Chain! My @$$! RRRRR!

[buzzbomb]

I have been very active on this forum about the needs and ways concerning chain cleaning and lubing.

I have been very vocal about cleaning a chain, as the manual recommended with kerosene and I used a Grunge Brush.

I've been just as vocal concerning lubing. I've kicked ass and taken names. These haven't just been words. I've done it.

I ride in all weather. I've said that a lot. I clean my frickin' chain. I lube my frickin' chain. Just like I've said should be done, right out of the FRACKIN manual.

The sticky links on my chain are getting near stuck. I've got just over 16k miles on it. The chain isn't even stretched. I'ts at the halfway point on the indicators.

Yet here I am. My rear sprocket is showing signs of wear. My chain is sticky to the point of dangerous.

Seriously, in all my years of riding, I've never encountered a chain this troublesome.

I have no complaints concerning my Tora Tanshi. She has done me well, and I try to do the same by her.

But WTF is up with the chain!!!!????

16k miles? Is that all it's got?

I put her up on the stand today, and loosend the axle bolt and ran the tire forward. I used some spray and wrenches and tried to work the links around.

They're frickin' stuck. Sticky, as they go around the sprockets, STUCK, if you try to work them the other way.

I need a new chain AND sprockets. After being religious with the cleaning and the lubing.

Basic maintenance. I will beat anyone over the head with anything concerning that one. In this case, though?

Is 16,000 miles a lot on the chain? I've never had one lock like this one, before it was stretched beyond limits.

I tightened it up again. It no longer goes "Clack, Clack, Clack." when I pull off. Still. I've got to replace it.

I am truly at a loss to explain it, and therefore I do not know what chain and sprocket to purchase to replace it.

Frustrated.

 

[Dustin600]

At 14,000 miles I was checking my chain. I pushed up on it and it stayed up like it was binding. I too cleaned and lubed the chain regularly, so I was confused how it had worn so fast. Like you, I ride in all types of weather. I ended up blaming it on what I used to clean the chain. I figured the o rings dried out and let contaminants into the barrels. I tried to lubricate the chain with many products to see if I could loosen up the barrels. But nothing worked. I decided to replace the chain. When I did, it was with the same DID chain that came from the factory, I was surprised to see that when installed, it was just as tight. I broke the old chain in several spots to see what kind of wear I had and found minimal. Both of my sprockets were fine.

Do you have any pictures of your wear?

 

[MNGreg]

That sucks. Sorry to hear. I'm beginning to see the same thing with my stock chain at 12k even though I lube and clean frequently. Still good for a bit but it is beginning to get some parts that stick or kink. So I'm buying a new chain for later this summer.
Take part in the group buy from solomotoparts with us; ek chain and driven sprockets.



Sent from my Galaxy S3 using Tapatalk 2.

 

[Little Miss Dangerous]

That group buy is such a good deal...

 

[regder]

That is pretty early on a chain, but far from unheard of. I wonder what brand it is, is it DID like on the FZ6 or did Yamaha cheap out for the R?

For reference, the OEM DID on my FZ6 was good for about 35k miles until the stiff links started to worry me, barely any stretch at that point though.

Personally, I'm not terribly anal about lubing and cleaning my chain. I'll generally lube it every 300-600 miles, or after rain. Clean it with Kerosene and a Tirox brush every 600-1200 miles. First chain on my FZ6 lasted about 35k miles, second chain (DID 530VM, bling bling! ) is currently at about 25k miles and still looks good.

Edit: Just read the chain replacement thread and I see the FZ6R has a 520 chain, where the regular 6 has a 530. If you care more about longevity than performance, might want to switch it up to a 530.

 

[leem00]

I have been very active on this forum about the needs and ways concerning chain cleaning and lubing.

I have been very vocal about cleaning a chain, as the manual recommended with kerosene and I used a Grunge Brush.

I've been just as vocal concerning lubing. I've kicked ass and taken names. These haven't just been words. I've done it.

I ride in all weather. I've said that a lot. I clean my frickin' chain. I lube my frickin' chain. Just like I've said should be done, right out of the FRACKIN manual.

The sticky links on my chain are getting near stuck. I've got just over 16k miles on it. The chain isn't even stretched. I'ts at the halfway point on the indicators.

Yet here I am. My rear sprocket is showing signs of wear. My chain is sticky to the point of dangerous.

Seriously, in all my years of riding, I've never encountered a chain this troublesome.

I have no complaints concerning my Tora Tanshi. She has done me well, and I try to do the same by her.

But WTF is up with the chain!!!!????

16k miles? Is that all it's got?

I put her up on the stand today, and loosend the axle bolt and ran the tire forward. I used some spray and wrenches and tried to work the links around.

They're frickin' stuck. Sticky, as they go around the sprockets, STUCK, if you try to work them the other way.

I need a new chain AND sprockets. After being religious with the cleaning and the lubing.

Basic maintenance. I will beat anyone over the head with anything concerning that one. In this case, though?

Is 16,000 miles a lot on the chain? I've never had one lock like this one, before it was stretched beyond limits.

I tightened it up again. It no longer goes "Clack, Clack, Clack." when I pull off. Still. I've got to replace it.

I am truly at a loss to explain it, and therefore I do not know what chain and sprocket to purchase to replace it.

Frustrated.

I have two links that are stiffening up on me at 10,000...it was a result of me riding in the rain for 4 hours then the bike sitting for 3 weeks before getting the chain cleaned and lubed...

I have found if I do an extensive clean and lube...about 2-3 hours of spraying cleaner, scrubbing with a grunge brush, drying it, warming the chain up around by going around the block, then lubing it helps those links a little.

