Commin back to the GS community maybe...

[Daniely]

Well, i had an accident with my new CBR. I was riding at about 80 mph down Highway 198 near visalia/fresno area. While riding (in the rain to a job interview) my master link on my DID chain sheered off, causing my chain to break. It ripped through the front sprocket cover, broke my transmission housing. It broke my rear passanger peg, broke my tail in several places. The pieces of the chain hit my buddy riding behind me, but did not damage to his bike or him (2003 600RR). As for my CBR, its dead, the transmission is shot (thanks to the cracked housing). So I'm going to be parting it out.

I havent decided exactly what type of bike I want to buy, possibly a pre 01 gs500 again (had an 01 before). I already have a huge list of mods I can do to that year, including a tail swap from a GSXR that will fit nicely (but not on the 01 plus...grrr). Anyways, im looking for a VFR400 (i know i wont find one), a GS500, and some late model GSXR's at the moment.

So yea, today could have been better, but im not pissed suprisingly, just need to take things in stride. So hopefully I wont be down for to long, but I have an excuse to get some work done on my silverado while i'm not riding.

Anyways, everyone have a good night and ride safe (so damn glad I didnt go down and that my buddy was riding staggered instead of directly behind me. He might not be here if he was directly behind me as the chain BARELY missed him as is).

BTW if anyone has the contact info for DID I would like to try and file a claim to see if they can replace my tranny for a faulty chain...

Later!

[DerekNC]

What a coincidence. I was just asking about using a masterlink on the chain and if it was considered safe. I may have to rethink everything now. Hope you get everything worked out.

Derek

[vtlion]

damn, I'll bet that was a scary experience.  My old R6 threw the front sprocket one day as I was cresting Mt. Nittany at about 55 mph.  Thank God the chain didn't snag or I might have become a permanent part of the countryside  

It just goes to show that you never know when you will need to react.  Be careful out there!

[The Buddha]

What a coincidence. I was just asking about using a masterlink on the chain and if it was considered safe. I may have to rethink everything now. Hope you get everything worked out.

Derek

The master links are safe, Yea they have come off and what not .. but the GS is relativley immune to catastrophic chain related disasters ... The front sproket is on the shaft with a clip ... it will break that clip, most other bikes have them on with a huge nut ... The gs also has thick engine cases and mostly there will be a lot of goo from the chain in the sproket cover ... and usually it never even touches the case really ... BTW ... lost the chain twice in the 47K I had it (ok 39K by me) bike and never even had it nick the cases. Both times it slithered along the road beside me. If you are so paranoid ... swith to a belt drive. In zebulon NC there is a company called scootworks. You'd need a front pulley off a marauder and a rear one off a vulcan 800. Get a 36 tooth front in 8mm pitch and 21 mm wide. Then get a belt from gates. Simple. Maybe I should do it ... but hey I am up to my eyeballs in projects.
Cool.
Srinath.

[The Buddha]

Oh and daniely ... sorry to hear that. Just get a GS. You know the rest are made out of potato chips and pretzels ...  :lol: AKA fragile ... and break if you look at it funny ...
Cool.
Srinath.

[juggernaught]

Glad your ok Daniely. It does suck that it happened but first things first.
You'll be back on the saddle soon enough.  

[scratch]

Holy Cats! Glad you're allright! Collect up all the pieces of the chain to submit to DID for metal stress failure analysis.

[Rema1000]

I'm just glad to hear you're allright.  Sometimes a bike lasts forever, and sometimes it self-descructs.

Was the masterlink on the chain when you bought the CBR (in February, was it?).  If so, it's possible that the previous owner didn't get the master link all the way on; or that it was put on pointed in the wrong direction.

So, you tried the CBR and still maybe want a GS again?  Is the GS that great?  Or do you just want the GS for around town, but the VFR for highway?

Personally, I think I'd love to have a GS500 that automatically turns into a V-Strom 650 as I go down the freeway entrance ramp .  But 90% of my riding is around town, below 50mph, so the GS is probably the better bike for the riding I do.

[pantablo]

Was the masterlink on the chain when you bought the CBR (in February, was it?).  If so, it's possible that the previous owner didn't get the master link all the way on; or that it was put on pointed in the wrong direction.

Bingo.

daniel, sorry to hear you've had a bad experience but this is surely not DID's fault; most likely master link was installed poorly by previous owner (and not a mechanic). Its always best to install rivet type chains, just like OEM...I know you didnt install it but just fyi to everyone.

