Let's see...had a friend with 37 miles on his new GS and rode it like he stole it...and ruined a big end bearing....the owner always knows best.
I've run in the following since 2001. Very hard from mile 10 and almost no oil use from day 1.
7 1200 GS's
3 1150 RT's
2 650 GS's
2 1150 R's
! 800 GS
Have I just been lucky with 15 bikes?
Perhaps your friend just got a bad engine from the factory.