THANKS motorbike guy

[Rajol]

Thank you to the motorbike savior who helped me tonight :)

I was driving home from work

And a funny thing happened!

My Chain came off!

I didn't know it could come off, or anything about chains, besides the fact that I have to oil it.

-

He went back and got his tools from his house to help me out
Taught me about chains

loosened it and pulled the tire forward, put chain back on, aligned it for me
and I was home straight after :)

I didn't know what I was going to do I was stuck! No one to call / no AA card either.

he told me not to ride over bumps fast anymore, which is what I have been doing

[Rajol]

Also I think my chain is too tight???

I tried driving home and I could barely get to 70km/h, where It usually gets up to 110km/h easy (before the chain came off)

Will get it fixed tomorrow, how much will it cost?

[tigertim20]

Also I think my chain is too tight???

I tried driving home and I could barely get to 70km/h, where It usually gets up to 110km/h easy (before the chain came off)

Will get it fixed tomorrow, how much will it cost?

if its just adjusting the chain - do a youtube search on how to do it. there should be about an inch, or 25mm of slack in the chain, with you sitting on the bike - its easy as fuck to do and takes about as long to do as it does to make a cup of coffee.
a youtube video will show you how quickly and easily you can do it yourself.

You might want to check that the chain isnt stretched and in need of replacement as well.

Goos on the dude that helped you out

[Rajol]

if its just adjusting the chain - do a youtube search on how to do it. there should be about an inch, or 25mm of slack in the chain, with you sitting on the bike - its easy as fuck to do and takes about as long to do as it does to make a cup of coffee.
a youtube video will show you how quickly and easily you can do it yourself.

You might want to check that the chain isnt stretched and in need of replacement as well.

Goos on the dude that helped you out

I was too shy to ask him if he was a KB member, maybe he'll post :)

[blackdog]

Ask Katiepie about chains on Keeways, she used to have to tighten hers every day. Perhaps invest in something that is a little better quality (chain or bike) if you don't want to have to do this on a ride by ride basis.

[GingerMidget]

If you are still in Wellington, take it to Scooterazzi in Victoria street. From memory they sold and maybe still do sell keeway stuff. I personally wouldn't take one even if it was free. Prefer to stick to brands I trust.

[Rajol]

I don't think it's the bike, It's a 2010 keeway supershadow

I've been riding it pretty hard and it's kind of brand newish, had it for a month and the chain came off on a big bump while I was going fast, I was told when I got it, to get the slack checked because it was kind of loose, but I didn't bother, and have done ~ 1800km on it so far,

Will get it checked at the shop tomorrow to get it re adjusted then will report back on how long it takes for the slack to become too loose again so we can find out if there is a problem with the keeway brand :)

[Rajol]

If you are still in Wellington, take it to Scooterazzi in Victoria street. From memory they sold and maybe still do sell keeway stuff. I personally wouldn't take one even if it was free. Prefer to stick to brands I trust.

Thanks, will do.

Was thinking of taking it to that place near the newtown turn off near basin reserve

[Berries]

I was driving home from work

And a funny thing happened!

My Chain came off!
Quick KB tip. When you are on two wheels you are riding.

[Muppet]

Thank you to the motorbike savior who helped me tonight :)

I was driving home from work

And a funny thing happened!

My Chain came off!

I didn't know it could come off, or anything about chains, besides the fact that I have to oil it.

-

He went back and got his tools from his house to help me out
Taught me about chains

loosened it and pulled the tire forward, put chain back on, aligned it for me
and I was home straight after :)

I didn't know what I was going to do I was stuck! No one to call / no AA card either.

he told me not to ride over bumps fast anymore, which is what I have been doing

Same thing happened to me when I was 16. Riding my dads cb175 on Russley Road (when it had a 100km/h speed limit and no roundabouts just stop signs!) about to take the bike up to 100, got as far as 20 km/h and off the chain came! Knew nothing about chain tightening, I do now, check it every week.

[Rajol]

Quick KB tip. When you are on two wheels you are riding.

whoops

noted

[sinfull]

if its just adjusting the chain - do a youtube search on how to do it. there should be about an inch, or 25mm of slack in the chain, with you sitting on the bike - its easy as fuck to do and takes about as long to do as it does to make a cup of coffee.
a youtube video will show you how quickly and easily you can do it yourself.

You might want to check that the chain isnt stretched and in need of replacement as well.

Goos on the dude that helped you out
There is some real muppet videos out there Tim lol I think letting him search for himself may not be such a goos idea !!


