I've had my bike for 3-weeks now and I'm at just over 200 miles. I'm kinda anxious to get over 600 miles so I can upgrade the exhaust (as advised by a few folks).

During the so called break-in period I haven't really been following the manufacturer's recommendations to a T. If I remember correctly it say keep it under 4000 rpm's for the first 500 miles and under 6000 rpm's for the first 1000 miles. I was curious if that's what most have done. The reason I ask is I have read several examples of people doing a so called hard break-in. Meaning, they're run it hard and low in order to break-in the seals. But none of those were on 250s like ours.

With my two previous sport bikes I don't recall really following the manufacturer's recommended break-in and never had any problems. With my new KLX I usually do hit 6000-7000 rpm's before shifting and ride it at around 4000-5000 rpm's. So I feel pretty comfortable I'm not pushing it too hard during this time but it's exceeding the manufacturer's recommendations.

Also, some have recommended changing the oil after 200 miles as opposed to the 600 miles it recommends in the manual. Do you think that's really necessary? I understand about the metal shavings and doing so sooner will help flush them out of your engine sooner. But is is necessary?

 

I had my cylinder replaced. When i picked up the bike i rode a wheelie out of the parking lot... if its going to break its going to break. being easy on it wont matter. My dad drag raced, when he would rebuild a motor he would just build it and take it down the track...

this is what my cylinder looked like after thousands of miles...

 

race car break in is a little different from the real world lol

 

Do the Mototune break-in IMO. Today's engine don't have the ***** tolerances of yesteryear. Materials are better, tolerances are better, and following those ridiculously slow break-in recommendations that haven't changed in 50 years is most likely non-productive for good piston/ring break-in. The only really critical break-in element on most of today's engines is piston/ring/cylinder break-in, and a good break-in usually isn't accomplished by really slow operation. This isn't to say that one should constantly bang all the gear shifts at redline all the time, but some aggressive throttle with a good deal of variation is supposed to produce better results than poking around building up carbon in the cylinder.

 

For me..
I full pipe/header the second day I had my bike..
I rode it cool for the first 100mi..changed the oil,then got on it,and jetted it
Never looked back...runs great at 2000mi on it now

 

I´ve followed Mototune´s break in.

 

That cylinder looks like he!!. I can't believe it still ran.

 

Trouble maker.

 

Ran mine easy-hard for the first 100 miles after that road it like I stole it.

 

+ one million!