usa Planning my Break-in ride on the Lowman loop.

[Cruizin]

When I get my bike, I'm gonna take it home and go thru it and check all of the bolts and fluids. Before installing any upgrades, I want to ride it perfectly stock.  I want to feel it baseline stock and get to know the stock suspension. 

 

First, I break in the engine my way. I always take the bike out on a country road and rev it up to 4500 rpm, then let off gas and let it rev back down. Rev it up, rev it down. Let those rings seat in the cylinders properly, rev it up to 4500, rev it down. Totally avoiding riding at the same RPM. I do this for 20 miles or so. 

 

Then, I go home and change the oil and oil filter. This makes sure that all of the initial metal shavings are out of the engine.  

 

Then, I'm going to ride the Lowman Loop. 

 

 

In SW Idaho, the Lowman Loop is every riders favorite street ride. Twistys galore. It leaves Boise, up past Lucky Peak dam and follows the Ponderosa Pine Highway 21 into Idaho City.  Idaho City was the largest town in the Pacific Northwest in 1864, during the Mining boom. Now, it's only got 500 or so full time residents. 

 

In Idaho City, it's common for riders to stop and meet at a place called "Trudys Kitchen" https://www.facebook.com/trudyskitchen/ . The food is good and the Pie's are absolutely to die for.  Don't speed thru Idaho city though, the local cops will get you. They get all of us at least once. 

 

Once out of Idaho City, it's on thru the Ponderosa Pines, the temperature drops a bit as you climb in elevation and then you start climbing up thru the sweeping curves and switchbacks to Banner Summit, elevation 7,037 feet. Then you start to drop down the summit thru some magical turns and curves while trying not to look at all of the mountains and risk wrecking.

 

You drop down into a tiny area called Lowman.  In Lowman, you turn left towards Garden Valley and the Wildlife Canyon Scenic Byway and experience some fast tricky sweepers along the Payette River.  Home to some of the greatest white water rapids in the world. People come from all over the world to raft/Kayak this river. You can also stop at the hotsprings for a warm soak.  This is a great area. 

 

Then it's time to head back to Boise.  But sometimes if it's hot, I'll stop into one of the many Sandy Beaches along the river, strip down and dive in to cool off.  Then i head home thru Emmett, squeaking out some more curves along the river before heading home. 

 

It's my favorite breakin ride and a good way to burn a few hours. It takes most people on big heavy bikes 4 hours or so to do the loop, non stop.  On my FZ09, I used to do it in just under three hours. At speeds that we won't talk about in public. I ride with some really fast guys.  But on the Tenere 700 I'll be taking my time, getting to know everything about my bike. 

 

By the time I get home from this day trip, I'll know what needs sorted out in the suspension.  Later on, I'll be coming back to the Lowman Loop for many rides in the Dirt, as there are tons of awesome dirt forest service roads and ATV trails close by.  That whole area is my playground, entrance into mountains that just go and go and go forever. Streams full of trout, rivers that cool the feet and the soul. Forests damaged by past wildfires, but host to Morel Mushrooms in the Spring. 

 

If any of you ever come ride with me, you will see part or all of the Lowman Loop. @PNWTEN will be seeing it soon. 

[Rich TT]

Awesome. Bet you rev it past 4500 RPM. You won't be able to help it.... I did, but not rev the tits off it. No harm done and pulls like a steam train now with 1500 miles on it.

The bike loves being in the meat of 4.5, 5, 6k. You don't need to go above that to make real progress. Just snick another gear

Edited May 29, 2020 by Rich TT

[Cruizin]

6 minutes ago, Rich TT said:

Awesome. Bet you rev it past 4500 RPM. You won't be able to help it.... I did, but not rev the tits off it. No harm done and pulls like a steam train now with 1500 miles on it.

