Engine Break-in
To play the corporate line
From the owners manual:
During the first 625 miles
- avoid full throttle acceleration
- avoid prolonged riding
- if cooling fan operates continually during stop and go traffic, pull over and shutoff the engine to let it cool off or speed up to let air cool off the engine
I had to smile when I read this, specially the first two......
Everything I have read about this engine is good.... it's tough, smooth, and virtually bullet proof.
Biggest thing is to not let it overheat, and to not run it at the same RPM for any extended period of time.
The reason any manufacturer recommends no full throttle acceleration during break-in has to do with metal to metal contact... it will happen until all the "high spots" are gone and lubrication gets into all the nooks and crannies. (definition=break-in), the risk is that more than the high spots will come off creating pits in surfaces if the "hydrodynamic film" breaks down, this is most likely in the high-velocity situations of full throttle conditions. (Did I mention my degree is in Mechanical Engineering?)
My day job is in a plant that make Scroll A/C compressors, we have break-in coating designed to hold lubrication during break-in, as the compressor breaks in, the coating "holds lubrication" and actually gets worn away on the high spots, leaving a "fitted surface".
Now, with all that said, I can tell you how I break-in a new or rebuilt engine...
Fresh Oil
Up on jack stands
Big Fan or fans in front of the radiator
Fire it up and for about an hour do the following:
about a minute or so at each:
idle, 2000, 3000, 4000, 3000, 2000, mellow run from idle to 4000 and back to idle
repeat until the hour is done.
All the while, watching the temp. If the fan is/are big enough, this should be no issue.
Engine builders all have their own variation of total time, times at each rpm and rpms, (usually done on a dyno under load by pro builders)... this would be where the disagreements usually are

We need to see what times/numbers the Aprilia racing folks are doing for their rebuilds.
Of course, this can all be done on the road, better because under load, but you'll sure get a lot of funny looks, best done in the boonies
Once done, change the oil and filter, check for metal, if none, the engine is ready to go.
One point, sometime the initial oil fill has additives, so draining will remove these.... will need to check on this one.
This is just what I do, no guaranty or warranty implied or expressed (LOL)...
For what its worth, two of my current vehicles are over 200K right now without an engine rebuild.
By the way, I'm both ViperJay and Spyderman... one of these day's I'm going to get around to combining the two user names... hope this is not casing any confusion
