break-in period after replacing head/base gasket?

Ah, OK, well that's simple enough. But then some other advice I've read doesn't make a lot of sense. People recommend driving at a range of rpms during break-in to help seat the rings. How could different rpms help make the rings/cylinder walls wear differently, or is that advice bunk?

When I bought my Z1 new in 75, I was told to keep it at 4000 or less. Shift up and down at different RPM's and not grab a handfull untill 1000 miles. That's to make sure the rings and other things seat in and the rings don't "chatter" and destroy themselves. Can you imagin a 21 year old doing this? It was awful watching the miles tick by and one night at 2 AM, I was on the 405 going home and the OD hit 1000. I shifted down to 1 ST, grabbed a hand full, blew through the gears tucked in with my glasses peering over the Tach and Speedo, 100,120, 135 and I swear I hit 155! I backed off. It felt like the Devel grabbed ahold of my shirt. The street lights spaced at 1/4 mile apart looked like a picked fence!. Some told me my Z1 couldn't go that fast. I saw it, it read 155!
So I guess the reson for break in was not bunk. In your case, I wouldn't be so concervitive but break it in and you won't be dissapointed.
Good luck
Steve

swest wrote: When I bought my Z1 new in 75, I was told to keep it at 4000 or less. Shift up and down at different RPM's and not grab a handfull untill 1000 miles. That's to make sure the rings and other things seat in and the rings don't "chatter" and destroy themselves. Can you imagin a 21 year old doing this? It was awful watching the miles tick by and one night at 2 AM, I was on the 405 going home and the OD hit 1000. I shifted down to 1 ST, grabbed a hand full, blew through the gears tucked in with my glasses peering over the Tach and Speedo, 100,120, 135 and I swear I hit 155! I backed off. It felt like the Devel grabbed ahold of my shirt. The street lights spaced at 1/4 mile apart looked like a picked fence!. Some told me my Z1 couldn't go that fast. I saw it, it read 155!
So I guess the reson for break in was not bunk. In your case, I wouldn't be so concervitive but break it in and you won't be dissapointed.
Good luck
Steve

Hah, awesome story. Thanks for sharing!

Your welcome. Keep the rubber on the road and your face in the wind.
Steve

155 How much did you weigh back then?

About 155/160. I was skinny until the wreck in 86. Everything changed. I'm 6'1" and 230 trying to get down to 195. My Harley Davidson jacket (made in China in 87) is so tight on me, I can bearley suck it up enough to zip it up. I used to swim in it at 185. I had health issues and bloted out. The bike raised my moral and I'm losing weight slowley.
I was almost done in.
Oh, here's a pic from last year when I first took a ride to my daughter's house.
Bossie's first run.






Steve

Unless you are really skint that is a lot of work to do without putting in new rings - cant be that expensive there ?

Zaddict wrote: Ah, OK, well that's simple enough. But then some other advice I've read doesn't make a lot of sense. People recommend driving at a range of rpms during break-in to help seat the rings. How could different rpms help make the rings/cylinder walls wear differently, or is that advice bunk?

That is good advice. You want to change the loading.

I am skint, but more than that I just wanted to get the bike running with minimal chance of messing anything up. Swapping out rings, honing the cylinders, etc. just adds more steps about which I knew nothing. I didn't even know pistons had rings until this project! I'll do it next time, along with a 615 big bore and some other mods. Baby steps...

All the best with your bike mate - they are very rugged motors .
Done 170,000 km on mine - 1 top and bottom rebuild at 155,000 km.
Oil (semi synthethic) and filter change every 3000 - 4000 km helps a lot.
Besides 615 kit what other mods were you thinking of ?

Honestly honing the cylinders is really easy. You have already had the jugs off and put back on. The new rings go in very easy. You can rwnt a hone for free from Auto Zone. You just move it up in down in the cylinder fast enough to make a 45° hatch mark. The important part about honimg is oil and do NOT stop the honing stone in the cylinder. You can youtube it to see how its done. Hopefully everything continues to go smoothly and you won't need any of this info.