I was told that the break in period for my new 400EX is 10 hours and no paddles.. only ride on hard sand.. how many people followed these instructions? My hubbie wants to do paddles cuz he's afraid we won't make it to hard sand w/ out them.. any thoughts?

Also, we were told to take it back in after the break in period for a follow up maint... this sound right?

Thanks..

 

two tanks of gas don't know about running pads because i am dune less but stock tires in the sand tach the motor up alot i know that from rideing on the beach

 

Paddles will put too much load on your motor for a "proper" break-in. I've always gone with 3 tanks of gas as a good break-in period. Yes you should change your oil after break-in, and get your valves adjusted. If you are half-way mechanically inclined, do the valve job yourself. If not, one of the local shops should do your oil, air filter, and valves for about $100. It's just good insurance for a good/long-lasting motor. Take your 400 to Sand Lake for a day. You don't need paddles to play around there. Depending on where you live in Oregon, I could point you to some local areas that would be good for doing your break-in. Just don't rev the **** out of your motor until you've gone through those 3 tanks of gas. It will be tempting...