The bike loves being in the meat of 4.5, 5, 6k. You don't need to go above that to make real progress. Just snick another gear

I won't in the first 20 mile run before the oil change.  I've been breaking my engines in this way since the 80's and old habits die hard. Learned it from a race engine builder when I was a teenager.

 

But on the Lowman loop, oh yeah, we will be reving over 4500. 

[Rich TT]

1 minute ago, Cruizin said:

I won't in the first 20 mile run before the oil change.  I've been breaking my engines in this way since the 80's and old habits die hard. Learned it from a race engine builder when I was a teenager.

 

But on the Lowman loop, oh yeah, we will be reving over 4500. 

 and ace!

[Noel McCutcheon]

4 minutes ago, Rich TT said:

...... "not rev the tits off it".... "Just snick another gear"

Translation for those non UK speakers: i.e.:

• No need to use the higher upper RPM range, no breasts in sight 
• Just upshift up in to the next highest gear, or snick boot in the next cog.  

@Rich TT Fully agree ride it between 4K and 6K for first 600 miles  

[Doogle]

 

In SW Idaho, the Lowman Loop is every riders favorite street ride. Twistys galore. It leaves Boise, up past Lucky Peak dam and follows the Ponderosa Pine Highway 21 into Idaho City.  Idaho City was the largest town in the Pacific Northwest in 1864, during the Mining boom. Now, it's only got 500 or so full time residents. 
 

 

love this. We have some good roads and loops in the UK, but roads and places always seem to have much cooler names in the states!

Enjoy the new bike, you won’t be disappointed I reckon. 

[Mike S]

I’m looking forward to your thoughts on the suspension as that’s usually the weak point from the factory. I’m waiting for my Tenere 700 to be shipped so I figure now’s the time to review areas that will require upgrading.

[Rich TT]

12 minutes ago, X Plane said:

Translation for those non UK speakers: i.e.:

• No need to use the higher upper RPM range, no breasts in sight 
• Just upshift up in to the next highest gear, or snick boot in the next cog.  

@Rich TT Fully agree ride it between 4K and 6K for first 600 miles  

Spot on

[Cruizin]

3 minutes ago, Mike S said:

I’m looking forward to your thoughts on the suspension as that’s usually the weak point from the factory. I’m waiting for my Tenere 700 to be shipped so I figure now’s the time to review areas that will require upgrading.

If it's anything like the MT07 and MT09 suspension, it will be horrible and downright dangerous at high speed corners.  My Fz09 was like a pogo stick. Bouncing around in the corners while leaned all the way over is a real butt clencher. 

[Rich TT]

27 minutes ago, Cruizin said:

If it's anything like the MT07 and MT09 suspension, it will be horrible and downright dangerous at high speed corners.  My Fz09 was like a pogo stick. Bouncing around in the corners while leaned all the way over is a real butt clencher. 

It's nothing like that at all. Way better. MT-07 suspension is horrific. You'll be impressed.

 

Only when you start to get a feel and venture properly off road will you notice it. But honestly, miles above an MT-07 and MT-09 for that matter.

Edited May 29, 2020 by Rich TT

[Cruizin]

4 minutes ago, Rich TT said:

It's nothing like that at all. Way better. MT-07 suspension is horrific. You'll be impressed.

 

Only when you start to get a feel and venture properly off road will you notice it. But honestly, leaves above an MT-07 and MT-09 for that matter.

Im really happy to hear that. thanks!

[Aleksandar13]

First 100 miles heat cycles and constant up and down the rev range. That's what I've done... Nothing beyond 6k... Maybe the occasional twist above

After the 1st service.. I gradually increased the rev range, when I say gradually I mean... Warm up and ride like you stole it. 

Always been hard on engines after oil change and never used motorway. Just works for me 

Aleks 

[Cruizin]

27 minutes ago, Aleksandar13 said:

First 100 miles heat cycles and constant up and down the rev range. That's what I've done... Nothing beyond 6k... Maybe the occasional twist above

After the 1st service.. I gradually increased the rev range, when I say gradually I mean... Warm up and ride like you stole it. 

