Chain Tightening

[bruce297]

So I just bought my bike last spring and my chain is in need of tightening.  The previous owner took off the center stand. How do i tighten my chain without being able to put it up on a center stand.  I'm also not quite sure how to tighten my chain, Is there any threads that will walk me thought it.

[LPC2104]

Is there any threads that will walk me thought it.

I'd check.

[Cal Price]

If you look in the owners manual the first sentence about chain adjustment is.....
"Place the motorcycle on the side stand" My first instinct was to go for the centrestand but when the wheel is raised there is no fulcrum for resistance and it waggles about all over the place once you start adjusting, strange as it may seem it works on the sidestand. The main thing to remember is not to overdo things, start with a quarter or even eigth of a turn first and balance it with the other side, take it very easy. I once made a devil of a job by getting too enthusiastic.

I just checked the manual for my bandit and it say exactly the same, sidestand.

[simon79]

+1 on everything Cal Price said.

Too bad a PO took the centerstand off, it would be very useful for many maintenance tasks, from oil level check to cleaning, to valve check etc.
Anyway, you can live without it.
Back to topic, yes, chain tension must be adjusted with bike on sidestand, as Cal said. The centerstand opportunity would be a plus 'cause it'd allow you to look for tight spots along your chain, I mean: bike on stand, gear in N, engine off, rotate wheel by hand and check for the tightest spot. When found, bike down on sidestand and proceed to checking and adjusting if required.

When inspecting, adjusting, cleaning, lubricating your chain, above all:
leave the damn engine off.
You don't want any finger of yours be mercilessly maimed by a running machine, do you?
Enjoy your ride!!

PS: there's plenty of topics about this maintenance task. Just enter "chain adjust", and you're set.

[mp183]

You do the adjustment on the side stand.
Center stand makes it easier to find the tight spot.
If you have a center stand:
Put on center stand and rotate wheel while checking for the tightest spot.
Once you find the tight spot drop the bike to the side stand and adjust accordingly.

If you don't have a center stand just check and roll a few inches, check and roll etc.
until you find the tightest spot and adjust accordingly.

[ben2go]

Here's the link.Step by step.You don't need the center stand.Just roll and check.Repeat untill you find the tight spot,as mentioned earlier.

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=24039.msg246158#msg246158