Thread: How do you guys secure your street bike chains?

The chain tool is pretty handy and will lessen the chances of pushing the pin out too much.

Originally Posted by CBRVFR

Have to get a new chain and sprockets for the VFR. Is a master clip-link OK for a street bike chain, or do you buy that little link smasher thing, or do you try to mushroom it with a hammer and punch?

The clip is fine for a street bike. If you go w/ the rivet style Master link, get the chain tool.

It might depend on how much of your Schwantz school skillz you plan to use on the street, yo.

I use the smasher thing and it seems to work very well.

I would not even consider using a punch rather than the tool. With the tool you can get the correct amount of crush (yes I measured on mine) Clip may be OK but given the long life of a street chain I would go rivet.

Originally Posted by CBRVFR

Have to get a new chain and sprockets for the VFR. Is a master clip-link OK for a street bike chain, or do you buy that little link smasher thing, or do you try to mushroom it with a hammer and punch?

Some chains come with both types of links. If you use the clip type, you can either safety wire it or use some silicone on it.

Art, is there functionally any difference?

Originally Posted by CBRVFR

Art, is there functionally any difference?

Dave,
they acomplish the same thing, but work differently. The advantage to having the master clip is that you can take the chain off to clean it. Or If you run different gearing from track to track or track to street, you can swap out chains if you run differnt gearing. With a pressed master link you don't have that option. I've heard stories about clip type masters falling off. I've been riding for 35 years and have never had one fail. For the record, given the option I would run the pressed master. I have a clip type on my RS and a pressed master on my SV. P.m. me if you want some pricing

Originally Posted by superhawk

I've heard stories about clip type masters falling off. I've been riding for 35 years and have never had one fail.

It happened to me. I was using one out of desperation and luckily I noticed it between races and replaced w/ a rivet.

I bought a cheap rivet tool from ebay, and replaced it after it broke with an RK chain rivet tool. You get what you pay for.

I use mostly rivet type master links now that I have the tool, but I rode for years without problems using the clip type master links. The only issue I ever had was one trackday with the RC30 I happened to glance at the chain while checking tire pressures and noticed that the clip was gone. I put a bit of safety wire around the posts and replaced it once I got home. I have no idea how long I had ridden the bike with the clip missing. With better quality chains, you usually have to press the outer half of the link on anyway.

I swear by rivets unless I'm going to be miles away from a chain tool, crossing a riverbed or something and really need the clip style.

I got a DID-KM500 about 5 years ago that works awesomely for the task with no guesswork (punching or mushrooming). The MP tool looked decent but would have cost a bit more with the 4 stake pushdown head I'd have had to buy separately

Why would a chain tool be crossing a riverbed?

Rivet type for me and I have the Motion Pro chain tool. Works great!

Originally Posted by bda116

Why would a chain tool be crossing a riverbed?

who knows, but thats why I say it's good to have a clip style link then - in case you have a misbehaving chain tool.

Originally Posted by bda116

Why would a chain tool be crossing a riverbed?

To get to the other side.

Originally Posted by MadMax

I've been using the Motion Pro stuff. Awesome customer service. I've broken a press pin driving out the pin on a 530 chain and they sent me 2 new ones in replacement(one as a back up) at no cost.

Here is a link to the kit:
Motion Pro Tools - Chain Breaker And Riveting Tool

It works great.

I like to measure the expansion too. Not much is needed since there isn't much lateral load on the link.

I have that same tool. but I actually read the instructions and ground off the pin heads on my old (530) chain before pressing it out with the tool. the breaker tool is not recommended for breaking chains I think bigger than a 520.

I'm just going to cut the old one off with a dremel or an angle grinder.. Nothing to salvage there.

Originally Posted by CBRVFR

I'm just going to cut the old one off with a dremel or an angle grinder.. Nothing to salvage there.

that way works too but I wanted try out the new tool so I just ground the heads off.

Belt sander!

When your only tool is a hammer, the whole world looks like a nail.
When your only tool is a belt sander, the whole world looks like a swingarm..

Resurrecting this. Time to invest in a tool. It looks like the three choices are the Motion Pro, RK, or D.I.D. tools. Is there anything new out there that I'm missing? Any new experiences that would make me lean one way or another. With the Motion Pro it looks like I get breaker and rivet tool all in one. Do the RK and DID tools also have dual function?

I have the motion pro and it works fine. No issues at all with it and I've had it for years. I don't think the directions even recommend breaking a chain without die grinding or Dremeling the link so just bear that in mind.