heat treating".

On the Street:
Warm the engine up completely:
Because of the wind resistance, you don't need to use higher gears like you would on a dyno machine. The main thing is to load the engine by opening the throttle hard in 2nd, 3rd and 4th gear.
Realistically, you won't be able to do full throttle runs even in 2nd gear on most bikes without exceeding 65 mph / 104 kph. The best method is to alternate between short bursts of hard acceleration and deceleration. You don't have to go over 65 mph / 104 kph to properly load the rings. Also, make sure that you're not being followed by another bike or car when you decelerate, most drivers won't expect that you'll suddenly slow down, and we don't want
anyone to get hit from behind !!
The biggest problem with breaking your engine in on the street (besides police) is if you ride the bike on the freeway (too little throttle = not enough pressure on the rings) or if you get stuck in slow city traffic. For the first 200 miles or so, get out into the country where you can vary the speed more
and run it through the gears !
Be Safe On The Street !
Watch your speed ! When you're not used to the handling of a new vehicle, you should accelerate only on the straightaways, then slow down extra early for the turns. Remember that both hard acceleration and hard engine braking (deceleration) are equally important during the break in process.
On the Racetrack:
Warm the engine up completely:
Do one easy lap to warm up your tires. Pit, turn off the bike & check for leaks or
any safety problems. Take a normal 15 minute practice session
and check the water temperature occasionally. The racetrack is the perfect environment to break in an engine !! The combination of acceleration and deceleration is just the ticket for sealing the rings.
Go For It !!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeah - But ...
the owner's manual says to break it in easy ...
Notice that this technique isn't "beating" on the engine, but rather taking a purposeful, methodical approach to sealing the rings. The logic to this method is sound. However, some will have a hard time with this approach, since it seems to "go against the grain".
The argument for an easy break-in is usually: "that's what the manual says" ....
Or more specifically: "there are tight parts in the engine and you might do damage or even seize it if you run it hard."
Consider this:
Due to the vastly improved metal casting and machining technologies which are now used, tight parts in new engines are not normal. A manufacturing mistake causing a tight clearance is an extremely rare occurrence these days. But, if there is something wrong with the engine clearances from the factory, no amount of gentle running will fix the problem.
The real reason ???
So why do all the owner's manuals say to take it easy for the first
thousand miles ???
This is a good question ...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: What is the most common cause of engine problems ???
A: Failure to:
Warm the engine up completely before running it hard !!!
Q: What is the second most common cause of engine problems ???
A: An easy break in !!!
Because, when the rings don't seal well, the blow-by gasses contaminate the oil with acids and other harmful combustion by-products !!
Ironically, an "easy break in" is not at all what it seems. By trying to "protect" the engine, the exact opposite happens, as leaky rings continue to contaminate your engine oil for the rest of the life of your engine !!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What about running it in the garage ???
Maybe you have a new snowmobile and it's not quite winter yet, or a new bike and it's snowing...
The temptation to fire up a new vehicle in the garage just to "hear"
the new engine run can be very strong.
This is the worst thing for a new engine, in fact, my advice is:
don't even start it up until you're ready to warm it up for the first ride.
The reason is that brand-new rings don't seat all the way around the 360 degrees of their circumference. The gas pressure from hard acceleration forces the rings to contact the cylinder around their entire circumference, which is the only way the rings can properly wear into the exact shape of the cylinder to seal the combustion pressure.
Now, imagine if the engine is run in the garage. There is no load on the engine, so the rings are just going up and down "along for the ride". Only a small portion of their surface is actually contacting the cylinder wall. The ring area that does contact the cylinder wears down the roughness of the honing pattern on the cylinder walls. Once the roughness of the cylinder is gone, the rings stop wearing into the cylinder. If this happens before the entire ring has worn into the cylinder and sealed, you will have a slow engine no matter how hard it gets ridden after that point.
The difference between what happens in an engine running in the garage, versus one being ridden is a hard concept to put into written words, so if I may use the sounds that we all can relate to: it's the difference between "zing-zing-zing" and "bwaaaaaaaaaAAAAAA"
During "zing-zing-zing" the rings don't get loaded for more than a split second, whereas during "bwaaaaaAAAAAA", the engine is in 100% ring sealing mode.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recent Snowmobile Info:
Yamaha's break-in recommendation for the RX1 has been to idle the engine for 15 minutes.
Some owners found that the heat build up from doing this was so extreme,
that their taillight had begun melting (!!!)
Yamaha has since changed the recommendation to three 5 minute idle periods.
Why would Yamaha recommend a break in method which will prevent the rings
from sealing as well as possible ??
This is a good question ...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Picture's Worth A Thousand Words:

The piston on the right was broken in as
per MotoMan's instructions.
After a full season of hard racing:
- Perfect Ring Seal ...
- No Scuffing ...
- Lots of Trophies !!!

