So last weekend I put 1200 miles on my '94 GS500ER - bringing the total up to 16,600ish. During those 1200 miles the chain stretched a significant amount - i.e. it was rubbing on the centerstand. I already had an appointment for a tune-up at the dealership, so I just had them adjust the chain. They tightened it up - so now it's loose in some sections, and tight in others and makes horrible noises.

I plan on replacing the chain and front sprocket and have those parts on order from chaparral. (Since the chain, new sprocket, and chain press from chaparral cost less than the chain from the dealer). But those parts won't arrive until next week.

I'm supposed to ride down to Roanoke this weekend (approx 250m each way i think). Am I going to be able to make it down and back ok? How can I tell if the chain will handle it? And if the chain does go - how bad of a spot will I be in? I know a couple dealers down there have the chain i need in stock so if neccesary I could replace it - but will the chain going chew up anything in the engine?

I knew a guy who wipedout his motor because of a bad chain.  It was an R6 so I don't know if it could happen to the GS motor or not But it could break and coil around the drive gearand cause gamage.

It's not the engine damage I'd be worried about. I'd worry more about it wrapping up to put you in a skid, and send you to the pavement. Or maybe it'll come apart and slingshot through the windshield behind you.

Seriously though, chances are you'll make it back from your trip with a sagging chain, ground centerstand, and seriously chewed up sprockets. But really bad things can happen when you push moving parts beyond their limits.

OK a GS is very very unlikely to damage the motor if the chain bunches up in the front sproket area... all the light and thin crap in there like clutch push rod, the rear sproket cover bolt, alternator wires etc will get creamed possibly.... the reason it wont kill the motor is... the front sproket is held on by a circlip... which simply will pop off and the sproket will fly loose and not have the chain punched into the case... Now It also might wrap itself around the back tire and make you lock it up... but the 2 times my chain came off... it simply slithered along the ground harmlessly and did no damage in my bike.
Cool.
Srinath.

Quote from: Scott_DCnow it's loose in some sections, and tight in others and makes horrible noises.

You mean that there is not enough chain tension at times, and at other times, there is too much?  If so, then perhaps the chain wore alot in some sections (maybe due to good lube in some places, no lube in others?).   Riding with too much chain tension is hard on the engine where it connects to the front sprocket.

If you can back-off the tension, so that it is between 20mm and 30mm at all points in the chain, then I'd do that.

Quote from: seshadri_srinathOK a GS is very very unlikely to damage the motor if the chain bunches up in the front sproket area... all the light and thin crap in there like clutch push rod, the rear sproket cover bolt, alternator wires etc will get creamed possibly.... the reason it wont kill the motor is... the front sproket is held on by a circlip... which simply will pop off and the sproket will fly loose and not have the chain punched into the case... Now It also might wrap itself around the back tire and make you lock it up... but the 2 times my chain came off... it simply slithered along the ground harmlessly and did no damage in my bike.
Cool.
Srinath.

Same thing happen when my chain broke, it just slither off. But I had a friend who is more unlucky when his broke. The chain got tangled in his rear sproket and a section of the chain hit his leg. ouch!!!  I recommend you get it changed before you hit the road.

If it's a money issue go to a farming store and buy a  520 tractor chain ffor $10 it's safer than something that may break at any time.  I don;t highly recommend it, but I do have a 1974 tc185 that has been run for 1.5 yrs on a $10 chain.  If it's not a $$ issue, just get a new chain.

Hmm - buy a chain at a farming store? I'd do it - but there aren't too many farming stores near DC. I think I'm going to sit out the trip to Roanoke. I know my luck, and it says the chain will go when i'm in the middle of nowhere, and will wreck something expensive/hard to fix when it goes.

My new chain & front sprocket get here sometime next week. I'll tryto be like Kerry and take pictures of the whole chain & sprocket changing process.

Quote from: SPARKPLUG1977I do have a 1974 tc185 that has been run for 1.5 yrs on a $10 chain.  If it's not a $$ issue, just get a new chain.

Interesting; according to Chaparral's "wear life index" (see http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10051), a non-O-ring chain should last about 1/23 as long as an o-ring chain, or a bit less than 1k miles.  Something tells me that those O-ring and X-ring claims are exaggerated.

BTW, one thing you need to take into account when deciding how much to spend on a chain, is sprocket life:  on a stock chain, the pressure against the sprocket is distributed among many teeth on the sprocket.   As the chain length increased, the pressure becomes concentrated on just one tooth of each sprocket, wearing down the faces of the sprocket teeth.  So keeping the chain from wearing results in getting more life from the sprockets.  If you add the cost of the rear sprocket to the cost of the chain, then the difference in price between one chain and another becomes less significant.  

Of course, if you don't let the chain get too far gone, you may get by with just replacing the front sprocket (like GSJack), which is much cheaper.  It would be interesting to fit a 520 standard chain to a GS with a Scottoiler, and see how far you can get without wearing the rear sprocket.  That may be the cheapest in the long run.

I fitted a Scottoiler to my then one year old bike last June, I have a note of the mileage in my records. I will let you know, hopefully a long way into the future.

I'm too lazy to install an automatic oiler.  I just throw it onto the stand and squirt the chain with a little chainwax.  That reminds me, It's about time to lube the 'ol chain again...