What's the difference between X-ring, O-ring & Z-ring chains? Can anyone provide a link to a primer on chains? I've searched but found a lot of crap trying to sell me a chain, very little info about the differences & preferred chain.... I'm trying to research in prep for a new chain probably next riding season. Also, DID seems to be the most often recommended chain. Has anyone found an online source for chain/sprocket kits that is heads above the others?
Google, "motorcycle chains explained". At the bottom of page 1, there will be several iterations of the same query. Do you mean "head and shoulders above..." or centavos and pesos below? I think what will be found aboot DID kits is that most dudes will like them and a few wont followed by anecdotes as proof. I know this for a fact. DID chains do not work well at all on my BMW.
I "did" find this about chains from DID themselves: ""1.5 to 2 times greater life with an X-ring compared to an O-ring" due to superior lube containment"
That might be considered semi-anecdotal but does not hopefully imply that some regular chain care is not needed. Given enough time maybe someone will write a book called "Chaincare for Dummies" . Generally speaking, I have DID kits on two bikes. One is a warmed over 500cc single ( Yamaha SR500) that ate several OEM chains. A DID kit fixed that. Went from an Oring to an Xring on the mach 1 91 with zero problems with either. The OEM chain was not all that good, the OEM sprockets were fine but I went with the kits in all three cases. When buying, IMO the best info is that ya look up for yourelf ie ourselves.. The product is going to be the same no matter who you buy it from. Some manufacturers sell direct. One thing that should be known aboot that is they protect their dealers and prices are sometimes close to MSRP. Farkledealers pay for what they order from manufacturers and thus can sell whatever it happens to be for whatever price they want to. Just like dealers and new bikes. Oversimplified for sure but basic biz.. Always (love the word) check those shipping and handling prices. A chain kit might be twenty pesos less at one place and that same place will stick it to you in shipping costs. Another area to be aware of is return policies and restocking fees. Most of the big online outfits are really honest and everything is laid out. As good as that sounds they screw up and the fix can cost you unless you know your consumer rights. Crunching some numbers, Ya go online and order a chain kit for 150 pesos and ten pesos shipping. They send the wrong kit. You have to pay shipping back to the outfit you bought it from and even pay a restocking fee and another shipping fee for the replacement. Bottom line? Shit happens.. Not always but enough sometimes to do a little homework.
I just bought a couple DID chains and the prices from online dealers are pretty close when you get down to the ones with lowest prices. There's a huge difference in overall prices with them ranging from over $150 to around $110. I ended up buying mine from an Ebay dealer with free shipping. Everything worked out well. I like the DID chains and got 19,300 miles out of the first one, and this one looks like it will be about the same. I bought the standard DID chain, not the high zoot, high priced one.
The main spec you need to know is the tensile strength of the chain. ex 9000lbs. The more power the more tensile strength chain is needed. Each good manufacture should have a page/section with chain specs. I use Tsubaki chains. Their specs are given in hp of bike and tinsel strength. I think the minimum TS needed for a 750cc is like 90000lbs. I bought a Sigma XRS Tsubaki chain for my Blackbird. It's rated for 200hp. I figured that would do with some over kill. I paid $156 for it on ebay, great deal. On my 7500 trip I took earlier I only adjusted it 4 times! The larger the side plates the more strength it has and if taken care of will last longer. Whether O,X or Z ring really doesn't matter. Yes there is a lot of anecdotal info on each that says they are the best. I've had O & X. For me the X didn't last any longer and I maintain my chains. The rubber rings just seal the lube in and the water out. If your not around a lot of wet weather then it's a non issue. I feel that how long the seals last depends on what you use for chain lube. I've gone to wax lubes because they don't collect grit that destroys the rubber seals like a petroleum lube. Never wash a sealed chain in solvent solution of any kind. It can get past the rubber and eat at the lube. Maybe small brush type clean. Go to each manufacture of chains (DID,RK,Tsubaki etc) and see how they rate and what they say about their chains is the best info I think you can get. http://www.tsubaki-rider.com/en/products/products-road
Used Timkins on various dirt bikes for years.. They were mostly no-ring. My SR500 until I fixed it with a DID kit ate OEM chains like Lance Armstrong popping steroids and speed. I attributed some of the wear and sagging to the engine being a thumper with some mild massaging. Maybe the OEM chains were crap. What do the real wrenches say might be the major cause.
My EX500 used up the EK gold chain, (was an x-ring, me thinks) in under 10,000 miles with regular chain maitenance (every other fill-up, gets greased.) I got a DID 520 on order for it along with some new JT steel sprockets. I have JTs on my 91 with an EK 530 high level gold chain and it seems to be maintenance free, every other fill up it gets lubed, I may have adjusted it once in its life cycle (15,000?) New to me 93 has a grey DID that looks to be high quality, so the chain saga continues and was adjusted when I bought it as it was grossly over-tightened. :frusty: Think I got hosed on that EX500 chain mentioned above; shipping is par for the course really, those chains are heavy, wut can you do. Twenty dollars either way, it balances oot in the long run. Cheers.