I would guess that riding in all conditions hurts the chain life as it exposes it to harsher conditions (kind of like an air filter!).

 

[Marthy]

Same here. 10-12K on a chain that's about it. A combination of a lot of rain in summer time here in Florida, the bike weight pretty much over 600 lbs with my butt on it and the 6R has a fair amount of torque for a 600's on a little chain.

Last time I used alloy sprocket they were shot a 5K miles or so. Too much HP! LOL

I could probably put more than 10-12K on a chain. But just like tires, it's much cheaper to change them before they fail...

 

[SurfJunkie]

My stock DID died early at about 12K. O-rings were coming apart/flying off, constant adjustment was needed.

The grunge brushes do more harm than good.They are far too stiff and actually cause O-ring damage/wear. Just use a rag and your cleaner of choice. Eff the brush.

Also, how are you lubricating the chain ? Spin the tire and just let the lube fly ? Or actually putting it on the o-rings between the plates ? I found i wasn't lubricating correctly either. My new DID X ring has been solid so far, but no more brush cleanings for me + using lube where it needs to be.

 

[Fizzi6ergal]

I replaced my chain and sprockets at 15,500 miles. I was too only about half way on the marks on the swingarm. My chain had a few kinks in it, but not bad. One thing that would get me is the clank clank clank that my chain would let me listen to as it went round and round on my sprockets. I replaced it with an EK x-ring chain. The way I usually clean mine is prop the rear-end up, and "super clean" the chain(kinda like brake/parts cleaner, but not as potent). Then I would pressure wash the sh*t out of it. Then I would spray the lube on the chain on the bottom then spin it and then spray, let it sit for just a second for the lube to work it's way down etc etc...I think I lubed my chain a little too much cause when I replaced my chain and sprockets, the cover that covers the counter-shaft sprocket was filled with dirt/excess lube. And it was a pain in the a$$ to clean off.

 

[Alex6]

...I have no complaints concerning my Tora Tanshi. She has done me well, and I try to do the same by her.
...

Who is Tora Tansi?

 

[Scott_Thomas]

Who is Tora Tansi?

LOL! Yeah, not sure either.

 

[MNGreg]

I think I lubed my chain a little too much cause when I replaced my chain and sprockets, the cover that covers the counter-shaft sprocket was filled with dirt/excess lube. And it was a pain in the a$$ to clean off.

Unfortunately that is pretty normal. I had that happen to me when I *super cleaned my bike, and I saw others post the same thing also. I have decided that every 4k miles with the oil changes I will take that coveroff and clean that goop out. That way when I clean my chain it wont pull black grease back onto the chain from that area, making me wonder if I really go the chain clean.

 

[Fizzer6R]

geez, you guys should REALLY take better care of your chain (& sprockets)!! :Flip:

 

[buzzbomb]

Who is Tora Tansi?

Tora Tanshi is my bike. Japanese translation for Tiger Angel.

Edit: I'm not busting on anyone hard, here. But seriously? "My Tora Tanshi" and you don't know to what I'm referring? What the heck did you think I was talking about, LOL? How many things do you own that have sprockets and a chain, and you would be referencing in a chain and sprocket thread on the FZ6R forum?

 

[buzzbomb]

That sucks. Sorry to hear. I'm beginning to see the same thing with my stock chain at 12k even though I lube and clean frequently. Still good for a bit but it is beginning to get some parts that stick or kink. So I'm buying a new chain for later this summer.
Take part in the group buy from solomotoparts with us; ek chain and driven sprockets.



Sent from my Galaxy S3 using Tapatalk 2.

Link, please!

 

[06330i]

http://www.600cc.org/forum/f65/sprocket-chain-group-buy-28789/

 

[Bradlockard]

Chain! My Ass! RRRRR!

Tiger angel.... What a nerd

 

[Superzoom]

Based on some of your responses, now I'm wondering if thoroughly cleaning your chain too often with kerosine and/or a grunge brush does more harm than good. Theoretically, if you clean the chain really well, you remove all external lube. Then, when you re-lube the chain and happen to miss a spot, which is really quite possible, that spot will receive more wear.

I have heard of people having extremely good chain life with those Scottoiler type constant lubers. I'm guessing those users probably don't clean their chain as often as you guys, so their chain is always saturated in oil.

My chain maintenance is a genuine horror show. I've got about 15 000 miles on my bike, and my chain is just now starting to kink. My maintenance has consisted of oiling the chain with 90 weight oil once every 600 miles or so, and I have NEVER CLEANED IT. Ridden the bike through hours and hours of pouring rain and sometimes went for hundred of miles after rain without re-lubing. So I've given the chain hell, and it's only now giving up the ghost.

So I guess my advice is clean your chain less, lube it lots, and don't sweat it. Just consider the chain an expendable, like spark plugs or oil filters. A chain and sprockets are pricey, but your time is valuable too.

 

[Alex6]

Tora Tanshi is my bike. Japanese translation for Tiger Angel.

Edit: I'm not busting on anyone hard, here. But seriously? "My Tora Tanshi" and you don't know to what I'm referring? What the heck did you think I was talking about, LOL? How many things do you own that have sprockets and a chain, and you would be referencing in a chain and sprocket thread on the FZ6R forum?

You have a name for your motorcycle?!
Did you name your refrigerator and a dishwasher too?

 

[MNGreg]

You have a name for your motorcycle?!
Did you name your refrigerator and a dishwasher too?

No name for appliances here!

But I know many of us have named our bikes. There was a thread on that too but I dont seem to be able to find it now with the search.