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zB4DsHV8SAQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[nodrog]

Thank you to the motorbike savior who helped me tonight :)

...

Hey no worries, what is your address so I can send you an invoice?

[Rajol]

Hey no worries, what is your address so I can send you an invoice?

lol can't i just give you my bank acc # and password so you may deduct a fee that you deem suitable?

[nodrog]

lol can't i just give you my bank acc # and password so you may deduct a fee that you deem suitable?

Good plan, you are smarter than you look :woohoo:

[Katman]

Keeway use the cheapest, nastiest chains on their bikes from new. It will be rooted.

Get it replaced with a quality brand.

[Tigadee]

Keeways, Lifans, Huniaos/Arrow and Kymcos aren't as bad as people think. In the UK, they are very popular and Kymco especially has a strong following in many countries. All are copies of older proven Japanese models, such as the Honda Rebel or Suzuki Intruder (or in Kymco's case, the Honda Magna 250 and CB125).

Hyosung of Korea, for example, made Suzuki engines, and Kymco makes Honda and now BMW engines. In most of these bikes though, the mechanical designs are reliable, but it's sometimes the quality of materials which let the bikes down, e.g. rusts easily if not cleaned often or lower grade of metal used.

[sleemanj]

Learn to adjust it yourself, and it's always a good idea to carry what you need to do it.

But if it's stretched that much you might find it is time for a new QUALITY chain and SPROCKETS. Don't cheap out, get new chain (a known, quality one, o-ring, EK, DID or similar) and new sprockets at the same time so they all bed in together, otherwise you'll probably be doing it all again 12 months from now because old worn sprockets can really slog out a new chain in quick time.

[Buyasta]

As others have mentioned, it's extremely easy to adjust your own chain, you'd be best served by learning how to do it yourself, as it's the sort of thing you want to check and adjust pretty frequently.

I knew about as much as you do as chains when I had mine suddenly fall off as I was going along a slightly bumpy gravel road, fortunately I was on a ride with some other KBers at the time, so someone walked me through how to put it back on and tighten it up, and then how to check it was at a good level of tension.

So just looking at some youtube videos should show you all you need to know, but if you're really nervous and dead set on taking it to the shop, ask the mechanic if they can show you how to do it, I'm sure they'd be happy enough to show you exactly what to do.

[oneofsix]

I wonder...
Is this thread indicative of a mistake we will see more often. People are used to cars where you put petrol in the tank, sometimes check tyre pressure (when it looks like you have a flat) and the garage might pick up on low oil or that light will come on. Basically cars are low maintenance if you chose to treat them bad but with lack of basic maintenance bikes bite you harder.
As more drivers become riders due to petrol price pressure are they going to fail to carry out the basic maintenance or even know it is required, not optional? Of course they are. :facepalm:

[Rajol]

It's quite tight right now, and the videos on youtube said to lookup how much slack your chain usually gives

I'm not sure where to find this information

My manual doesn't have it in it

Keeway supershadow 2011

[Buyasta]

It's quite tight right now, and the videos on youtube said to lookup how much slack your chain usually gives

I'm not sure where to find this information

My manual doesn't have it in it

Keeway supershadow 2011

I believe you're after about 2-3cm of chain deflection, so if you just push up or down on the chain at it's loosest point, that's how much it should deflect by.

[Rajol]

thanks, will check after work today and take it into the shop tomorrow morning if it needs adjusting

[bogan]

I believe you're after about 2-3cm of chain deflection, so if you just push up or down on the chain at it's loosest point, that's how much it should deflect by.

Standard deflection works on most bikes, however, it's far better to find out what is recomended for the bike in question. For example, if I ran 2cm of deflection, best case I would need new chain and sprockets inside a month, more likely it would be a new final drive shaft. FYI I run 65mm to the swingarm, for probably a 40mm deflection from straight (or 80 top to bottom), and that is with a chain roller; and it has never jumped off.

I'd be checking the sideways deflection of the chain, good way to tell how much play there is between the links.

[Bikemad]

if you can pull the chain away from the rear sprocket in line with but in the opposite direction to the front sprocket then either chain or sprockets or both are fucked

[Buyasta]

Standard deflection works on most bikes, however, it's far better to find out what is recomended for the bike in question. For example, if I ran 2cm of deflection, best case I would need new chain and sprockets inside a month, more likely it would be a new final drive shaft. FYI I run 65mm to the swingarm, for probably a 40mm deflection from straight (or 80 top to bottom), and that is with a chain roller; and it has never jumped off.

I'd be checking the sideways deflection of the chain, good way to tell how much play there is between the links.

