Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech Chain stuff

21,000 miles, had to replace my chain. It was getting pretty ugly, I had a constant surging that increased in frequency as my speed increased. Last weekend, I had the bike up so I rotated the rear wheel to find the tight spot to adjust it, well it had a spot so tight the wheel got hard to turn and the rest was extremely loose.

So, went to find a chain. Wanted a D.I.D. VM2, but couldn't find one in a 525 (needed it now so didn't want to order) except at National Cycle. He had one. The box had been opened and the link was gone. The only other he had in a 525 sealed chain was an RK GB525GXW, for about 60 bucks more than the D.I.D. So I ask if he could give it to me for the lower price. He did, even took an extra 10% off .
After taking the old chain off (rust in the pins, just a little but shouldn't be any with a sealed chain, and I'm pretty anal about lubing it), comparing the RK XW rings with the D.I.D. X rings, the RK are about half again as wide with an additional rib.
New chain on. NO tight spots that could be detected (give it time). Bike runs smoooth . Eyeballed and measured sprockets, still in good shape.

Oh yeah, old chain was two links longer than the new one (not number of links, both are 112, just side by side) .

It seems very strange to me that the sprockets would be okay with the chain that worn. With the cost of the chain, if it were me, I would replace the sprockets anyway. About 40 years ago, I was a Triumph/BSA mechanic, and never saw a worn chain without also having worn sprockets.

Yeah, I'll be replacing them as soon as JT comes out with the 42 tooth rear (about two months), cheap insurance. Just not real concerned, as I say, they're not bad. I certainly expected them to be badly worn. The chain seems to be worn inside on the pins as opposed to the rollers.

Maybe it's the Bel-Ray super clean every 500 miles.

I'm at 24,500 miles, and what I saw tonight scared me, bad.

I have known I was due a chain replacement, but now she is parked until I get one. Had her up on the lift, and adjusted again tonight, but this was like the 5th or 6th time in last 3 weeks, and I knew something was not right.

I started her up, engaged 1st gear, and like you, there was a real tight spot, but the rest was way loose. It was not so obvious just turning the rear wheel by hand, but letting the engine pull it around explained a lot. I have been feeling that on the road, too, and could not tell if it was wind, rough road or what. Now I know. Heck - I put 120+ miles on her yesterday morning - all at over 70 mph!

I think my sprockets are okay, too, so chain only it will be.

Do you have to pull the rear wheel? Or can you link old to new and pull it around?

Quote:

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Do you have to pull the rear wheel? Or can you link old to new and pull it around?

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Just pull the chain guard, rear peg hanger, front sprocket cover and Bob's yer uncle.

I think I can borrow a chain breaker.

Thanks.

I figure a chain every 20K. Worth it to get a chain tool.
'bout a c-note for the "Motion Pro" breaker-riveter.

The way the chain is routed, you have to use a chain breaker and the new chain has to either have a clip type master link or be riveted together. You don't have to pull the rear wheel, but if you want to remove or install the chain while it is whole, you have to pull the swingarm and that's a bit less than fun.

I've put off getting a new chain while waiting for QPD to get a belt kit to Brent for me. I have a little over 22k and it needs replacement NOW. I hate to cancel with Brent but I guess I'll have to. How much should I expect to pay for the RK chain? Is the GXW the top of the line?

The parts guy at National Cycle (they use Parts Unlimited I believe) told me the list was 175.00. He gave it to me for 112.50.
I think MAW has them for around 120.00, but the flip is that Dennis Kirk wants over 200.00.
Yeah, I think the GXW is their top of the line.

If you find one in a store near you , ask for a discount, you can almost always get at least 10%, sometimes more.

Your front sprocket is shot. Period. That suka will wear your brand shiny new chain faster than a two dollar hooker can swallow. Huh?

This photo shows new (left) vs old. Old had 19K miles on it.




Chicken or the egg? I replace both sprockets whenever I replace my chain. On my bicycles, I'll replace the rear gear cluster with the chain. About every other chain I'll look to replace the chain rings.

And a front sprocket is only $19.95 plus shipping from Brent. No sense trying to extend a questionable life of a front sprocket when they're that cheap.

Replace chain every 20K, interesting.
During my rebuild, I am replacing the front and rear sprockets. Talked to the dealer as I heard always replace chain as part of set.

Dealer says Triumph chain is lifetime. Costs $195, no need to change it, should last way more than 15K, where I am now. So I was figuring skip it even though bike is torn down to the fairly-easy install point.

Does this look like something I need to rethink so I don't run into it 5K more miles from now? Sprockets show very little wear, but replacing as a set since I want the black one in rear.

Chains probably DO last a lifetime, for people who ride 2,000 miles year! For those who ride somewhat more that would equate to a very short life

Well Bill,
I noticed that the old chain didn't slow
you down TOO much!!!

Good way to put it. 10 years. How did Dorothy et el put it? Oh My?!

That is a life time. Or say 13% of one's life. Met a hardley rider named Phil yesterday. He rides a 1999 Hardley (Which one? Heck all i know is that it is not a sportster, a fatboy, a H softail, a vrod nor a Road King) and has 70K on his ride. Has been to Sturgis a couple times. Aside, "Hey Mark/LitzerSki/yute/, you would have loved his manvest..." Reminded me of Shaun/nobby going to that mecca of hogs about a third of a lifetime ago using the hardley mileage standard.


I've got to ask him if he has changed out his belt yet.

Damm I sure hate this freaking 100MHz pentium makes me french (spit) spitting mad.

OSU has 2.4 Ghz with 512 megs 40 meg HD for $100!