I'm probably going to have to replace my chain as a I have a 16 inches tight spot (less than 10mm) while the rest is 20-30mm.

Would an improper rear wheel alignment cause the chain to wear faster?

Does anyone know the standard life of a GS500 chain?  I lube it all the time, as per the manual.

I lube my chain after every tank up or at most every second tank. Screw the manual, it's just a guide. Lube baby, yeah. (And remember to clean as well)

Oh, chain wear... people report all kinds of distances. Some only 15,000 miles, others 25,000 miles and more. How much distance is on your chain, do you have stock sprockets?

Michael

I'm at around the 12,000 mile mark (19,000 kms).   Someone recommend I have mechanic take a look at it.   I have had some rust build-up in the past, otherwise I've always cleaned with kerosene and a toothbrush and lubed afterwards.

I've read a few articles that suggested that improper torque or alignment on the rear wheel can contribute to wear and tear on the chain.

I'm on the original chain from 1993. Improper tension/alignment is probably the #1 killer of chains. Storage would be second, IMO. I generally clean and lube the chain once a month or so.

I lube my chain when I see shiney rollers.  The chain lube is for the sprockets when you have an o-ring chain.  Can go hundreds of miles in good weather and there's lube left on the chain rollers but a 20 minute ride in the rain washes it all off.  Chain life can vary greatly depending on riding conditions, riding thru the winter salt water with a worn chain will give you a very kinky chain come spring.  If your chain has a big variance in free play as you turn it around it's probably due to kinky links, take a good look at your chain sighting down the chain runs and you'll probably see the kinks.  Needs new chain, soaking it with WD-40 will free it up a bit but that's a temporary fix at best.

My chain replacement record for 160k GS500 miles, just turned 85k miles on the 02 GS today:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/GSbrakeschains.jpg

Tight spots and loose spots indicate time to get a new chain. The metal doesn't actually 'stretch', but the pins wear in the rollers over time.

A non-o-ring chain is about $20, easy to change, and easily lasts a year. A new chain will really smooth out the ride.  Once a kink develops, theres nothing you can do.

I'd only buy an o-ring chain, and you 'should' always replace the chain and both sprockets together, as one worn item will wear out the good ones. OTOH, the front sprocket always wears faster than the rear, so I've been known to replace the front sprocket and chain and use the old rear, but only do this if you replace the chain early, ie. when its just starting to show signs of wear such as you describe, not when its totally "screwed". And only after checking the rear sprocket has minimal wear, which is a bit of a judgement call. It should not have any lack of symmetry in the profile of the teeth, and no visible thinning of the teeth. If you're not a total cheapskate like me, just replace all three!