I have the GT550 running nicely. new bore and all bearings and seals replaced as well as all 3 rod kits. The general consensus with the crazy Canadian kawasaki guys is to give it 50 miles to seat the rings and then flog it. What do you guys do with Suzukis? I have about 80 miles on it now and I can feel it loosening up. So far I have limited it to about 4500 rpms. I want it to last and perform for years to come so input would be appreciated.
Thanks Dave
Gt550 break in
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kawonda750
- On the main road
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- Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 4:48 pm
- Country: canada
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 74 gt550, 88 Yamaha FZR400, 2019 Kaw Z900RS
- Location: penetang, ontario
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karl pa
- Yeah Man, the Interstate
- Posts: 505
- Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2015 3:14 pm
- Country: us
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: GT
- Location: southeast pa
Re: Gt550 break in
You will get many different opinion on this topic. One local shop told me the best running bikes they work on were thrashed right from the start, another local shop said not to lug the engine for a couple hundred miles. I ride normal for a hundred miles or so before thrashing it, but I don't normally thrash them anyway.
76 GT185
77 GT250
77 GT380
76 GT500
73 GT550
73 GT750
74 GT750
71 T250 scrambler
75 T500 cafe
77 GT250
77 GT380
76 GT500
73 GT550
73 GT750
74 GT750
71 T250 scrambler
75 T500 cafe
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Alan H
- Moto GP
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- Country: England
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 4 x GT550s - J, M, A, B.
- Location: The Republic of South Yorkshire
Re: Gt550 break in
Depends on the build.
I have a 550A which is ported, skimmed, special exhaust etc. and I ran it 'steady' for a couple of hundred miles, steadily increasing the run in procedure. Still running very quickly several fast thousand miles on. The 550J doesn't get thrashed, does (usually) 50mp imperial gallon and runs really sweet 2500 miles on. Hits 80 mph regularly (allegedly, officer!!!), but never spanked.
It all depends if you believe someone that has no financial input to your bike, or your common sense & wallet.
Personally, first 50 miles or so, B6 plugs, keep it below 4000 rpm. 50-250 miles up to 5000 rpm and B7 plugs. 500-750 miles, up to 8000rpm on B8 plugs, but it all depends how much you trust your right wrist when riding a 50 year old bike worth 10x what it was new.
BTW, I've been riding and resto-ing 550s since 1972 and currently on my severalth resto!!
I have a 550A which is ported, skimmed, special exhaust etc. and I ran it 'steady' for a couple of hundred miles, steadily increasing the run in procedure. Still running very quickly several fast thousand miles on. The 550J doesn't get thrashed, does (usually) 50mp imperial gallon and runs really sweet 2500 miles on. Hits 80 mph regularly (allegedly, officer!!!), but never spanked.
It all depends if you believe someone that has no financial input to your bike, or your common sense & wallet.
Personally, first 50 miles or so, B6 plugs, keep it below 4000 rpm. 50-250 miles up to 5000 rpm and B7 plugs. 500-750 miles, up to 8000rpm on B8 plugs, but it all depends how much you trust your right wrist when riding a 50 year old bike worth 10x what it was new.
BTW, I've been riding and resto-ing 550s since 1972 and currently on my severalth resto!!
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
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kawonda750
- On the main road
- Posts: 117
- Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 4:48 pm
- Country: canada
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 74 gt550, 88 Yamaha FZR400, 2019 Kaw Z900RS
- Location: penetang, ontario
Re: Gt550 break in
Thanks guys. As usual a small bit of varying opinion. I will keep doing as I have been with limiting revs at 5000 until 250 miles and see how it feels. I have 1.0 mm over pistons so not much in the way of bigger pistons are a possibility if it grenades so I will err on the side of caution for a while longer. I am using B7 iridium plugs and the burn colour looks good.
Bike is nice to ride although somewhat tamer than the Kaw triples I am used to. I received EBC front pads yesterday and will install them today while the snow is falling ( I love Canada) and hope for a bit more stopping power....
Bike is nice to ride although somewhat tamer than the Kaw triples I am used to. I received EBC front pads yesterday and will install them today while the snow is falling ( I love Canada) and hope for a bit more stopping power....
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Olafskii
- On the street
- Posts: 39
- Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2016 6:15 pm
- Country: Canada
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 72 GT750, 74 GT750, 75 T500, 76T500, 09 DR650
- Location: Northern British Columbia
Re: Gt550 break in
There is lots of info online about engine break-in from the car community. They all stress that it's important to put some load on the engine--once it's completely warmed up. (DO NOT load up the engine when it's stone cold!) The objective is to seat the rings.
I don't like the notion that the engine must be 'thrashed'. But, I've always made sure to load up the warm engine during it's first run. For this there is a nice long 7% grade hill close to where I live and it serves perfectly to put some load on the engine. I usually do several rounds up and down. My rebuilt GT750 that was done this way, as well as a Yamaha RD 400, and my 'modern' bike--a Suzuki DR650. All these bikes have excellent compression after several years of running. If there are no hills where you live you can achieve the same effect by accelerating on an empty road.
Olaf
Prince George, B.C.
I don't like the notion that the engine must be 'thrashed'. But, I've always made sure to load up the warm engine during it's first run. For this there is a nice long 7% grade hill close to where I live and it serves perfectly to put some load on the engine. I usually do several rounds up and down. My rebuilt GT750 that was done this way, as well as a Yamaha RD 400, and my 'modern' bike--a Suzuki DR650. All these bikes have excellent compression after several years of running. If there are no hills where you live you can achieve the same effect by accelerating on an empty road.
Olaf
Prince George, B.C.
