I never tought it'd happen... but with only about 12500miles (20.500 kms), and waiting for the replacement already ordered, yeseterday the transmission chain snapped!
Curiously, I was doing about 30mph going downhill, with little acceleration (I was in a crowded area).. fortunately less than a mile from home!

In any case, I was really surprised. The chain was at the end of the adjustment, and a bit slack. I ordered a new chain set 2 days ago, but I thought I'd be able to run until the weekend to change it...

I reckon I was lucky.

but chains DO break!

Grats on not getting hurt.  Several other members have mentioned their chain breaking also.

Mine's about worn to the limit too, I guess I better order a new one. Where did you order yours and how much was it? roller or O-ring?

gee thats bad, on 12500 miles, i got over double that and at 3 times the speed,
lucky you got one on the way

Quote from: ducati_nolan on August 31, 2006, 11:26:19 AM
Mine's about worn to the limit too, I guess I better order a new one. Where did you order yours and how much was it? roller or O-ring?

I got mine from an ebay vendor in Italy (where I live). It's a DID chain, o-ring, and cost me 105 euro (about 130 USD).
Just arrived (the whole kit, both sprockets (16 and 39 teeth), chain spray, wear measuring stick...).
Not a bad price for what I could find in Europe.

I sure hope it last more than the stock one!

I've bought my almost annual DID o-ring chain from Chaparral since 2000 at the same $57.20 price plus $6 shipping, their part #312-1910.  It's a clip master link type chain.  Don't know their price on a continuous link chain.

12,500 is lower miles than I've ever gotten on an o-ring chain.  Must have been poorly maintained, I don't fuss too much with mine; just adjust and lube when required, never have cleaned one.  Average closer to 20k miles on 0-ring type.

http://www.chaparral-racing.com

Hey guys,

How do you check to see if a chain has life left in it? Is a naked-eye visual check reliable up to a point? Or are special instruments required? I am about to buy a GS and I am wondering how I can understand the condition of its chain.

Thanks

Measure the length of a certain number of links and compare it to the specifications for that chain.  A 520 chain should be 5/8" or .625" for each link.  Generally, you measure 10 links and compare your measurement with 6.25 inches.  To be by the book, you want to replace the chain if it's gotten longer than 6.375 inches.  Some folks go a bit (or a lot) longer than that, but it wears a lot faster at that point and starts excessively wearing the sprockets as well.

This site rocks: http://www.best-motorcycle-chain-lube.com/chain_maintenance.htm

Another method: Try to lift the chain off the rear sprocket with a screwdriver (at the center of its arc of contact). If you can lift it more than about 0.2 inches it's time to replace it.

Here are some pics of the chain replacement.  It was easier than expected, mainly because I did not have to cut the old chain  and that the new chain was open to be rivetted:


lay down the bike on its side. uncover the front sprocket and take the old chain out.


insert the new chain in place. No need to bother to put it around the back wheel. I used some metal pieces to put the open link to be rivetted (I do not have the rivetting tool)


ready to hammer!


"hand rivetted"


Observe the extreme wear of the back sprocket.
I do grease the chain with o-ring spray lube, but obviously I do it wrong. Or may be I had the chain too tense (I always measured the slack while on the center stand...

In any case, I am going to be far more strict in maintaining the chain from now on... 

Yeah, your meant to meause the chain slack on the side stand 

17k on stock sprockets
15k on stock chain, replaced because it was jurking on the sprockets any longer and it would have just messed them up.

How much gas did you lose while changing your chain?  I was just going to do it on the centerstand, but I don't know if I need to rivet it or if it has a master link. I do have a rivet gun though so that may help. I have ordered another chain off of ebay for $45 shipped I believe, so I guess that's not too bad. My sprockets seem okay so I think I'll leave them on and change them next time arround.

By the way, what type of lube do you put on the master link? Grease? is it usually supplied with the chain?
thanks 

Oh and one other way to tell that the chain is at the end of it's life, when you're at the end of the adjustment range and it's still slack, get a new chain. That's where I'm at. Just waiting for that thing to snap at 70 and rip a chunk out of my calf.
oh well

Hi, ducati_nolan...
I was on reserve  no gas leak!

the chain comes with a small little bag of special white lube for the open link. (mine is a DID chain, o-ring).

I was at the end of the chain life.. that's why I had ordered it ahead of time... the new chain arrived two days late!

Quote from: ducati_nolan on September 07, 2006, 11:57:28 PM
I do have a rivet gun though so that may help.

I 96% guarantee that a rivet gun won't work... or help.

For all you that are avoiding a riveted chain because of the price of the tool, BUY THIS TOOL:

http://cgi.ebay.com/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170027500777

My friend has it, I used it, and I'll probably buy my own.  It says "cam chain" but I used it on my DID 530 X-ring chain and it worked like butter.  It's $55.

Edit: Fixed ghastly long link

Hi all,
Sorry, but doing a chain replacement with the bike laying on its side has to be one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen. 
The easiest way to do it is with the bike on the centerstand. Then you remove the master link or break the old chain with a chainbreaker tool. Next, you take the opened link from the old chain and slip the new chain onto that link, then pull the new chain around the sprockets so it automatically feeds itself into place. Now install your new master mink and rivet it or secure it in place, depending on what kind of link you used. And be sure to ADJUST the chain slack with the bike on its SIDESTAND.
Simple.
And the hand-hammered method this fellow uses to peen the ends of the master link, I worry about damage to the chain links from the hammer blows, no matter how careful he was. I would find and use a real chain riveting tool. The damage from the hammer method can eventually cause a tight spot or a weak spot in the chain.
I use Tsubaki chains with their high strength press-fit master links and have never had a problem. I highly recommend them. Our GS500's don't produce enough torque and power to require an endless chain.
Good luck,
Todd

Although somewhat crude, peening of the pins on a rivet type master is an acceptable practice.
Actually, that sort of job is exactly what a ball peen hammer was designed for. It must be done with care to insure no damge to the chain.

I agree that a rivet type master link is not really necessary. (all chains are endless, and the only difference is the master link type)
A clip type master is fine to use. Care must be taken to mount it with the forks pointing opposite the direction of travel.

Also, remove the clip by sliding it stright off the pin indents and never try to pry it off. Prying a master clip can cause it to not be true flat, and can contribute to it coming off during the ride. Always check them on a flat surface before re-use.

Although it may seem rediculous, the position the rider has his bike in allows him to peen the riveted master link comfortably. Had he a staking tool, he may have been better off with the bike on the center stand, but apprently he did the job with what he had.

Thanks for sharing your experience, jsamaniego.

Thanks for your kind words, Jaybird...
I do not get offended.. it does sound ridiculous to lay down the bike to close the chain, but indeed I do not have other tools (what I found in Italy cost 130 euros!), so after commenting the problem with some local old-fashioned mechanics, I decided to follow their advise.
I checked the chain for tight spots on the rivetted link, but it shows no difference with the others. I was worried about doing a wrong job, but it went just fine.
If it breaks, I'll post it! If I share my experience is to help other with similar problems...

The only way I could manage a horizontal flat surface without stressing the chain links was as shown.
If I had the tool indicated by Chuck  , I'd done differently...

I am not making any comments .........other than who needs chain tools?. With a bit more time and effort the swingarm could have been removed and an endless chain fitted, no need to worry about poorly riveted links then.

Even as a tool fan, if you didn't hammer the link at all I'd say it will work just fine.  Whatever gets that rivet peened should do... umm.... smashingly.