Yeah, I had a quick google and couldn't find anything specific about his bike though, and if it's not in the user manual either, pretty much all he can do is go with the standard, or take it in to a Keeway dealer and ask the mechanics there, they should know.

[Tigadee]

Question: Is the chain too tight if when you twist even gently on the throttle, the bike jerks forward?

Or could it just be the sprocket? For example, when I start off in 1st, the bike will jerk forward, and then I have to switch through 2nd to 3rd to 4th gear quite quickly. Nowadays, I even just start off on 2nd gear. This is the Yamaha Zeal...

[sleemanj]

Question: Is the chain too tight if when you twist even gently on the throttle, the bike jerks forward?

Or could it just be the sprocket? For example, when I start off in 1st, the bike will jerk forward, and then I have to switch through 2nd to 3rd to 4th gear quite quickly. Nowadays, I even just start off on 2nd gear. This is the Yamaha Zeal...

Doesn't sound like a chain issue to me. More like a clutch one.

[bogan]

Yeah, I had a quick google and couldn't find anything specific about his bike though, and if it's not in the user manual either, pretty much all he can do is go with the standard, or take it in to a Keeway dealer and ask the mechanics there, they should know.

yeh good plan. The other surefire option, is to get a fat bloke or two to fully compress the suspension, then do the chain uip so there is no slack, then measure the unloaded slack and re-tighten to there every time. Is what I did but took the shock out cos I'm not a fat bloke!


Question: Is the chain too tight if when you twist even gently on the throttle, the bike jerks forward?

Or could it just be the sprocket? For example, when I start off in 1st, the bike will jerk forward, and then I have to switch through 2nd to 3rd to 4th gear quite quickly. Nowadays, I even just start off on 2nd gear. This is the Yamaha Zeal...

Sounds like driveline backlash, most noticeable when going from decel to accel? and not there when you go from steady accel to more accel?

It can come from chain, cush-drive, or the clutch assembly.

[Tigadee]

Sounds like driveline backlash, most noticeable when going from decel to accel? and not there when you go from steady accel to more accel? It can come from chain, cush-drive, or the clutch assembly.

Yup, sounds about right.

"cush-drive"?

[sleemanj]

Yup, sounds about right.

"cush-drive"?

Inside the rear wheel hub is a rubber "drive cushion", which fits between the fingers of the wheel and the hub.

http://home.exetel.com.au/bkm/cast-wheels-motard-drz/images/cush-drive-cast-alloy-wheel.jpg
The black rubber bits in the wheel.

[Tigadee]

Ah, I see... It'd be nice to have whatever it is fixed so I can have less of a rodeo ride... :sick:

[bogan]

Ah, I see... It'd be nice to have whatever it is fixed so I can have less of a rodeo ride... :sick:

To check it, take the back tyre in one hand, and rotate the sprocket with the other. A good cush drive will have no lash, a really fucked one can rotate up to 45 degrees :shit:

[Tigadee]

Will do... :yes:

Uhhhh, if it is the cush-drive, would it cost a lot to fix/replace?:confused:

[bogan]

Will do... :yes:

Uhhhh, if it is the cush-drive, would it cost a lot to fix/replace?:confused:

my ballpark guess would be 50 in parts for diy, or 100 for shop.

[Tigadee]

Thanks. I'll give it a check tonight when I get back home and put the bike on the bike stand.

[skippa1]

back to topic....if you loosen your axle nut and then hit the back wheel with a suitably large hammer until your chain has a big sag in it, then tighten the nut again, you will have plenty of slack. You dont want too much so tie a string to the saggy part of the chain and tighten it around your swingarm until it feels mildly tight. That way you have some slack, but if it gets too tight, the string will snap.:yes:Only too glad to help, please post your account number and pin now so I can be reimbursed for my help:laugh:

[pete376403]

Note to OP and other inexperienced owners - some people have attempted chain maintenance with the bike on the centre-stand, motor running and in gear. That can be messy. Pretty obvious really but it's been done.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk-PME37URI

[cheshirecat]

Thanks, will do.

Was thinking of taking it to that place near the newtown turn off near basin reserve
They be Boyles. Excellent choice

[Tigadee]

To check it, take the back tyre in one hand, and rotate the sprocket with the other. A good cush drive will have no lash, a really fucked one can rotate up to 45 degrees :shit:

OK, looks like cush-drive is fine. Whew! :sweatdrop

Checked the chain and that had at least one tight spot on it. What next? Will lubing it help or it is 'new chain' time?