Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Ok fellas,

It's done 3 heat cycles so far.
I've been running it in by using the gear box a fair bit, generally 2nd to 4th.
Generally not staying at a certain rev speed for long at all and sitting around 4000rpm then opening the throttle up until 7000 then letting the engine braking do its thing.
Was getting a few strange looks on the highway on the way home yesterday haha.
I'm gonna drop the oil tomorrow and filter as well, does anyone know what oil they come with from the dealer for breakin?

they use stock Kawasaki mineral oil. Dropping at 125km is fine, but you don't need to use factory oil. Any good quality mineral oil will do the trick, do the next drop at 1000km and keep using this oil until the 5k change at least. The gearbox will barely be 'broken in' at 5k anyway.

I guess if you really want to use OEM engine oil you could always ask the dealer for 5l ?

Well after doing a bit of digging on the net im just gonna use the same stuff i use on my xr.
The castrol mineral oil from supercheap

Brand New bike Id be treating it to Motul

http://www.motoone.co.nz/media/catalog/ ... w50_1l.jpg
This stuff??
Sorry still havent got my head around posting pics yet!

I would have thought a new bike would run 10w40 rather than 20w50 though.

Waldorf wrote:I would have thought a new bike would run 10w40 rather than 20w50 though.

Yeah they do i just managed to find it, now hopefully i can find some in brissy.
Plan for tomorrow would then be, getting 2 new tyres fitted to the xr400 motard at brissy bike tyres at moss street, then an oil and filter change on the 10 in the arvo and a trip over nebo and glorious to continue the breakin

As above check the manual for the oil spec's. Also stick to the mineral oil until at least the 1000k service. Motul is expensive but generally a great oil to use. Most bike shops I think use 5100 Semi Sythetic but thats after the break in period. I use it on my roadbike.

fireyrob wrote:As above check the manual for the oil spec's. Also stick to the mineral oil until at least the 1000k service. Motul is expensive but generally a great oil to use. Most bike shops I think use 5100 Semi Sythetic but thats after the break in period. I use it on my roadbike.

That was all i ever had in my zx12, good stuff.

Do you really need to drop the oil before 1000 klms. I wouldve thought Kawasaki put a bit of thought and research into that one

Glen wrote:Do you really need to drop the oil before 1000 klms. I wouldve thought Kawasaki put a bit of thought and research into that one

Yeah, I'm pretty sure oil filters don't need a couple of hundred kays to start working

Glen wrote:.....Do you really need to drop the oil before 1000 klms. I wouldve thought Kawasaki put a bit of thought and research into that one ......

you don't *need* to - but a lot of old-school punters just like the idea. There is no doubt that during the initial break-in period, fine metal particles are created. OEM oil filters are good enough to deal with these.......no probs.

Some people are just very particular.....I know one bloke who went for a 200km ride immediately after picking up his new bike.....already had filter & oil at home - so did an oil drop after the very first ride. Then did another at the 500km point.....before the dealer did the *first* oil change at 1000km......I guess if you intend to own the bike for the rest of your life, its not a bad start for the motor no matter which way you look at things .

Ironkiwi - good advice about the Motul 5100 semi-synth. Its a great oil and all I use in my 12R as well Unless you plan to track the bike and run at sustained high rpm for long periods - really expensive fully-synth is basically a woftam.

1st service happening this week, got quoted about $270, which really is a farking rip off!

ironkiwi wrote:1st service happening this week, got quoted about $270, which really is a farking rip off!

Sure is a rip off. That's why I just did it myself using genuine filter and good oil. By the way you can do it your self without affecting your warranty, it's even on their website in the FAQ section. Saved me almost $200.