How bad is it really? besides the bodywork is it a case where you could swap out the tranny or the whole motor? That might be cheapest in the long run.

back to a gs? are you serious? I couldnt go back...
you've got to do what you feel is right though.

[alexXx]

dang    glad u didnt go down man


- alex

[Daniely]

Actually me and MK1inCali installed the chain literally like 2 weeks ago. Ive ridden on it fine since then. And im not sure what img onna do bike wise. i LOVE the 600cc life i really do, but a GS is just like, well its hard to explain. Anyways, as for damage, the plastics werent on it, I was still debating doing streetfighter or not (basically my plastics are about to get painted so they were all off). Thats the other thing i didnt know too pablo, do the tranny and the main engine seperate or are they all one full thing? It basically pulled the bolt right out of the case, and took part of the case with it. It did alot of damage to my undertail/tail and rear passenger pegs as well.

I would be more than happy to submit it to DID but 1. i cant find their contact info ANYWHERE, and 2. after the master link bounced off my buddy we couldnt find it. I had a hell of a time just getting my chain out of the highway dodging traffic (frogger anyone?).

Anyways, if I can find a late model GSXR, or another F4 I would be extremely happy, but i think im gonna sell the parts off this bike to pay my loan off and nab another bike.

[gavin]

Crikey!    Glad you came out of that unscathed -- good skills.  Shame about the CBR, though.  Hope you get it going again soon -- weather's finally turning nice around here again.

-Gavin

[Daniely]

OK so i got a little over-excited. I was flustered and over exagerrated the damage, it doesnt look taht bad after getting half a day to look at it today. Yes the front sprocket cover was flat out destroyed (pieces are missing...hmmm.. lol). I nabbed another on ebay today for 10 bucks, ez fix. As for the missing piece of the tranny, im going to have someone who can tig weld (anyone wanna volunteer in cali, otherwise i gotta find a shop) and have them build up some metal and make it stiff so I can tap it for a new bolt and whalla fixed.

Now for the rear damage, yes my rear peg was broke, meaning no more trying standup wheelies, im afraid it wont hold my weight standing on it, but it will work fine for passengers. Now my undertail IS destroyed, that sucks, but it is. I can buy a new LED undertail like I planned on doing, but now i just have to do it sooner, hello credit card. As for the damage to the tail, I have a new tail and tail light in the mail to me right now that i forgot about. So assuming I can find someone to do the welding, the bike is fine.

Oh and I have to buy an O-ring chain (no more DID, I DO NOT RECOMMEND THEM FOR ANYONE, course i am byassed now, lol). Anyways, yea i over exagerrated a tad cause I was flustered and annoyed, so its really not that bad. Ill be ridin the CBR again in about 2 weeks, grr, to long, lol. Later!

[pantablo]

tsubaki chains....very good.

[Mk1inCali]

As for the install of the chain, I've done chains on all of my old dirtbikes, never had one fail in 3 years of 4 bikes, from a KX60, to a YZ125, to a YZ250, and then a YZ400F replaced with a 426, running in or near the front of their respective classes almost every weekend of the summer in Minnesota.  So...I do know how to install a chain, and like Daniely said, we had just installed it exactly 2 weeks prior.  

Of course, with the dirtbikes, you've got a lot less rotating mass, a lot more tire slip, and a lot lighter overall bike, so a master link doesn't have the same effect that it does on a 600 class bike.  Is it DID's fault?  No.  Should he submit the pieces he was able to pick up?  I'd say yes, just for another example.  Maybe the master link was faulty from the factory, but everything was correct when we installed it.

I've always run Regina chains on my bikes, and never had a problem.  Never heard of a problem with a Tsubaki either, and I really doubt DID's have an inherent problem throughout their line of chains.

I vote that Daniely get another GS.  I've never liked the F4 that he picked up from the first day I saw it, with the condition it was in from the PO.  Plus, then he could hang out here and ask questions about his GS.

[pantablo]

okay, okay, dont take it personally.... :kiss:

shaZam! happens.

[Mk1inCali]

I didn't take it personally, I did word it too strongly for what I was trying to get across, which was just that it wasn't an installation problem.

Cheers!

Finally got the new tires on my GS...so once Danny has a running/street legal bike again, you want to get a Malibu or ACH ride together Pablo?