Chain life

[MSTRS]

I know that this depends on many factors - type of seal, grade, type of use, lubrication, adjustment etc.
What I am interested in is what sort of kms do you get out of yours, assuming you do all the right things?
I have no idea what my chain is (HD, O-ring etc) as I think it is the original. It does have gold link plates. I keep it well lubed (I use aerosol chain wax) and adjusted properly. It has just developed the dreaded 'tight spot' at 45,000 kms.

[vifferman]

I'm happy if I get a couple of years out of a chain. Usually last about two sets of tyres.
However, that's because most of my riding lately has been communtering, which buggers everything on the bike pretty quickly - the tyres, chain'n'sprockets, gearbox, paintwork and rider.

[MSTRS]

If the rider is getting buggered, he must be sitting odd...or will be. :laugh:

[Blackbird]

Stock O ring chain on the 'bird. It's now done 55000 km, all with a Scottoiler. I don't even need to adjust the chain tension between tyre changes. There is a bit of fling from the Scottoiler but not excessively so. A bit of oil spotting on the rear rim and left muffler is more than offset by the excellent chain life. Can't tell you what that final life will be, but certainly not anytime soon.

[NighthawkNZ]

I know that this depends on many factors - type of seal, grade, type of use, lubrication, adjustment etc.
What I am interested in is what sort of kms do you get out of yours, assuming you do all the right things?
I have no idea what my chain is (HD, O-ring etc) as I think it is the original. It does have gold link plates. I keep it well lubed (I use aerosol chain wax) and adjusted properly. It has just developed the dreaded 'tight spot' at 45,000 kms.

So far I have had 20,000 out of mine, and it still looks new and has hardly been adjusted... but I have a scott oiler...

[Bonez]

Time for for a chain and sprocket change MTRS.

Just replaced the GBs chain yesterday. Too tight to do the sprockets as well(but will do both including fit and x'ring chain at around 100,000kms). Bike feels a lot less snatchy and is smoother. 90 weight oil gear oil and get 25-30,000kms out of a chain(this includes the odd gravel sojourn)- two chains per sprocket set HD standard type(non- o\x'ring). Same with the 550F and Integra. Adjustment is probably more freaquent than using a scotoiler but after a few decades you get into a routine ah ;).

[MSTRS]

Time for for a chain and sprocket change MTRS.



I always do both together. These ones will be ok for another 2000-3000kms and while the wheel is off, I'll do the tyre at the same time.

[Bonez]

I always do both together. These ones will be ok for another 2000-3000kms and while the wheel is off, I'll do the tyre at the same time.Sensible move.

[erik]

the chain on my bandit has done just over 40,000km, it's a RK 525 chain, non-o-ring (HD, I guess?). I keep it well lubed with Fuchs/Silkolene chain lube, I don't trust the dry looking chain lubes. I measured it a little while ago and it's getting close to the wear limit, so will probably have to replace it within 5-10,000km I guess.

[James Deuce]

28,000 and 2.75 years out of mine. Mostly communtering.

[johan]

I haven't seen any advice in the thread yet on 'how' to check if the chain is due replacement. How do you tell after 20000k it's still good to go?

This is the advice I go with. Maybe it different on other bikes:

"A chain should be replaced when it has stretched excessively. Each link in a new 520 or 525 pitch chain measures 15.875mm (5/8-inch) so 16 links will measure 254mm. When a 16 link section of an o-ring chain has stretched to 257mm (under a 20Kg/44lbs load) it needs to be replaced before it fails. When a Ducati chain snaps, it will often wedge between the drive output sprocket and the engine case, destroying the case and hopefully not locking the rear wheel in the process.

Chain stretch across 16 links can be checked with calipers by first placing the transmission in gear and then rotating the back wheel so as to tension the upper strand of the chain."

[MSTRS]

The trouble with the measuring method is that chains do not wear consistently along their full length. This is what causes the so-called "tight spots", which will mean different wear readings as you rotate the chain.
In the old days when chains all used key links with clips, the method we used to determine wear was to pull the chain out from the rear sprocket. If the links cleared the teeth, the chain was fucked. This was confirmed by removing the chain, then holding one end horizontal, with the linkplates on one side facing the ground, see how much the chain bent. There was a formula for 'point of no return' but I can't remember what that was. Ixion?

