Chain tightness
Sat, 25/10/2008 - 17:37
I've only been biking a year and I've just got a Ninja 250, which is great. But I'm not sure when I adjust the chain if it should be with someone on it or the bike on hte stand or what?
Fri, 06/02/2009 - 23:58
#2
First of all don't forget to
First of all don't forget to check for sprocket slippage. Find the tightest point. Stick two pieces of sticky paper, one to the chain and the other to the sprocket, at the furthest point from the drive sprocket. Rotate the chain one revolution and test for tightness. If it's tight, then fine adjust the chain. Otherwise slacken off the sprocket nuts, spin the wheel a few times and tighten back up and retest.
Fri, 24/04/2009 - 14:17
#3
And don't forget to clean and
And don't forget to clean and lube it regularly. I did that on my GSX1400 and only had to adjust the chain twice in 6 years!
Fri, 24/04/2009 - 15:31
#4
Invest in a Scottoiler too.
Invest in a Scottoiler too.
Fri, 24/04/2009 - 18:03
#5
Could do - I found them messy
Could do - I found them messy and got the same results by just cleaning with WD40 and then Waxing. Just don't like the look of the scott oilers when attached to the bike.
Fri, 24/04/2009 - 20:08
#6
Sorry but you absolutely do
Sorry but you absolutely do not get the same result with WD40 and waxing. If that were the case then there would be no need or indeed market for them and as a single accessory they have a 10% usage on bikes in the total British market. If it was messy then it was because the flow rate was set too high. A properly set up and adjusted Scottoiler will have the oil only on the chain and no where else.
.
Sun, 26/04/2009 - 07:43
#7
We'll just have to fail to
We'll just have to fail to disagree then. None of my mates who ride bike pretty much all year round use them. Some have tried and just think that it much batter to keep an eye on the chain yourself and wax. I did fit a scottoiler to one bike and just wasn't impressed. And at a 10% figment rate it not that big a market penetration. As I say for the last 10 years I've been running bikes using wd40 and wax and had to adjust the chains very little - meaning that yes I was getting the same results!
You say Tomato .........
Mon, 27/04/2009 - 06:20
#8
Well technically it is beyond
Well technically it is beyond argument that the results are not the same but fair enough each to his own.
However can you name any other single accessory from any one manufacturer that finds it way on to 10% of bikes on the market? Think about it.
Tue, 28/04/2009 - 20:20
#9
K+N
K+N
Wed, 29/04/2009 - 22:53
#10
.
.
Sun, 03/05/2009 - 08:34
#11
and at a 10% market
and at a 10% market penetration that means 90% of rider agree that tie wrapping a set of plastic pipes to your bike looks god awful!
Sun, 03/05/2009 - 18:25
#12
ok whatever.
ok whatever.
Mon, 04/05/2009 - 01:42
#13
This entertaining argument is
This entertaining argument is running out of steam so I'll introduce a better idea: belt drive. I've hardly so much as looked at mine in two and a half years.
Mon, 04/05/2009 - 06:53
#14
Well said - it needed
Well said - it needed knocking on the head and you were just the man to do it for us!!
.
Belt drive is rather hard however to retrofit but in the lubrication stakes it does indeed top it all.
Mon, 04/05/2009 - 14:25
#15
Got to admit that's what I've
Got to admit that's what I've got now as well - just given the last cans for chain lube away!
Fri, 12/06/2009 - 12:04
#16
never mind all those belts
never mind all those belts and chains, it's a shaft you need
Fri, 12/06/2009 - 20:05
#17
Now look here old
Now look here old chap......oh sorry, you mean I need shaft DRIVE!
Well, I've had bikes with chain, shaft and belt drives and I am now firmly convinced that all road-based machines should have belts, on the grounds of quietness, lightness, efficiency and an almost total lack of maintenance requirements (far less than shaft drive even).
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The main thing is to be sure the chain doesn't go completely taut anywhere in the suspension travel. Adjust it with the bike on the stand, so there's about 2cm up and down movement in the centre, then rotate the wheel (by rolling the bike along as there's no centre stand on the Ninja) and check it doesn't get tighter at any point. If it does, readjust it at the tightest spot for that 2cm play again. Then get someone to sit on the bike with the chain in the same place and see if it gets too tight as the suspension compresses. If it does, loosen it off. A chain which gets taut at some point in the suspension travel will damage the rear wheel and gearbox bearings.
Kevin