Chain Stretch, alignment, ack.

[fred]

I'll have to check my Clymer manual. I don't remember it having any problem with master link chains...

[SNsSuzuki]

Steven:

The Haynes manual has a lot of good info to help you fix your bike, but if you take all their advice you'll always be working on your bike, or having a shop do it.  Their recommended service intervals are insanely short, and they probably don't want us using master links so we have all our chains replaced at the shop.  But my local shop uses master links too!  I'll bet there are more master link chains on bikes than not.  When it comes to certain things, Haynes is full of dung.

Thanks for the info, that helps a lot =]. I was a little weary about it seeing as so many of you gurus have used master links with no problems. 

[5thAve]

I guess it's 'cause master link clips can break (rare, but it does happen) and then it's a shaZam!-in-pants moment. Still, odds are very slim, especially in normal street riding. I agree there are many more master link/clip chains out there than endless chains. I run clips on all my chains. An easy do-it-yerself install.  But endless chain is not an easy install: most people would have a dealer do it ==> big $$.

You be the judge.

[joshr08]

i did a rk racing xoring chain with stock style master link no clip here. 

[ohgood]

Master links are not magic. They're not special, they're not scary. They're just links.

Here is what a master link looks  like on a R1 that does power up wheelies all day long. See, no magic, no special hokus pokus, no big deal. Notice the CHAIN BROKE and the master was fine.





Now then, let's try to focus on "but I like this motor oil, yours sucks" or "my bike gained 30 hp on race gas, i swear" or something similarly silly.

[ineedanap]

wow, I didn't realize so many people used clip links!

I like the rivet link and always do it that way.  It's just piece of mind for me.  My $70 motion pro rivet tool paid for itself a few motorcycles ago and keeps working.  It's easy once you figure out how. 

Figured I'd add a vote for the no clip team, since it DOES give you 30 more horsepower.   

[joshr08]

you got 30hp? dang i only got 25 with mine....i must have not done something right.

[ineedanap]

sorry, I forgot...it is 25.  It's 30 when you use synthetic chain lube. 

[SNsSuzuki]

If I'm getting a 15t front sprocket, is it necessary to get a 109 pitched chain? I punched it into the calculator on our gstwin's wiki page and that's what it spits out. I purchased a 110 pitch chain though. I was reading a lot of people still go wiht the 110 pitch with their 15/39 setup. Should be okay yah?

[ohgood]

If I'm getting a 15t front sprocket, is it necessary to get a 109 pitched chain? I punched it into the calculator on our gstwin's wiki page and that's what it spits out. I purchased a 110 pitch chain though. I was reading a lot of people still go wiht the 110 pitch with their 15/39 setup. Should be okay yah?

the pitch is .625.... what you mean is the number of links. 110 is fine. the difference in length from the front to the rear axles is divided in half because you have two sections of chain ... blah blah blah...

ya, 110 is fine

[DoD#i]

The only thing with master links (other than "assemble with care", but that applies to assembling "endless" chain as well) is to tuck a spare into your toolkit - if the rare thing happens and the master departs, you'll find the chain without too much trouble near where you stop, but the master link parts will be way back down the road somewhere, so a spare master link will get you home, and is small and light for fitting into the permanent on-bike tools/parts.

I like the DiD X-Ring chain, but then, I used to ride a shafty, so I have limited experience of chains. And I'd be delighted to put a belt on there - the belt-drive 440 LTD Kawasaski was almost my first bike. They are darn near as low-maintenance as a shaft. But that's not going to happen, most likely.

Barring weird hermaphroditic links, you are limited to 110 or 108 - 109 would be trying to join two links that don't fit together. Normally enough adjustment room to take that up with a 110.

[SNsSuzuki]

If I'm getting a 15t front sprocket, is it necessary to get a 109 pitched chain? I punched it into the calculator on our gstwin's wiki page and that's what it spits out. I purchased a 110 pitch chain though. I was reading a lot of people still go wiht the 110 pitch with their 15/39 setup. Should be okay yah?

the pitch is .625.... what you mean is the number of links. 110 is fine. the difference in length from the front to the rear axles is divided in half because you have two sections of chain ... blah blah blah...

ya, 110 is fine

Thanks a lot! I <3 this forum. Not much of the bs you find going on the other boards.

Oh yah, I guess I must have mistaken. On the wiki they do refer to it as pitches, which I thought was a little weird since they interchanged the use of the word (note the bolded lines):

http://wiki.gstwins.com/index.php?n=Upgrades.Sprocket

Inputs

Teeth On First Sprocket 16
Teeth On Second Sprocket 39
Chain Pitch In Inches 0.625
Centre Distance (inches) 25.5

Outputs
Your required chain length is 110 pitches. (i.e. 110 link chain)
Your ideal centre distance is 25.679 inches.

Calculation Result


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




Your required chain length is 109 pitches.

Your ideal centre distance is 25.513 inches.

To make further calculations, please go back to our chain length calculator form.

Maybe I'm just misunderstanding how they are using it heh.