Always been hard on engines after oil change and never used motorway. Just works for me 

Aleks 

After my initial 20 mile break in and oil/filter change, I have always just ridden it like i stole it and I have never had any issues. 

[Rich TT]

56 minutes ago, Aleksandar13 said:

First 100 miles heat cycles and constant up and down the rev range. That's what I've done... Nothing beyond 6k... Maybe the occasional twist above

After the 1st service.. I gradually increased the rev range, when I say gradually I mean... Warm up and ride like you stole it. 

Always been hard on engines after oil change and never used motorway. Just works for me 

Aleks 

Exactly how I did it Aleks

[Noel McCutcheon]

1 hour ago, Aleksandar13 said:

First 100 miles heat cycles and constant up and down the rev range. That's what I've done... Nothing beyond 6k... Maybe the occasional twist above

After the 1st service.. I gradually increased the rev range, when I say gradually I mean... Warm up and ride like you stole it. 

Always been hard on engines after oil change and never used motorway. Just works for me 

Aleks 

Ditto, I did the same.

[Noel McCutcheon]

1 hour ago, Rich TT said:

It's nothing like that at all. Way better. MT-07 suspension is horrific. You'll be impressed.

 

Only when you start to get a feel and venture properly off road will you notice it. But honestly, miles above an MT-07 and MT-09 for that matter.

Agree!!!  Suspension in good. Especially in comparison to MT/FZ-09. 

[Noel McCutcheon]

47 minutes ago, Cruizin said:

After my initial 20 mile break in and oil/filter change, I have always just ridden it like i stole it and I have never had any issues. 

I’d be tempted to leave the original oil in for at least 100 miles if not a bit more.

[Cruizin]

We all have our methods and the only wrong method is to take it too easy on a new engine. The rings don't seat right if run at a constant same rpm. Yamaha runs these engines on a Dyno before installing them, I just like to make sure I do my part from past habits. 

[Noel McCutcheon]

Yeah dozens of different break-in methods and theories out there.

Me, I don’t want to comment on running-in / break-in protocols and language;

due having my wrists smacked and due to people having been banned here before for language .

[Cruizin]

23 minutes ago, X Plane said:

Yeah dozens of different break-in methods and theories out there.

Me, I don’t want to comment on running-in / break-in protocols and language;

due having my wrists smacked and due to people having been banned here before for language .

We haven't banned hardly anyone, language is a warning and only if extreme. Mostly just ban spammers or people starting fights. And even then, banning is a last resort. 

[Noel McCutcheon]

5 minutes ago, Cruizin said:

We haven't banned hardly anyone, language is a warning and only if extreme. Mostly just ban spammers or people starting fights. And even then, banning is a last resort. 

Only kidding.... though the one banned dude has not been missed. 

[Cruizin]

1 minute ago, X Plane said:

Only kidding.... though the one banned dude has not been missed. 

yeah, he is probably used to being banned.  Im looking at a new code where instead of banning someone, I just make all of their posts completely invisible to everyone but him and the moderators.  They keep on posting for a while, acting their asshole selves, raising fits, threatening to leave the evil free forum, blah blah blah. But nobody sees it. Then, after a while, they notice that nobody ever responds to their posts. So they give up and leave.  Or, that's the hope. 

[Noel McCutcheon]

26 minutes ago, Cruizin said:

yeah, he is probably used to being banned.  Im looking at a new code where instead of banning someone, I just make all of their posts completely invisible to everyone but him and the moderators.  They keep on posting for a while, acting their asshole selves, raising fits, threatening to leave the evil free forum, blah blah blah. But nobody sees it. Then, after a while, they notice that nobody ever responds to their posts. So they give up and leave.  Or, that's the hope. 

Lol..... great idea. Keep your excellent forum brilliant.    
Ok, back on thread topic: enjoy your lowman spin / ride.

