GStwin.com GS500 Message Forum

Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: dadsafrantic on June 16, 2009, 04:56:34 AM

Title: is it time for a new chain?
Post by: dadsafrantic on June 16, 2009, 04:56:34 AM
hey all,

my chain has about 16k on it.  it was used in all weather conditions.  it has been maintained maybe not as well as i could have been, although it was lubed every 1500 miles or so.  it has some serious kinks and makes some noise when those kinks go past the front sprocket.  when the kinks are at the front sprocket there is no slack, when the kinks are not there is a ton of slack.  maybe time for a new chain?  i do not want to get stuck somewhere in the middle of my 80 miles a day commute.

d
Title: Re: is it time for a new chain?
Post by: gsJack on June 16, 2009, 05:56:59 AM
I don't do kinky.   :icon_lol:   My chains get hard use riding year around here in NE Ohio and only average care at best so I just replace them when kinky.  Been a long time since I really wore a chain out, back when my Hondas had standard non o-ring chains.  Bike is much smoother all around with new chain.  I know others do get much more chain life, I average around 16k miles on chains:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/GS500_brakes_chains.jpg
Title: Re: is it time for a new chain?
Post by: DoD#i on June 16, 2009, 06:35:30 AM
Swap chain. Kinky & noisy is bad.

Buy a front sprocket while you are at it, IMHO. Cheep, helps new chain live longer.

Rear rarely needs replacing that early.
Title: Re: is it time for a new chain?
Post by: TurkeyChicken on June 16, 2009, 07:48:19 AM
Mine was doing this earlier.  I went to bikebandit.com and bought a new chain, front and rear sprocket for under $110 after shipping.  The stock info is:
16 tooth front sprocket
39 tooth rear sprocket
110/520 chain

I took it to a local shop to put the chain on.  Cost about 110 there for labor... so about $220 for the entire thing.  The shop guys said the chain was in super bad shape... there were broken o-rings all over the place.
Title: Re: is it time for a new chain?
Post by: dadsafrantic on June 16, 2009, 04:26:28 PM
will replace soon i think.  i will ride the wife's mp3 until replaced.

d
Title: Re: is it time for a new chain?
Post by: bill14224 on June 16, 2009, 04:49:45 PM
TurkeyChicken, you should have gone straight to the shop.  I got a new O-ring chain and 17-tooth sprocket supplied and installed by the shop for $120.  That's why I didn't do the job myself.  With $85 in parts, it wasn't worth the hassle.

By the way dadsafanatic, you can keep your chain a little while longer if you want it to break, and either put a hole in your engine or wrap itself around your rear wheel and make you crash!
Title: Re: is it time for a new chain?
Post by: ineedanap on June 16, 2009, 04:55:42 PM
Quote from: TurkeyChicken on June 16, 2009, 07:48:19 AM
Cost about 110 there for labor...


Holy (insert expletive here)
Title: Re: is it time for a new chain?
Post by: qwertydude on June 16, 2009, 05:25:58 PM
Maybe time for a clip type chain so it's easy to diy.