My '07 gsxr has ~4800 miles on it, all track. The chain has a couple of "hung up" links. They aren't frozen, I can move them. I've cleaned and lubed ~500 miles, as I always have. All my chains have lasted 20k+ miles on my other bikes. Do I need to replace it before the season, or keep an eye on it? Sprockets look fine.
I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can't see from the center.
~Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.
---Leonardo Da Vinci
Well, my 929 has ~18k miles, at least a half of which I *think* are track miles, and is on the original chain. I didn't keep strict track of that...
I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can't see from the center.
~Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
4800 track miles is a lot of wear on a chain. How do the rollers feel?
What should I be looking for with the rollers?
I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can't see from the center.
~Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
They aren't going to be very tight (like new) but I usually feel for slop. (kind of like a loose tooth) If the rollers are extra loose, I'd change it. Some times you can hear it when you idle at about 10 mph too. You probably have a 520 on there also, right? That bike calls for a 530 I'd think so you aren't going to get as long out of a smaller chain. Was the 20k chain a stock sized chain?
If questionable, I'd hate to have a chain snap on me on the track, ya know?
Do sober what you said what you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut. - Ernest Hemingway
They aren't going to be very tight (like new) but I usually feel for slop. (kind of like a loose tooth) If the rollers are extra loose, I'd change it. Some times you can hear it when you idle at about 10 mph too. You probably have a 520 on there also, right? That bike calls for a 530 I'd think so you aren't going to get as long out of a smaller chain. Was the 20k chain a stock sized chain?
If questionable, I'd hate to have a chain snap on me on the track, ya know?
Yeah, I hear that. Stock size on the gix 600 is a 525, though, that's what's on there. And yeah, the 929's stock chain is a 530, so that may make a difference.
I'm guessing the stock gixxer chain is a POS. I'm just surprised it didn't last longer, but it is the first bike I've used exclusively on the track.
I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can't see from the center.
~Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
I don't see what brand it is either. It’s not a DID. I've never had good luck with RK's. Just my opinion, but those little bumps in the links wouldn't bother me. Might just need a good mineral spirits cleaning and lube? New chains can do that too.. One way to tell for sure is pop off the link, lay the chain out and measure it. You waste a link though. Personally if I have to go through that, I'd just change it at that point anyway. If it doesn't need one now, it will soon, I'm sure. I'd buy a new chain and leave it in my tool box just in case. Not sure when your first track day is, but if its Grattan I'll help you swap it.
Do sober what you said what you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut. - Ernest Hemingway
I don't see what brand it is either. Its not a DID. I've never had good luck with RK's. Just my opinion, but those little bumps in the links wouldn't bother me. Might just need a good mineral spirits cleaning and lube? New chains can do that too.. One way to tell for sure is pop off the link, lay the chain out and measure it. You waste a link though. Personally if I have to go through that, I'd just change it at that point anyway. If it doesn't need one now, it will soon, I'm sure. I'd buy a new chain and leave it in my tool box just in case. Not sure when your first track day is, but if its Grattan I'll help you swap it.
No idea what the brand is. I've heard RK's were good, I was thinking of an RK GWX 520 for a replacement...stronger tensile strength than the DID ERV2, or so I've read. Appreciate the offer to help change it, thanks! I'm hoping to do about half-a-dozen days before Grattan...so we'll see how it goes...
I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can't see from the center.
~Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can't see from the center.
~Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government.
Ok, the joke is lost on me. Anyone else have an opinion as to keep or replace?
I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can't see from the center.
~Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Ok, the joke is lost on me. Anyone else have an opinion as to keep or replace?
Aw, come on. I know you get the joke. The Whipper = bwhip. Chain = well, you know. You'll get it after your morning coffee I'm sure of it.
As for the actual chain, frozen links is the sign of the downward march for a chain. You could probably get a bit more life out of it, the call is totally yours. But best effort would be to replace the chain. And when you replce the chain you really should replace the sprockets with it.
I'd say you're still in the alright stage, could get more track life out of it and would probably go all year on the track without a failure. But if you have the dosh and want to be ahead of your maintenance curve, replace the chain and sprockets.
But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government.
Aw, come on. I know you get the joke. The Whipper = bwhip. Chain = well, you know. You'll get it after your morning coffee I'm sure of it.
As for the actual chain, frozen links is the sign of the downward march for a chain. You could probably get a bit more life out of it, the call is totally yours. But best effort would be to replace the chain. And when you replce the chain you really should replace the sprockets with it.
I'd say you're still in the alright stage, could get more track life out of it and would probably go all year on the track without a failure. But if you have the dosh and want to be ahead of your maintenance curve, replace the chain and sprockets.
Oh, I know who whipper is, and who chain is. I've had enough coffee now to get that whipper is the replacement for chain, because he also changes bikes often. Ok, now I need more coffee!!!!
Thanks for the advice about the chain! I would replace the sprockets, too, that's a given. I figure I probably should do it now, rather than trying to squeeze it in between trackdays. It'll be a job for the shop, as I want a riveted master link and lack the tools and know-how to ensure I've peened the rivet link properly.
I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can't see from the center.
~Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
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Originally Posted by seamus
I'm hoping to do about half-a-dozen days before Grattan...so we'll see how it goes...
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