Looks good 

[Mr.motarded]

Ill be breaking in mine like my normal bike break in. Warm it up in the dealer lot and leaving on 1 wheel. Hard on throttle no rev limits and hard down shifts. High cylinder pressures to seat rings. Will change oil at 100miles or less then ride it like every other bike. Tolerances are so good now days the only thing that i worry about is seating rings. 

[Noel McCutcheon]

11 hours ago, Cruizin said:

When I get my bike, I'm gonna take it home and go thru it and check all of the bolts and fluids. Before installing any upgrades, I want to ride it perfectly stock.  I want to feel it baseline stock and get to know the stock suspension. 

 

First, I break in the engine my way. I always take the bike out on a country road and rev it up to 4500 rpm, then let off gas and let it rev back down. Rev it up, rev it down. Let those rings seat in the cylinders properly, rev it up to 4500, rev it down. Totally avoiding riding at the same RPM. I do this for 20 miles or so. 

 

Then, I go home and change the oil and oil filter. This makes sure that all of the initial metal shavings are out of the engine.  

 

Then, I'm going to ride the Lowman Loop. 

 

 

In SW Idaho, the Lowman Loop is every riders favorite street ride. Twistys galore. It leaves Boise, up past Lucky Peak dam and follows the Ponderosa Pine Highway 21 into Idaho City.  Idaho City was the largest town in the Pacific Northwest in 1864, during the Mining boom. Now, it's only got 500 or so full time residents. 

 

In Idaho City, it's common for riders to stop and meet at a place called "Trudys Kitchen" https://www.facebook.com/trudyskitchen/ . The food is good and the Pie's are absolutely to die for.  Don't speed thru Idaho city though, the local cops will get you. They get all of us at least once. 

 

Once out of Idaho City, it's on thru the Ponderosa Pines, the temperature drops a bit as you climb in elevation and then you start climbing up thru the sweeping curves and switchbacks to Banner Summit, elevation 7,037 feet. Then you start to drop down the summit thru some magical turns and curves while trying not to look at all of the mountains and risk wrecking.

 

You drop down into a tiny area called Lowman.  In Lowman, you turn left towards Garden Valley and the Wildlife Canyon Scenic Byway and experience some fast tricky sweepers along the Payette River.  Home to some of the greatest white water rapids in the world. People come from all over the world to raft/Kayak this river. You can also stop at the hotsprings for a warm soak.  This is a great area. 

 

Then it's time to head back to Boise.  But sometimes if it's hot, I'll stop into one of the many Sandy Beaches along the river, strip down and dive in to cool off.  Then i head home thru Emmett, squeaking out some more curves along the river before heading home. 

 

It's my favorite breakin ride and a good way to burn a few hours. It takes most people on big heavy bikes 4 hours or so to do the loop, non stop.  On my FZ09, I used to do it in just under three hours. At speeds that we won't talk about in public. I ride with some really fast guys.  But on the Tenere 700 I'll be taking my time, getting to know everything about my bike. 

 

By the time I get home from this day trip, I'll know what needs sorted out in the suspension.  Later on, I'll be coming back to the Lowman Loop for many rides in the Dirt, as there are tons of awesome dirt forest service roads and ATV trails close by.  That whole area is my playground, entrance into mountains that just go and go and go forever. Streams full of trout, rivers that cool the feet and the soul. Forests damaged by past wildfires, but host to Morel Mushrooms in the Spring. 

 

If any of you ever come ride with me, you will see part or all of the Lowman Loop. @PNWTEN will be seeing it soon. 

Allow yourself more time and pop in and out of some of those trails / dirt roads as on off the throttle and up down the gearbox is good for breaking in the gearbox, suspension and bedding in brakes etc. Break in is more than just the cylinders. Honestly, I’d change the oil after your Lowman Loop. All you’ll need suspension wise, if you weigh over 220 lbs, is a new rear 90Nm spring.