'24 BMW R12 NineT Break-In

[B6_Dolphin]

Any updates?

Finally! I was notified today my bike is ready. The latest delay for completing the RMS repair was not ordering the one-time use "stretch" bolts for the flywheel. Anyways, with an atmospheric river hitting the PNW the past few days, the weather is expected to break, so I plan to pick up the bike tomorrow (11/7).

However, I did receive the work order via text message to review:

A burr from manufacturing the engine case likely led to a cut seal during the build process<!> Way to go with that build quality BMW! The C/S seal was also replaced.

Here's the bill for the 600-mi check:

Wow, that Hypoid 70W-80 G3 Axle Oil is $$$$.

With such a low-mileage failure of the RMS, I contacted BMW Customer Relations this morning - they opened a case # for me. Afterwards, I went down to the dealership to pay the bill and speak at length with the SA about the repair, and on my drive home, a case manager called me to discuss possible compensation for the 7-week wait for the repair on an essentially brand new bike.

While I'm not expecting them to give me a new, 0-mile equivalent replacement - yes, that did happen to an Australian owner of a '25 R12S (the one with the fancy orange paint), which had a similar RMS leak at about the same mileage as me (coincidence or persistent QA issue?), I guess I'd be happy, at a minimum, with reimburshment for the cost of the 600-mi check.

 

[BusyLittleShop]

Wow, that Hypoid 70W-80 G3 Axle Oil is $$$$.

Hypoid 70W 80 is the same viscosity as 0w20 Auto Oil which not expensive however because of the EP needed for Hypoid gears which are used to transmit power from the driveline to the axle shafts. They are basically spiral bevel gears, where the pinion engages below the centerline of the ring gear.

 

[Nessism1]

I was stationed in Japan years 1979 to 1981 as a member of the USAF
and I witnessed Honda build a motorcycle in 12 minutes and then run at
red line in neutral... I asked about the "break it in gently" in the
owners manual and the replay was the "break it in gently" are written
by their corporate lawyers not by their engineers... if you follow
their engine rebuild steps in their official shop manual there are no
reference to any "break it in gently" warnings...

View attachment 308600

Your not thrashing your engine... you're doing what your engine requires... The purpose of high
rpms is initial seating of the piston rings to the cylinder walls. The run is conducted at full power
because that is where greatest B.M.E.P. (Brake Mean Effective Pressure) occurs and a high
B.M.E.P. is necessary for good piston ring break-in.

The cylinder walls of a new engine are not mirror smooth as one might imagine. A special hone is
used to put a diamond like pattern of "scratches" over the entire area of the cylinder wall. The
cross hatch treatment of the cylinder walls plays an important role in proper break-in of piston
rings to cylinder walls. I mentioned that B.M.E.P. was necessary to the "break-in" process. Here is
how it works.

How do you know if break is done??? take a compression test... if your
engine shows factory compression then break in is complete... if your
engine shows less than factory compression then more break in is
require... more B.M.E.P. (Brake Mean Effective Pressure)

I've been inside a few different auto assembly plants, and my experience with how the engines are handled is similar. Vehicle started, and throttle mashed in short order. I've never seen a motorcycle plant, but cars are run on rollers up to more than 70mph with minimal warm up. The dyno room, for the engines first start is similar; high load applied after just a short warm up period.

Funny, how many new motorcycles come with the recommendation to baby the engine when new. I think this has more to do with protecting the rider from crashing, than helping the engine break in.

 

[Bonz]

I said the same thing back in post number five, it's to get the rider familiar with the bike as much as anything, IMO. Even an experienced rider needs to get used to control position, braking feel, how to scroll TFT screen information, etc.