Tenere 700 Loss of Engine Braking

[loneranger700]

Man I feel like I'm going crazy with this bike. Maybe it's just my mind, but I've noticed since I've had the bike, the engine braking has gone down a bit right around 4-7k RPMs. It only has 200 on the odo, but I've noticed it doesn't pull quite nearly as hard as it did when it was at 20 miles. I mean I ride it around 7k, but I have occasionally taken it up near red line on the highway (though no sudden accel or decel). 

 

Is this common for anyone else when they first got their bike? I have some thoughts it might be because I need to change my oil, but also I've never heard of oil affecting engine braking. Though I've also never been with this type of engine so what do I know.

[Simmons1]

You guys honestly think that the bike  hasn't been run through the gears up near redline at final inspection before leaving the factory?

 

I don't normally torture my new bikes but I do run them in the way I will ride them.

 

1985 FJ1100 saw 140MPH with about 6 miles on it. Got home loaded it and left for 4 day ride to Canada that included lots of steady speed highway miles at interstate speeds. Used a little oil as most high mileage air cooled engines do, but ran perfect when I sold it at 90K+ miles.

 

2005 ST1300 Did a fly and ride to pick it up. 100 miles of county roads then 500 miles of higher speed interstate to get home. At 125K miles, it still runs perfect and has 0 oil consumption with 5000 miles oil change intervals.

 

2012 Super Tenere.  Rode a 200 miles home for the dealer on the Interstate at Texas highway speeds. Did another 400 of the same the next day. At 50K miles, runs perfect and has 0 oil consumption with 5000 miles oil change intervals.

 

Do as you wish but don't over think this.

 

 

[Adventure6965]

With that low mileage you should be running it in. Below 5000 revs for the first 600 miles. I was talking with the workshop manager at my dealership the other day & he told me that the oil installed at the factory is different for the running in period & shouldn't be used for longer than 1200km. Also if you haven't run your bike in correctly they will know & you'll void your warranty. 

Edited July 30, 2020 by Adventure6965
Additional information.

[Alf Meister]

Using the ride it like you stole it Running in method then. As everyone else has said, read the manual, there are important bits of info in there. Do you allow the engine to warm up before nailing it, are all the fluid levels correct etc. If you think somethings wrong, dont ride it anymore, get it back to the dealer for them to check it over. 

[Louis]

I'm looking for my hand puppets and crayons.

[Aleksandar13]

[Flyinbrianbmx]

you should probably read the manual on proper break-in technique. 

[DT675]

A loss of engine braking is similar to a loss of power, but on deceleration. If you are running you bike around 7K to redline with 0-200 miles on the bike, especially closer to the 20 miles you said, you may have done irreversible engine damage. When new, an engine has much tighter clearance to the point that it makes excessive heat.  It can make so much heat internally it can actually melt internal components. You might not see this excessive heat on a engine temp gauge or dummy over heat light because that only measures water temperature.  So thats why all manufacturers state in their manuals that one must keep the RPMs very low on the 1st 600 miles. You may have suffered piston ring and cylinder damage and I would change the oil immediately. Doing that will not fix any damage done but it might help to prevent it from getting worse if you have contaminated the oil/filter. Ultimately you will probably need to seek a professional shops advise and to do further testing on the bike. 

[Matth]

Again said max 5000 rpm for 600-700 miles. It is mineral running in oil and yamaha can tell if been thrashed.

they guys that told you ride it like u stole it are not gonna buy you a new engine if it’s knackered.

i ran mine in using every variation of throttle and gears up to 5000 k without labouring. If your engine braking has gone down possibly you knackered the rings .

 

A new engine has to bed in.A way to tell is to get it warm and take off the oil fill plug. There should be nil oil vapour coming out.

[ScorpionT16]

Everything is fine, the engine is just bedding in, keep riding and enjoy the bike. Manufacturers already push the engine before it leaves the factory, even MAD TV said the CP2 is very tight to start and breaks in after around 5,000kms, which I have noticed, from smoothness to fuel mileage. 

 

Don't let the internet mechanics scare you with the destroyed engine beliefs due to not following the manual to the tee, its a bike, its made to be ridden, even the dealer Yamaha mechanics I picked mine up from said just ride, only advice was not to lug it, and change oil thrice, once at 1k, and another at 2k, and then at 5k to keep the engine clean. Both mechanics have multiple CP2 bikes, and all hard broke in

 

[Alf Meister]

9 minutes ago, Matth said:

Again said max 5000 rpm for 600-700 miles. It is mineral running in oil and yamaha can tell if been thrashed.

they guys that told you ride it like u stole it are not gonna buy you a new engine if it’s knackered.

i ran mine in using every variation of throttle and gears up to 5000 k without labouring. If your engine braking has gone down possibly you knackered the rings .

 

A new engine has to bed in.A way to tell is to get it warm and take off the oil fill plug. There should be nil oil vapour coming out.

no one told him to “run it in like you stole it” the comment was tongue in cheek, as the sports bike fraternity have a “thats what racers do for the best performing engines”. I am old school, by the book, break it in carefully, pays dividends for engine longevity and fuel consumption performance. 

 

Fingers crossed loneranger700 hasn’t done any damage and its just a simple issue that can be rectified. 

[loneranger700]

Thanks guys. No I'm not "running it like I stole it", but I am taking it above 5k rpm when it's been properly warmed up. at around 40~ miles I cycled the gears, rolling on the throttle upwards of 9k-10k for about a second at peak, then dropped the rpms (rolled off the throttle, let it engine brake) down to 5k on the highway a few times until I got to the streets, then let it cool down at home. Since then I ride it around 7k on the streets and 5k on the highway.

 

 

Since I did this, that's when I've noticed the engine braking is a bit muted on the low gears. It pulls hard but kind of burbles towards the end and starts to coast (as best as I could describe it). I haven't had a chance to change the oil yet, but am planning on it tomorrow.

Edited July 30, 2020 by loneranger700

[DT675]

21 hours ago, loneranger700 said:

the engine braking has gone down a bit right around 4-7k RPMs. It only has 200 on the odo, but I've noticed it doesn't pull quite nearly as hard as it did when it was at 20 miles. 

 

 

While I’m not trying to be an alarmist nor an “internet mechanic”, but reduced engine braking (may or may not be related to engine, could be something else too) AND a reduction of power paired together isn’t “nothing”.  All engines free up while they break in making them feel faster not the opposite as quoted here. 

 

Personally I’m a fan of a harder breaking in, I believe it does a better job at longevity and power. 

[loneranger700]

Okay so bit of an update.

 

I should add before this though, I never experienced any loss of power at any speed. Just a more milder engine brake.

 

I think I've fixed the situation by changing the oil. It came out pretty gray-ish brown. No flecks in the oil but it was not yellow like Yamalube. Anyways, swapped in standard 10/40 yamalube and it seems to be pulling a lot better when I engine brake. It's like night and day now. Currently at 200 on the odo, and it feels a whole lot smoother. This is the first bike I've been on that I can tell how smooth the oil is lubricating the engine by just feeling how well the engine brakes when off the throttle.