Chain adjustment on centre stand or is paddock stand required?

[Kiwi Bandit]

I have a Suzuki 1250 Bandit and want to adjust the chain. Saw a Youtube clip that said to always adjust with a paddock stand. Do you guys agree or can I use the centre stand on the bike?

[T.W.R]

In days of old when paddock stands were solely the domain track bikes and real world motorcycles all had center stands you'd do your adjustment on the center stand :msn-wink:
Using a paddock stand is for those of us that are restricted by the fact our bikes only have a side stand

[neels]

Depends what the manual says, one of my bikes is adjusted on the centre stand, the other on the side stand.

A paddock stand will be pretty much the same as adjusting while on the side stand, as the weight of the bike is still on the axle, the advantage being that you can turn the wheel to find the tightest spot to adjust at.

[jellywrestler]

I have a Suzuki 1250 Bandit and want to adjust the chain. Saw a Youtube clip that said to always adjust with a paddock stand. Do you guys agree or can I use the centre stand on the bike?

obviously there's different slack required when on centrestand where shocks fully extended, rather than paddock stand where they're partially extended, you need to work out the correct adjustment for the two, the manual and/or sticker on bike will tell you the correct adjustment for centrestand
or, buy a hesketh or bimota SB2/3 they have constant tension chains where the swingarm pivot is in line with the front sprocket centre., not everything on you tube is right either...

[caspernz]

Check your manual, there's no one size fits all answer.

Some bikes are ok on centre stand. Others you're best to check the slack whilst sitting on bike, no weight on stand.

On mine for example it specifies the latter. If I use paddock stand to set chain slack, by the time I sit on bike without stand, slack all but disappears.

[Kiwi Bandit]

Thanks for all your replies. The manual says adjust on centre stand to between 20-30mm.

I have measured this carefully but every time I do up the axle nut the chain becomes significantly tighter and out of tolerance.

I have tried leaving some extra slack before tightening. Is i simply a case of trial and error or am I missing something? The measurements on both sides of the swing arm appear to be the same.

[oldiebutagoody]

I struggled for a long time with this also, trusting that everything should tighten up logically, in line and according to the inscribed marks on the swingarm.

The marks on my Mk1 ARE accurate but the adjuster blocks on each side of the axle are different length (not thickness). Start there and measure them both for comparison. I got the difference between the two, allowed for it and measured from the rear of the swingarm to the rear of the adjuster block. One side shows about one segment more than the other but double checked all alignment with string method and its perfect, also handling shows it too.

If the spacers and axle are not equally lined up, the internal spacers will try to do it for you when you torque it up so it will tighten the chain.

This may or may not be your particular problem but check it out anyway.

You may thank me later lol.

[AllanB]

Try nipping up the axle bolt a bit tighter before you adjust - it may be too loose, thus the difference when you tighten the nut. Worth a go as I think you have the axle nut wound off too much. On my last Suzuki it relied on the nut when tight to pull in the swingarm a tad, so if you have it really lose it could potentially give a half notch or less variance when tightened.

Plus if you chain has a fair few kms on it you'll find tight spots on ya way around.


Before I had a single sided swingarm I'd always string line it until I purchased this fucking long caliper - then I used the centre of the swingarm pivot and centre of rear axle as by alignment guide. This was a 900 Hornet - F-me Honda had the adjustment notches spot on. Honda, go figure.

[oldiebutagoody]

Try nipping up the axle bolt a bit tighter before you adjust - it may be too loose, thus the difference when you tighten the nut. Worth a go as I think you have the axle nut wound off too much. On my last Suzuki it relied on the nut when tight to pull in the swingarm a tad,

This too.....:2thumbsup

But still measure the adjuster blocks to see if they are different.

process of elimination really.

[nzspokes]

Suzukis tend to get tighter when you do the axle nut up. Just make it a bit looser. 1250 gets interesting when you fit a longer shock for adjustment but its well worth it.

[Kiwi Bandit]

Try nipping up the axle bolt a bit tighter before you adjust - it may be too loose, thus the difference when you tighten the nut. Worth a go as I think you have the axle nut wound off too much. On my last Suzuki it relied on the nut when tight to pull in the swingarm a tad, so if you have it really lose it could potentially give a half notch or less variance when tightened.

Plus if you chain has a fair few kms on it you'll find tight spots on ya way around.


Before I had a single sided swingarm I'd always string line it until I purchased this fucking long caliper - then I used the centre of the swingarm pivot and centre of rear axle as by alignment guide. This was a 900 Hornet - F-me Honda had the adjustment notches spot on. Honda, go figure.

Thanks for the advice guys. I followed the manual but had the axle nut too loose. All sorted now.