In the market for new chain and sprockets

[BrowningBAR]

You don't know anything about chains! I am a chain engineer! You are wrong. Your chain didn't last 20,000 miles. I know everything about chains. I have a big house that I paid too much money for and I have an office that shows how important I am! I do other stuff too and I will argue about everything that I am wrong about!



Here is my proof that I know stuff:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/motorcycle2.htm



http://motorcycles.about.com/cs/main...olubachain.htm



http://nostalgia.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycle

[bbtowns]

I would bother with a top of the line chain, but if you look around you can find it for less than $200 online, or at least you should be. I usually find a X ring chain for around $120 bucks or so if I keep my eyes peeled.

Depending on the bike, 20K miles is pretty reasonable for a chain. I tend to get about 16K, but it all depends how's it's used, how it's lubed, and how much power it has to transmit. I suppose chain life is also related to how often you're willing to adjust the slack. Once it has to be adjusted every 500 miles I'm replacing mine.

[mscuddy]

I use to buy the chepaest chain I can find (non o ring, RK or similar) and keep it cleaned & oiled.



Also, I use to "boil the chain" in old crancase drippings from my wife's slick-50'd Isuzu every third cleaning.



Never had any chain problems on ANY of my bikes. Had some high-horsepower dirty & street bikes too.



Cheap+Clean+Lubed=long life.

[sarnali2]

I'd get a decent Tsubaki, D.I.D. or Regina O ring chain. You don't need top shelf, just get one rated for your bike, probably 10,000 lbs or something. The best prices I found in the past have been Motorcycle Acessorie Warehouse for the chain and Sprocket Specialists for the sprockets. If you go with steel you should be able to find both sprockets and the chain for $200. Plus they have a pretty good size range so you can gear up or down if you wish.



Just adjust it at the loose end of the range and keep it clean and you shouldn't have to adjust it more than once or twice.

[mscuddy]

O ring, schmoe ring. Who needs 'em? You can't clean an o-ring chain with pre-mix (gas) . Or boil it in oil. Mmmm, smell that boiling oil.



Doesn't anyone boil the chain in 'earl anymore? Call me a dinosaur...

[johnnyb]

alright you're a dinosaur.



no, nobody does that. I figgered out on my kid's RM85 (and previous YZ85), that the stock cheapy chain that comes on there lasts a good long time if i use the stuff from the bicycle store; Krylon i think it's called. Little green bottle. Sets up a delicious dry, slick film that dirt does not stick to. Good stuff. Don't know how it would work on more powerful bigger bike? But I never have to clean his chain, just hose off the dirt...

[seruzawa]

Is the adjuster all the way to the end? Maybe there's another 10,000 miles left in that chain!

[The_AirHawk]

I just wait 'til my sprockets are worn-down enough to fit, then steal #50 drivechain from work.........

[mscuddy]

Maybe try the candy apple red next time. Make the chain look like it's been soaked in blood.



That or primer gray...

[Kenneth_Moore]

You'd change the sprockets and chain to pulleys and a belt. If they can handle the pavement pounding power of the BIG TWINS, your puny machine should go 1,000,000 miles with one belt.