New chain question

Fix it for you..................:wink:
The kit from Cyclegear is on sale

 

Coolest part of a chain job is removing the old chain with a cutoff wheel, nice sparks :biggrin:

 

A good chain tool (I have an RK) pays for itself the second time you use it. DID X-rings on all my bikes, have not needed an adjustment in 5K miles on the VFR with their best rated 530 chain. Going on 2k on the CBR with DID 525, absolutely no change to tension on that one either.

Got 24K out of the OEM chain and it was in decent shape when I changed it out- that was a DID on the VFR. Maintenance and good chain lube matters.

 

I used a chain breaker from Harbor Freight - $15. You can use it to remove or install masterlinks. No issues, and that puts me WELL ahead of buying a $100 tool, even if I can only use it twice.

 

HF ?? You got that right !

 

I'm just saying. For guys that might be in a pinch, financially (like myself), and aren't changing chains out every other month, again like myself, then it is a viable option that works. I could buy 10 of those, and still be under what most of these tools cost. And I have heard of people doing 4-5 chains on the one tool. So, again, for the person that just needs to change their own chain, it's a better option that c-clamps and ball bearings.

HOWEVER, if you plan on changing out chains often, be it for yourself or friends, then yes, getting a better tool would be better in the long run.

 

I went with Sidewinder Sprockets and Smart Chain.... Sprockets are lifetime warrantee not to wear out (titanium). Cain is well designed and built.

Sprocket | Chain | Motorcycles Sprocket | ATV Sprocket

 

Almichaelsjr, really titanium sprockets have lifetime warranty? Steel sprockets don’t come with that warranty and Ti is not stronger than steel as most people will tell you. It just has better strength to weight properties, but for applications such as gears, cutting tools, etc... Ti isn’t really your best option (scuba divers here will tell you how hard it is to keep a Ti knife sharp). I’m not trying to burst your bubble or anything, just wondering.

 

Go to the website. I posted the link but somehow its not on my post ...... Google Sidewinder Sprockets and see for yourself.

 

accualy you should look at chains rated for 1000ccm. Everyone knows that a vfr is more like a 1000 than an 800 cuz of hight torque at low rpms and thats where chain is hurting the most.

 

Fastest way to ruin a new chain is to put it on used sprockets ! So DON'T do it. If you want to extend your chains life, then you can use our old courier trick which is to buy a new chain, rear sprocket & 2 front sprockets, then change the front sprocket halfway through the chains life ! This trick adds between 1/3 & 1/2 to the chains life & front sprockets are cheap. Yon can also reverse a rear sprocket on many bikes at the same time!

Also buy a good quality X-ring chain. X-ring has better lube & sealing properties than O-ring chains with reduced drag. RK & DiD are a couple of the best. Do some research, there are many grades of chain.

 

DID 530VX G/B + JT (or any other aftermarket) rear sprocket + OEM front sprocket.

The reason you should use OEM sprocket in front is the rubber that OEM sprocket has.
It exists to protect your chain from wear (it is supporting chain links). You cannot find this in an aftermarket sprocket.
The reason that rear sprocket hasn't any kind of protective rubber is simple: for 1 complete circle of the rear sprocket, the front one does about 3 circles.

OEM sprocket costs about 3x an aftermarket but it will make the whole drive chain and sprocket system last much longer.

Good luck.

 

"OEM sprocket costs about 3x an aftermarket but it will make the whole drive chain and sprocket system last much longer"

That's just BS. I have stripped out all the rubber damping parts in the drive train area & there is no detectable difference with after market sprockets to felt vibration or anything else. I just did a 900 mile trip in the last couple of days with after market (JT) front & alloy rear sprocket on my 525 converted chain drive & checked the chain tension when finished, all within spec, no appreciable wear & no more vibration than the OEM stuff made ! The chain was lubed with hypiod 90 gear oil before the trip & not lubed during the trip.

Just buy a new chain, 1x rear & 2x front sprockets & then cheange the front halfway through the chains life, this definately makes the chain last longer !

Have fun.

 

Yes that was a BS .. sometimes I just can't hold myself!

Obviously your 900 miles should make the wear visible if there was any! How smart you are! :crazy::crazy:

 

I wasn't referring to the wear other than the chain did NOT need adjustment. I was referring to the OEM rubber NOT making any difference. It's NOT there for wear purposes, its there to SILNCE the chain on the sprocket. Hardened steel sprockets wear at the same rate regardless. The BS referred to the rubber making the sprocket last longer. It would need to last 4x longer to justify the additional cost, as I could buy 3 new front sprockets for the price of the OEM !

 

I wasn't referring to the sprocket wear, rather than the chain wear (chain wear = sprockets wear of course).
The side plates of the chain links are accepting part of the force applied because of the chain-sprocket contact when the rubber exists. When it doesn't all the force is applied on the chain cylinders.

In any case everyone is free to do whatever he likes. There are many solutions for the same problem.