Fitted larger sprocket, chain too tight.

[mase_tw]

Hi,

Just gone up 2 tooth on the rear sprocket on my R6 from standard and was told by many people that i wouldnt need a new chain by only going up 2 on the rear.

Well to cut a long story short i got it all fitted yesterday and went to put the rear wheel back on this morning and the chain is very tight!

Ive gone all the way in on the wheel adjustment so i was thinking is there anything i could do other than buying a whole new chain....?

Cheers

Mason

[mase_tw]

Isit possible to add a few links as the chain isnt that old and in good condition?

[NTECUK]

Well one down on the front might have been a better plan.
So unless you put extra soft links in it your stuffed

[mase_tw]

So you reckon 1 down on the front will help?

[NTECUK]

For acceleration and better town ridding yes
I did one down on the RSV R I didn't notice the loss in top speed on the road.
Triumph lowed the gearing from the old modle to the new 2013 Daytona.
Its a piety common mod

[mase_tw]

You reckon i could run stock chain length with -1 front +2 rear? As i dont fancy replacing a nearly new chain soo early lol

[mase_tw]

Also ive heard a friend of mine added 2 links to his chain when he went up 2 on the rear

[wideguy]

Yes. You could likely use stock length chain with -1 +2, or you could add another master link to your current +2 rear setup.
For street use, I like to make top gear useable. Except for track riding, gearing is mostly personal preference, and the factories usually get it pretty close for most people.

[mase_tw]

How easy is it to add a master link to my R6 chain?

This is a track bike so no road riding .....

[Red Herring]

On most bikes (not sure of the exact sprocket sizes on an R6) going down one tooth on the front is about the same as going up three on the back. Most people change the front sprocket because it means your chain is in effect only one link longer/shorter, which can usually be accommodated on the adjusters. Adding two to the rear, as you have found out, usually means lengthening the chain, and you will need to add two links (unless you can get a half link) which will put your adjusters back where you were before. If you take one off the front to make your current chain reach, and keep the two you have added to the rear, you will end up with quite low gearing.

[wideguy]

How easy is it to add a master link to my R6 chain?

This is a track bike so no road riding .....
Doesn't really matter where you ride, you don't want your chain coming apart!
The difficulty of adding a master link depends on your skill level and the tools you have available. You'll need to grind off the heads of two rivets and drive those rivets out of the chain, then assemble a master link in place and upset the new master link rivets. There are tools made for both assembling the master link and upsetting the rivets. It can be done without any special tools, but can be difficult without them, and, you need to have rather a lot of experience with rivets to do them properly without special tools.

[NTECUK]

In adition to lengthen the chain its not.just one master link but two and a normal link.
So your introducing two weak points.
One down on front is easy and less likely to break.

[mase_tw]

So you all reckon put the 45T back on the rear and just drop the front sprocket will ease my problem ? then if i was to fit the bigger rear sprocket in the future just lengthen the chain or get a new longer chain?

[NTECUK]

1 . what are you trying to achieve .?
Think if your racing its worth putting the effort in to get a new chain and sockets.
If its just track day fun is it worth the hassle and cost .
Id go easy life . can you top 150 on the track your on ....

[mase_tw]

Not racing mate just track day fun but needed a bit more acceleration as that's where im losing out ( well thats how i feel anyway)

So yea i will problerly go for the 1 down on front 2 up on rear or maybe go back to standard on the rear depending on the chain length

[NTECUK]

If its bogging down have you got the map matching the exhust and filter .

[mase_tw]

No so much bogging just not pulling as nice as i would like it but yes a Remap is the next thing on the list along with a de-cat pipe but money is an issue at the min as ive just booked a holiday ! lol

Can get a decat and remap for £200 all in which isnt bad

[NTECUK]

Then I'm sure -1 be better bang per buck
Another good value mod is setting the suspension up.about £45 .

[mase_tw]

Yeah looking to do that soon just track day season is kinda over now unless i go abroad which is very cost effective lol

[JulesW]

Go -1 at the front and keep the rear stardard (or go +1 at the rear). Going -1, +2 might be going a bit too far.

Do you do track days at amy different circuits or just one? If it's the latter you should be able to get it set up perfectly in a pit garage on the day.

[wideguy]

In adition to lengthen the chain its not.just one master link but two and a normal link.
So your introducing two weak points.
One down on front is easy and less likely to break.
A properly installed master link is exactly equivalent to every other link of the chain,

[wideguy]

Not racing mate just track day fun but needed a bit more acceleration as that's where im losing out ( well thats how i feel anyway)

So yea i will problerly go for the 1 down on front 2 up on rear or maybe go back to standard on the rear depending on the chain length
From my experience, most lack of acceleration complaints really come from applying the throttle too late. Experienced racers (and track riders) are applying throttle very, very early, and enough to get the back tire just about squirming- or more.
Early on, I raced my '81 CB900F and had CB350 Honda's seemingly out accelerate me. It took me some time on track to get so they couldn't, and not much later, I was slaughtering them coming off corners.
Good track gearing is about shift points more than anything else, though not running out of rpm's in high gear on a long straight is important too.

[NTECUK]

Yes but mr R6 needs a longer chain .
So if you want to add a link to the exsisting chain how can this be done with one soft link ?

[wideguy]

I don't know what a soft link is, but I don't think anybody would sell you one because of liability issues. LOL
You're right though, you can't just add another master link. I wasn't thinking clearly, possibly because I've never needed to lengthen a chain.
There are chain suppliers, at least in the U.S., that will sell you chain in any length you want, even if it's just one link, or two.

[NTECUK]

http://www.mandp.co.uk/productinfo/544716/Chains-and-Sprockets/Chain-and-sprocket-other/DID

[NTECUK]

The link is made of softer material to make riveting the easy.(its not easy tbh) .

[Red Herring]

It's only the end of each pin that is softer so you can spread them.

[NTECUK]

Yep Its just the heads squashed out
http://www.webbikeworld.com/t2/motorcycle-chain-sprocket/master-link.jpg
. if the rest was as soft I doubt it would last long .
In a good kit there is a bit in a chain split kit just for the job.
But in the old days we called a master link a soft link.
They are better than split links .

Any way . the thing we should be seriously helping with is corner exit speed .
I'm guessing its more throttle control more than gearing .

[wideguy]

Yep Its just the heads squashed out
http://www.webbikeworld.com/t2/motorcycle-chain-sprocket/master-link.jpg
. if the rest was as soft I doubt it would last long .
In a good kit there is a bit in a chain split kit just for the job.
But in the old days we called a master link a soft link.
They are better than split links .

Any way . the thing we should be seriously helping with is corner exit speed .
I'm guessing its more throttle control more than gearing .
Softlink. Another language issue! I forget you speak English and I speak American, or whatever it is we speak in the U.S.
It isn't easy getting good drives off corners, takes some learning and is a good thing to approach gradually on the track. Highsides lurk in this area!

[mase_tw]

Well ive gone for -1 on the front and +2 on the rear but im yet to fit the front sprocket so i dont know how well the chain will fit hopefully should be fine as the chain is pretty new!

[yorkie_chris]

Just make sure it isn't too tight. Lack of slack snaps way more chains than soft links :-P