Chain Life

[buckstone]

Half way to Assen last week, I noticed the chain needed adjusting (it was about 2/3 along the adjusters). By the time I got back to Hull on Monday morning, it was past the last mark and dragging on the ground. Well, not quite, but you get the picture ........

Questions are -

do chains normally go 'off' so quickly ? It's been well maintained / lubed and seemed ok before.

how long do they last ? Is 9500 miles good or bad for an SV ?

I didn't fancy risking it back up the road - it was jumping sprockets and making a hell of a noise, so I took it to Appleyards in Leeds (used to live there so know them quite well) and they did it on the spot. They suggested a 530 instead of the standard 525 which should be a bit hader wearing. Anyone put a heavier chain on ?

i have found that once the chain starts going it is near the end of its life. my first chain only lasted 4000 miles the second lasted about 6000 and snapped I got a heavier chain with gold bits and it has lasted about 15000 but is going now.

the harder you ride, especially accelerate is supposed to increase strain on chain

I suppose it depends on the way you ride depends on the life off the chain. I am second chain since i got my bike and it seems fine.

If i remember my materials class from uni the reason for the chain becoming stretched very quickly and "all of a sudden" is because the metal within the chain has reached the point where the metal has lost most of its strength in torsion and the metallic bonds within the metal have become elastic.

Hence the chain nearing the ends of its life stretchs faster when its older.

I'm at 7,000 miles, only had to adjust mine twice, and I don't exactly conservativly, or even maintain my chain nearly as well as I should. But I am aware from past experience with my MZ that when a chain starts to wear, it wears quicker and quicker as duckman says. oh and changing the spokes with the chain can do wonders sometimes. Yeah it costs more, but really costs less when you've went through 3 chains instead of just the one.

Agree with OYB if you change your chain change the sprockets. I got about 12000 out of my OEM chain

Originally Posted by kitkat

I got a heavier chain with gold bits

That's the bling round your neck that is

Originally Posted by stuartyboy

That's the bling round your neck that is

oh im just so bling i am

Still on the OEM chain at nearly 9.5k, but it does need adjusting again. Only been adjusted at services, 600, 4000 and 7500. I do accelerate hard and I'm 15 1/2 stone so it hasn't had an easy life either. I'm pretty good at remembering the chain lube though.