Proper Way To Break In A New Pocket Bike

When you first get your pocket bike, it can be exciting and it is normal to want to take it for a ride right away. But there are proper breaking-in procedures that should be followed to ensure maximum longevity of the bike’s engine. Otherwise you risk reducing the engines effective life by almost half and that means money on maintenance much earlier than necessary. There are two most popular strategies to breaking in a new bike.

The first method for breaking in new pocket bikes is heat cycling. To start you would run the bike at idle or just above idle for five to ten minutes. Once the time is up your engine should be below normal operating temperature. Then, turn off the bike and let the engine cool down. Once the engine has cooled down, turn it back on for another ten minutes then turn it off. Do this three more times for a total of four cycles.

Once that is done and the engine has cooled for the final cycle, it is time to take the bike for a cruise. It is important not to rev the engine or speed up on this run because you don’t want to put too much stress on the engine. Just take it for a ride at a very easy pace for an entire tank of gas. Once the tank of gas is used up, you can refill and the bike will be ready for riding at normal speeds.

The second method of breaking in the pocket bike is considered to be more fun because it involves some riding action. First thing is letting the engine idle for about five minutes to warm up a little. Then, slowly bring up the throttle very gently. Bring it up to where the clutch would engage to keep the bike from lurching if there was too much throttle applied during riding.

Now it is time to take the bike for a ride. Do a lap around the tracks at a very slow speed below normal. This helps to break in the tires. Then you can start to give it a little more gas and focus on hitting as wide a range of RPMs as possible by accelerating and decelerating.

During the first fifteen minutes of riding try not to push the engine too hard nor ride too slow. It is also important to check that the engine is sufficiently warmed before beginning the second lap. Throughout the ride, make sure the clutch does not engage fully or it will burn. It is obvious when the clutch is fully engaged by the bucking of the engine or the sound it will make.

While there are other ways to break in a new pocket bike, these are the two most popular strategies. And being something that you only have to do once, it definitely pays off in longer engine life. Do not forget to follow safety instructions and wear proper protective gear when riding at all times.