chain life

[awsi4u1]

heck, just noticed that the chain is way too lose, adjusted it and the arrow points to "chain replacement" red zone. how dangerous to ride with chain just hit the red zone?
Previous owner changed the chain about 2K Km ago, is it normal for a OEM chain to last only 20 K Km normal riding and a lot of oiling?
Btw I adjusted it while bike on center stand, I assume that's ok.

regards

[T ALP]

heck, just noticed that the chain is way too lose, adjusted it and the arrow points to "chain replacement" red zone. how dangerous to ride with chain just hit the red zone?
Previous owner changed the chain about 2K Km ago, is it normal for a OEM chain to last only 20 K Km normal riding and a lot of oiling?
Btw I adjusted it while bike on center stand, I assume that's ok.

regards

Chain life will vary alot especially if a new chain is put on used sprockets,
make sure you have ENOUGH SLACK IN THE CHAIN I found in the past there is very little difference in measurement of slack wether on the side stand or centre stand.
I always keep mine adjusted to max. play
Chris

[Alba]

heck, just noticed that the chain is way too lose, adjusted it and the arrow points to "chain replacement" red zone. how dangerous to ride with chain just hit the red zone?
Previous owner changed the chain about 2K Km ago, is it normal for a OEM chain to last only 20 K Km normal riding and a lot of oiling?
Btw I adjusted it while bike on center stand, I assume that's ok.

regards

I do not think it is danagerous to ride with the chain just on the red however keep your eye on it and as T ALP says keep it on the slack side.

With regards to how long it will last you have given two values 2K & 20K. 2K is outrageous 20K circa 12K miles is probably about average. You enter the scotoiler / chain life zone and disappear

[largewayround]

When I bought my Ta , one year old .. original chain was fooked 3000miles ..

Changed to DID XChain Heavy Duty .. 13000 and not needed to adjust yet .
Still at the new chain indication on swing arm

[Austin]

How safe is it?

Less safe than a new chain.

Is it going to break, come off the sprockets, or something?

Probably not, but it might.

Should I ride it?

Yes, but be mindful of the risk that it might break or come off if you don't keep a close eye on the tension.

Should I get a new chain (and sprockets)?

Yes, and fairly soon. Get a DID gold, and add a scotoiler and you probably won't adjust the chain for another 30,000+Kms.

There's another useful check that will tell you how worn the chain is - with it approximately tensioned right, try and lift the chain off the rear sprocket. A new chain will barely lift, a worn out chain will nearly clear the teeth on the sprocket.

Another check is to push the main run of the chain sideways, against the links. A new chain will bend but not much and will feel very solid; a worn chain will bend a long way and feel very sloppy. (with the old chain off you will find that you can bend the chain against the links by 180 degrees end to end. A new chain hardly bends against the links at all.)

[Paul-S]

Change it a s a p

My chain went this year after several dunkings and the snow ice offroading through winter. Have not needed to adjust it in 2 1/2 years. Started to go in Feb and only lasted 1000 miles whereby I needed to adjust it every ride because of the stretch.

At this point the front sprocket started to wear faster and by the time my new sprockets and chain arrived even riding very very carefully the front sprocket's teeth were starting to bend over and touch the next tooth

Can't complain as it's been on for 27,000 miles

Replaced with DID Gold X-ring again, Honda OEM front sprocket and Renthal Gold Hard Anodised rear sprocket

Forgot to say I have a scotoiler fitted and always clean the chain after a messy ride / dunking

When the old one was taken off you could bend it sideways into a circle !!

Well and truly foooked !!

[Nareef]

Btw I adjusted it while bike on center stand, I assume that's ok.

I would have thought that adjusting it on the centre stand would be a bad idea...

I'm sure I read on here somewhere that the best way to check was to fully compress the back suspension so the chain was at it's tightest, then make sure there is still a little slack in the chain... I'll see if I can find the post sometime.

If the chain suddenly gets a lot slacker that is usually a sign of a chain that’s "goosed" (as I was told on a trip to John O'Groats )

[Lutin]

I would have thought that adjusting it on the centre stand would be a bad idea...

I'm sure I read on here somewhere that the best way to check was to fully compress the back suspension so the chain was at it's tightest, then make sure there is still a little slack in the chain... I'll see if I can find the post sometime.

Why do people have such trouble following the recommendations that Honda lay down for chain tightness? They build the damn things after all!

To quote the Honda handbook for the XL650V Transalp -

"Place the motorcycle on its side stand......Chain slack should be 35 - 45 mm (1.4 - 1.8 in)".

Not difficult really, especially when the above information is quite clearly shown on a sticker on the swingarm.

[Windmill John]

ooh Lutin, you must be finding the hot weather too much

But I do agree with you.

Do people really want to trust their lives to an older chain!?

I have ridden into the red area, but I base that on chain mileage, my maintenance etc. If I don't know the chain's history, then I'll swap it.

Interestingly enough, my tension isn't massively different main to side stand. On Suzuki Bandits, you could have over an inch of slack on main stand, but when taken off the stand, the chain was like a guitar string! Boing

[T ALP]

And just to point out what kind of damage a broken chain can do, and Im'e sure there are other people out there who can tell a similar story ----- back in the middle seventies and about fifty miles down the A1 on my CB750 on the way to brands hatch Im'e doing about 90MPH when the engine suddenly about redlined then stopped, cruised into the side and realised my almost new rear chain had snapped, looking down at the motor Im'e saying "that sounded expensive!" then turning round I saw my cousin who was on the pillion leaping about in agony, the chain had swiped straight through the guard and smacked him straight up the left thigh!---- anyway back to what really mattered the chain had gone straight into the gearbox (nice big hole) bent mainshaft etc. etc. and EXPENSIVE !! and at that time I could not get the bits anywhere I ended up phoning honda uk in london and telling them just what I thought about their spares setup. In the end I got what I needed from Bill Smith motors in chester apparently they were pulling new bikes in bits to use for spares! and so unless you have a big fat wallet or you might like to be sued by your cousin LOOK AFTER YOUR CHAIN.

Chris