Advice for breaking in a new ST3?

[SWriverstone]

I'm posting this for Holly, who will be picking up her new ('06) ST3 this weekend. We're looking for advice on breaking this beauty in. Should we baby it (like the factories always recommend)? Or should she ride it HARD and FAST? There seem to be 2 schools of thought on this. What do you folks think?

Scott

[Sport]

Neither!  Ride it as you would any bike, just not to redline and not for long periods of time (miles) at the same speed.  Vary the revs and speeds and stay away from the redline and it will be fine.

[wvrider]

Neither!  Ride it as you would any bike, just not to redline and not for long periods of time (miles) at the same speed.  Vary the revs and speeds and stay away from the redline and it will be fine.

Except Ducati doesnt give redlines on their bikes   . But I would follow those directions....ride roads you can vary speed, gas it some, dont lug it (below about 3k on that bike I suspect) and ride it pretty similar to how you will in future without ringing it out for a couple thousand miles...

Phil

[R Doug]

Cool, congrats on the bike, she'll LOVE it!

I agree w/ Phil.  Just ride it w/o lugging it down or building up revs too quickly.  Gradually make your way up into the higher revs as your approach 1,500 miles.

But, IMHO, Ducs don't need to ridden all that hard to have fun.  I could ride my ST3 in between 3 and 5 grand and have all the torque I needed.  

You better post up some pics!

[ZED]

Congratulations on the new ride folks.  Glad Holly is still going to ride after that.  

I don't have a Ducati, but if I was getting a new ST3 I'd break it in like all my other engines.  Keep the revs down at first but use the throttle hard.  Accelerate hard, then let the engine slow the vehicle down  by letting off the throttle quickly.  I do that on the first run out with a new engine before anything else.  I'll do that for a few miles running it up and down (traffic and road availability permittin).  After that I can often tell the difference in the power as the rings have had a good start in seating.  Then i just drive/ride at varying speeds for the first few hundred.  I prefer to break in an engine in the city as it doesn't require winding it up for long periods and it's guaranteed to cause wide speed variations.  If you need a quart of milk go get one, on the other side of the city.  It's a good excuse to ride.  I hate seeing someone with a new bike at a dealer sitting there let it idle for ever while they talk about the bike.  I don't think that's a good way.

I've done this on motorcycles, volkswagens, my SAAB, and a new mercedes truck engine.  Good results with all.

Different manufacturers recommend different break in lengths, but I think in general when they talk about babying it they are really meaning to keep the revs down for the first while.

On a related note:  I'm test riding an ST3 on June 18 at the Ducate Demo Day  Looking forward to it, but it might be dangerous.

[prshguy]

By the sounds of it you are familiar with the Motoman version.  I did a little more gentle version with my new 04 Sprint ST over about a 100 mile period rather than 20 miles and was very pleased with the results, i.e. no oil consumption, good power. 

I warmed it up gently while under way, then fairly heavy acceleration to increasingly higher rpm, long deceleration, stopped after about 15 minutes of this to let it cool, and repeated, stayed mostly in 2nd and 3rd gear, and didn't cruise at steady speeds.  Did this mostly in one day.  I've seen the insides of many engines and understand the dynamics of the piston and rings.  I think there is a lot of mechanical sense to his method.  

Ironically, my friend did his 04 Sprint the old standard gentle way and he ended up having oil consumption problems.  Anyway, I did my first oil change at 100 miles and the second change at 600.

It's kind of scary going against factory recommendations 'cause this is your new baby, but I think in this case there is sufficient grounds to support the alternate method.

A great bike, best wishes.  Let us know which way you go.

[nanbil]

HAVE FUN!

[Aero]

Congrats to you and Holly on the new bike!  I'm sure you won't regret the choice of an ST3. Make sure you and/or Holly sign up with the amazingly friendly and knowledgeable Ducati ST owners group on Yahoo.  http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/st2_owners/  Anything you need to know, someone will have the answer whether it is a technical matter or the best roads in any particular area.
Allen