[Shaun]

I know that this depends on many factors - type of seal, grade, type of use, lubrication, adjustment etc.
What I am interested in is what sort of kms do you get out of yours, assuming you do all the right things?
I have no idea what my chain is (HD, O-ring etc) as I think it is the original. It does have gold link plates. I keep it well lubed (I use aerosol chain wax) and adjusted properly. It has just developed the dreaded 'tight spot' at 45,000 kms.



Regina chain will last me a FULL New Zealand racing season very easy, with miles to spare

Regina chain is brilliant

[klyong82]

So when you guys say the chain last 40,000km's on its oem chain does that also mean that you never changed the sprockets too that they are also oem out of the factory?

[MSTRS]

Yep. When replacing due to wear, never change just 1 of the 3 bits involved on your road/adventure bike.

[Bonez]

So when you guys say the chain last 40,000km's on its oem chain does that also mean that you never changed the sprockets too that they are also oem out of the factory?Yip. Bought a bike new, did 52,000kms and sold the bike with the OEM chain and sprockets still on it.

[Taz]

Mmmmm shaft drive........ :)

The Ducati doesn't go long enough to wear out the chain.......

I got 56000 kms out of my VFR with scottoiler and was still fine when I sold it.

[erik]

Yep. When replacing due to wear, never change just 1 of the 3 bits involved on your road/adventure bike.

I disagree with that. When I got the bandit, the chain had developed a tight spot but the sprockets were ok. So I replaced just the chain with a cheap non-o-ring chain and it's still on there now 40,000km later with the same sprockets.

[MSTRS]

Very unusual, Eric. Do you know if the sprockets were replaced, but not the chain, just before you got the bike?
Chains bed into the sprockets and they wear together, so generally by replacing only one of the components, the new part places a strain on the old and vice versa, leading to accelerated wear on all.

[Gremlin]

17,000 and the whole set was knackered on a zx10

42,000 and the whole set was knackered on a cb900

both had scottoilers, the zx10 only had it from 10k I think, previous owner probably didn't look after it

[erik]

Very unusual, Eric. Do you know if the sprockets were replaced, but not the chain, just before you got the bike?
Chains bed into the sprockets and they wear together, so generally by replacing only one of the components, the new part places a strain on the old and vice versa, leading to accelerated wear on all.

I don't think they were recently replaced. I took photos before I replaced the chain, you can see some wear on the sprockets. I should take some more photos now for comparison, it might be interesting. Clearly the front is not a stock sprocket, so it must've been replaced sometime within the 48,000km before I got the bike. I'm not sure about the back.

[slimjim]

yes i've just got chain and both spockets replaced by the lads in karamu rd..total cost $319.00..bike has done total of 54000km thought that was good from new with same chain and spockets...gees should have keeped record on what the chain spray has cost of the five years...lol

[TOTO]

I just got a tight spot in the past few weeks.

My chain has done 43 000km (original chain). that should be a good life span for an ordiginal chain on a 2001 250 hornet ay ?

any taughts ?

[racefactory]

Umm what? Chain tight spots are perfectly normal- go look in any Haynes manual if you don't believe it. It's a normal product of the way a chain wears and is lubricated- both are never totally evenly spread. That's why if you properly adjust your chain you always find the tightest spot first and then take measurements from that.

It's how much the chain stretches on the bikes stretch marker that you should be paying attention to.

If we all replaced our chains when we found a tight spot it'd be madness at cycle treads...

[Bonez]

Umm what? Chain tight spots are perfectly normal- go look in any Haynes manual if you don't believe it. It's a normal product of the way a chain wears and is lubricated- both are never totally evenly spread. That's why if you properly adjust your chain you always find the tightest spot first and then take measurements from that.

It's how much the chain stretches on the bikes stretch marker that you should be paying attention to.

If we all replaced our chains when we found a tight spot it'd be madness at cycle treads...
Chains don't stretch either, rubber bands do.

[MSTRS]

Umm what? Chain tight spots are perfectly normal- ....

If we all replaced our chains when we found a tight spot it'd be madness at cycle treads...
We call them tight spots, but actually 2 things happen to a chain when it is getting near the end of it's useful life.
1. Wear within the links leaves a loose spot where the chain has 'stretched' and
2. Corrosion inside a link stops it moving freely with it's neighbours via the pin that holds them together.
What we notice is a tight spot with a link that is out of line (because it flexes to a point that allows it to run around the small front sprocket, but won't rotate back into line when it is between the sprockets), or...
a 'tight' spot where the chain is actually still good.
Once any or all of these symptoms show up, it is best to be scheduling a new set sooner rather than later.

[Pixie]

69,000Km on a GSF1200 and still going (gloat)