These Honda F3 pistons show
the difference.
Although these pistons came out of engines which were raced for a full season, they weren't set-up with any special clearances or other preparation.
These engines were never worked on prior to being raced. They were totally stock as built by Honda.
The only difference was the break in method they used...

The one on the right was broken in as per MotoMan's instructions.
The one on the left was broken in exactly according to the owner's manual. The resulting leaky rings have allowed pressure to "blow by" down into the crankcase on acceleration, and oil to "suck-up" into the combustion chamber on deceleration.
Needless to say, this bike was slow !!

It's up to you:
The loss in power from an easy break-in and the resulting poor ring seal can be
anywhere from 2% - 10% !!
In other words:
The gain in power from using this break-in method can be anywhere from 2% - 10% !!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update -
Some have felt that the piston which was broken in hard in the above photo is too clean to be true !!
"That piston is impossible, there must be some trick going on."
So, here I present: "The Impossible Piston Museum"
Here are 14 pistons from 14 different bikes, with several manufacturers represented. Some are from streetbikes and some from racebikes.
All of the engines had the correct jetting, the reason some have black carbon deposits is because they were run on "pump gas", which burns dark regardless of the jetting. Whereas the lighter ones were run on oxygenated race fuel, which gives a very light tan to gray color. (Many of the black-carboned pistons were from racebikes.)
Disclaimer:
Absolutely no photo altering or physical cleaning of the pistons is allowed in the museum !!
We run a legit exhibit, and all the artifacts on display are 100% genuine.
Note:
The controversial piston in the above picture is the last one in the middle row,
and it's indicated by the arrows.
You can take a closer look by clicking on the photos to see the full sized versions:

.
.
<<
It looks like there are more than 14 pistons, because the area in the 3 photos overlap.
It's 3 segments of a panorama photo to give you multiple views of this extraordinarily rare collection.
The pistons have been stacked for display purposes only, they aren't going back into engines. Always be super careful when handling pistons, as the aluminum is soft and very easily dented, causing combustion leakage, and friction ... neither of which is good for power.
As in any museum, some of the specimens are better examples than others, but the point is that none have any leakage past the top ring, because they were all broken in by the method described here !
The only impossible thing about these pistons ... is that it's impossible to achieve this result with an easy break-in.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What about street bikes ???
This piston is from a 650 Honda Hawk. The brown discoloration that extends up into the piston pin bore is burnt oil from the extreme heat leaking past all 3 rings !!
The uneven heat leakage was so bad, that it caused the cylinder to distort and become out of round, causing piston to cylinder scuffing in the tight part of the "oval" cylinder.

When I showed the customer his
pistons, he said:
" I don't understand how that happened, I followed the owner's manual break-in instructions 100% !! "

Why would Honda recommend a break in method which will prevent the
rings from sealing as well as possible ??
This is a good question ...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: What's the third most common cause of engine problems ???
A: Not changing the oil soon enough after the engine is first run !!
Change Your Oil Right Away !!
The best thing you can do for your engine is to change your oil and filter after the first 20 miles. Most of the wearing in process happens immediately, creating a lot of metal in the oil. Plus, the amount of leftover machining chips and other crud left behind in the manufacturing process is simply amazing !! You want to flush that stuff out before it gets recycled and embedded in the transmission gears, and oil pump etc...
Why do the manufacturers recommend waiting until 600 miles to
flush out all the loose metal ???
This is a good question ...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 more words on break- in:
NO SYNTHETIC OIL !!
Use Valvoline, Halvoline, or similar 10 w 40 Petroleum Car Oil for at least
2 full days of hard racing or 1,500 miles of street riding / driving.
After that use your favorite brand of oil.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Viewer Questions:
Q: If break- in happens so quickly, why do you recommend using petroleum break- in oil for 1500 miles ??
A: Because while about 80% of the ring sealing takes place in the first hour of running the engine,
the last 20% of the process takes a longer time. Street riding isn't a controlled environment, so most of the mileage may
not be in "ring loading mode". Synthetic oil is so slippery that it actually "arrests" the break in process before the rings can seal completely. I've had a few customers who switched to synthetic oil too soon, and the rings never sealed properly no matter how hard they rode. Taking a new engine apart to re - ring it is the last thing anyone wants to do, so I recommend a lot
of mileage before switching to synthetic. It's really a "better safe than sorry" situation.
Q: My bike comes with synthetic oil from the factory, what should I do ??
A: I recommend changing the factory installed synthetic oil back to petroleum for the break-in period.
Q: What about the main and rod bearings, don't they break - in ??
A: Actually, the operation of plain bearings doesn't involve metal to metal contact !! The shiny spots on used
bearings are caused from their contact with the crankshaft journals during start up after the engine has been sitting a while,
and the excess oil has drained off. This is the main reason for not revving up the engine when it's first started.
The subject of plain bearings is one of the most mysterious aspects of engines, and will be covered in a future issue
of Power News. In it, I'll reveal more information that fully explains the non-contact phenomenon.
Q: Why change the oil at 20 miles ?? Doesn't the oil pick up
screen catch the aluminum bits ???
A: It's true that the screen stops the big pieces, but many areas of the engine aren't within the oil filtration system. The oil that is splashed around will circulate metal debris to the lubricated bearing surfaces. For example, transmission gears and their ball bearings are unprotected by the filtration system, and even the cam chain makes a perfect "conveyer belt" to
bring metal debris up into the cylinder head !!
A close examination of a new engine will reveal lots of aluminum deposits on steel parts. This aluminum coats and tightens
up the clearances of the parts, which creates a loss of power. Most of the time I spend "blueprinting"
an engine is actually inspecting every part and "de-aluminizing" them !!
I prefer to remove the oil pan and clean the aluminum bits out of a new engine out that way, but a $20 oil change
is an easy and inexpensive way to flush the initial particles that come loose in the first miles.
Q: What about motorcycle V.S. car oils ???
A: This is a topic all by itself !! It will be covered in a future issue of Power News.
Q: Will this break - in method cause my engine to wear out faster ???
A: No, in fact, a poor ring seal will allow an increase in the by products of combustion to contaminate the oil.
Acid contamination and oil consumption are the 2 reliability problems which are the result of an
"owner's manual" or "magazine tech article" style easy break-in.
By following the instructions on this page, you'll find that your oil is cleaner and the engine will rev quicker.
Plus, you'll have much better torque and power across the power range from the vastly improved ring seal.
Reliability and Power are 100% connected !!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What are some of the other common myths about engines ??
Here are some popular engine tuning concepts in which the truth is
quite the opposite of what is commonly thought:

- Bigger Ports
- Polishing The Ports
- Ignition Advancers
- Flatslide Carburetors
- Fuel Injection Tuning
- Cam Timing
- Jetting
Intake Porting !!
Smaller Intake Ports Gain 7 % More Power !!
Never Before Seen in Magazines
.
Learn How to Do it Yourself !!

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(The questions the manufacturers wish you wouldn't ask ...)
Plus, find out how much more power the readers of this page have gained, as well as
photos and analysis of other engine parts in long term tests of this process.
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http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

just very your rpms for the first 1000 miles i broke mine in per manual(pretty much)lol when i had my zx9 built i ask the guy at the speed shop about break in he said break it in like your gonna ride it. either way enjoy the new ride and have fun

romans ...good reading

I would warm it up to 3 bars and then get on and get acquainted with the new bike for a few miles. Don't be afraid to roll it open right away. Also, progressively run it up to peak rpm over a few runs, second gear within the first 10 miles. roll off the throttle and let it decel hard. You'll be fine as long as you are riding straight down a highway without much traffic. You have stockers on there and there and you won't raise too many eyebrows........well not until you hit 8K, anyway. lol Don't let it cruise at the same rpm. Very that a bunch and make sure you do a lot of engine braking.

It will be an interesting ride home. I'd do it. Just do it in sport riding mode. Cruising mode is for after 1000 miles IMHO.

I have to pick it up here in Germany and it is at a shop around 250 miles from my house.

Perfect. Afterwards Change your Oil.

On the way home (250 miles), don't go over 4,000 rpm. This is no big deal, you can assuredly exceed the speed limit using only 4,000 rpm.

Don't stay in one gear a long time. So don't cruise home at steady rpm and speed. Run it up and down through the gears, and rpm range.

This is right out of the owners manual. It is good advice for pretty much any new vehicle with a manual gearbox.

let the bike warm up, perhaps with a short drive to the coffee shop. Let it cool down all the way.

Let it warm up again.

get on the autobahn.

get in the fast lane, and open it up until you're scared to go any faster.

Get in the slow(er) lane, decelerating by downshifting NOT by brakes. The downshifting allows your rpms to vary.

Once you're down to normal speed, continue to downshift til you're in a good acceleration gear. Open it up again and get in that fast lane.

Repeat this process til you're home. The goal here is to not keep it at a constant RPM, and also to break it in as you're going to ride it.

Change the oil, and enjoy your new zx14.

On our bikes, there is NOTHING to "break in". The bearings are so soft, they are mated to the crank the first time you turn the engine over. The cylinder coatings are so tough, you aren't breaking anything in there. The only thing that is close to "breaking in" are the rings, and there isn't much going on there.

IF anything is going to fail, it will fail now or in 1000 miles. No amount of breakin is going to change that.

That bike has already seen the rev limiter at the factory, not much more you can do to it. Every guy I know that just flogged on it brand new has had the fastest, least amount of problems bikes that I'v rode with.

Let it warm up then ride it like you stole it

My feeling is that WOT/peak rpm/0 throttle deceleration is all ordinary use for a 14. If you are being reasonable about how aggressively you apply your break in techniques, I don't think there will be a single thing to worry about. There is a difference between severe running conditions and abusive running conditions.

Here's how I interpreted the article Romans posted above and aproximately the way I broke in the busa. Warm bike up to operating temp. Do 3 runs 1st gear, rolling to 1/4 throttle from idle to 4000 rpm. Roll throttle closed to decel back to idle after each run.

Do 3 half throttle runs in 2nd gear from 2500 to 8000 rpm decelling after each just like the 1st gear runs.

Do 3 full throttle runs 6000 to 11,000 rpm following each with a full decel. You will probably want to be in 3rd gear for this because second gear might feel too harsh for a brand new bike. You will be crossing the century mark at peak rpm in 3rd gear.

I changed oil after 50 miles. There is a lot of shearing going on during break in and there is no reason to leave those paticles in there, IMO. I replaced oil with Spectro full conventional oil and changed at 150, then 300, then 600 then any good motor cycle oil after 1000 miles. Spectro conventional contains additives that are supposed to make it an excellent break in oil. No synthetic oil until the motor is well broke in -- 3-4 thousand miles at least!!!!! Better to wait longer like 6000 miles to be safe. You might not even find synthetic to be that great, anyway.

I don't feel that the busa was any stronger after the break in. It's more a peace of mind issue to me. The 14 was broke in by the book and it runs very strong with no problems at 15,000 miles.

* Last updated by: Rook on 4/22/2010 @ 10:16 PM *

Make sure the brakes work,check the tire pressure go to the autobahn and pin it. Keep simple things simple

First I would to thank all of you for your responses. I decided to ride this incredible motorcycle home and just let me say that the ride was just as incredible as I imangined it would be and just as scary at the same time. The power and comfort was very surprising. It was A great 350 mile ride to get her warmed up.

Perfect And welcome to the forum.

Romans, thanks for the article very good info. I didnt get a chance to read it until after I made it home.

Welcome Cal.

Remember those first rides. I still enjoy my bike after 2 years and I never run out of new adventures but nothing compares to the thrill of those first rides.

* Last updated by: Rook on 4/23/2010 @ 8:24 PM *

Romans, thanks for the article very good info. I didnt get a chance to read it until after I made it home

AAAhhh. My hopes were in your first 20 miles, I hope you were not kind.

All thanks for the welcome I see a lot of good times cmng ahead. Romans, don't be to disappointed on the way home let's just say I'm sure I would of made you proud when I ran across to Audi R8's on the autobahn. Let's just say we had a good time and a great talk after the encounter.

Just curious but are you located in Calw? If so you have some gorgeous riding heading to southern Baden-Württmberg. Where did you have to go to get your bike?

By the way, if you ever watched the Kawasaki factory video, you know they take each Ninja (small, medium, large) to a ride-onto dyno and run it up and down through the gears.

So chances are by the time it is crated up, the rings have already seated adequately.

Also, despite a few thousand words, the writer misses the point that the bore pressure from running it 20 minutes at 3,800 rpm is just as good for initial seating of rings as it would be at 8,000 rpm. With less stress on the engine while it runs oil over the bearings and rockers and cams and crank and lets everything "mate up" which is all break in is about anyway.

Welcome to Hyperbike World!
Have had my 14 6 yrs now and have everything done but drag race on it. Track Days, canyon carving touring and commuting. Cant imagine not having this superb machine in the garage!
As a long time marine mechanic i would have suggested following what KHI suggests awhile, but realisticly, if the drag and landspeed racers cant break these bikes, you wont!!

Ive said it before, I've had to do the rings on a LOT of big bore Kawi bikes,(ZX1000, ZX1100, ZX900 ) all due to being treated too easy at breakin. These motors need to be stressed a bit to seat the rings- period. They have all been run at the factory prior to shipping so it's not like you are starting a fresh motor anyway.
Get on it and let er rip!

Mad

Just curious but are you located in Calw? If so you have some gorgeous riding heading to southern Baden-Württmberg. Where did you have to go to get your bike.

I think this person hasn't been back to visit the forum in two years.

Kofla

NINJA ZX-14 MotoVlog

I broke my Monster in fairly easy.Not to easy but around 4-6 grand.Breaking myself in too.This bike scared me at first going,it went over my skill level in the first year.I'm not ashamed to admit that,still here to tell the story.

The motor seems fine at 7200 miles.I been kicking it's ass lately.Can't wait to hammer it next year.
Craig