2011 Drive Chain Replacement

[Gregg_VA]

I checked the wiki but couldn't find ANY information listed under it.... as in no wiki articles?????

My 2011 has just under 17K and the drive chain is stretched to the service limit. Looking for some recommendations on a replacement chain and sources to buy it. From what I can determine I need a 520-106 chain, is this correct? I have also seen references to a 520-120 chain. Which is correct?

Do most of you go with the o-ring or the more expensive x-ring? I have checked my sprockets and they still look pretty decent. The teeth look pretty full and there is no hooking going on. The chain is stock but the sprockets are not. They have a few less thousand miles on them because after having the bike for a bit, I went one tooth up in the front and one tooth down in the rear. Do you replace your sprockets every time you replace the chain?

I have a chain breaker tool set from Motion-Pro that appears to have everything I need to disassemble install a rivet chain.

Am I missing anything else that I should be aware of?

Thanks.
Gregg

[Triple Jim]

You can get a lot of information here: http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Final_Drive

[Gregg_VA]

Originally Posted by Triple Jim

You can get a lot of information here: http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Final_Drive

Thanks.... seems a shame to go to the "other" Ninja website to find tech answers, but I will take answers where I get them.

[jrshooter]

i prefer non ring chains , less friction

[Triple Jim]

X-ring chains probably have a little less friction than O-ring chains, because the arms of the X bend easier than solid O-rings squish, but I don't know if the difference is significant.

[InvisiBill]

Originally Posted by Gregg_VA

I checked the wiki but couldn't find ANY information listed under it.... as in no wiki articles?????

This post has details.

[NevadaWolf]

Our bikes take 106 links

The 120 is a standard generic length that needs to be broken down to 106. The nice thing about the Motion Pro tool is that is has the breaker part right in it. I have that tool and have used it every time I change chains.

I'm not picky on my chain, so buy whatever 520 o-ring a shop has in stock. I'm also lame that I don't change my sprockets (15 and 45) at the same time so yeah my chain life hasn't been great but whatever.

[Gregg_VA]

Originally Posted by NevadaWolf

Our bikes take 106 links

The 120 is a standard generic length that needs to be broken down to 106. The nice thing about the Motion Pro tool is that is has the breaker part right in it. I have that tool and have used it every time I change chains.

I'm not picky on my chain, so buy whatever 520 o-ring a shop has in stock. I'm also lame that I don't change my sprockets (15 and 45) at the same time so yeah my chain life hasn't been great but whatever.

So, since my sprockets have less miles than the chain, does it seem logical to go with a less expensive o-ring chain this time (and not change sprockets) and then the next time maybe go with the more durable and longer lasting x-ring chain and new sprockets?

[NevadaWolf]

It's what I'd do but I'm cheap.

[VaFish]

Originally Posted by Gregg_VA

So, since my sprockets have less miles than the chain, does it seem logical to go with a less expensive o-ring chain this time (and not change sprockets) and then the next time maybe go with the more durable and longer lasting x-ring chain and new sprockets?

It's what I did when I put a chain on my 2001 recently.

But I also went back to my stock gearing. I didn't think the slight drop in RPM really did anything for my gas mileage, but it sure did feel like less acceleration compared to my bikes with stock gearing.

[Gregg_VA]

Originally Posted by VaFish

It's what I did when I put a chain on my 2001 recently.

But I also went back to my stock gearing. I didn't think the slight drop in RPM really did anything for my gas mileage, but it sure did feel like less acceleration compared to my bikes with stock gearing.

I thought about going back to stock as well just to get some acceleration back but I don't know where I put the stock sprockets...

[Triple Jim]

Originally Posted by Gregg_VA

...and then the next time maybe go with the more durable and longer lasting x-ring chain and new sprockets?

I don't think the shape of the X-section rubber sealing rings really makes more than minor improvements over the original O-ring type.

Originally Posted by Gregg_VA

I thought about going back to stock as well just to get some acceleration back but I don't know where I put the stock sprockets...

Acceleration doesn't suffer except at takeoff. As long as you keep the engine near peak HP, you're accelerating as much as possible, no matter what your gearing is. You won't have as much acceleration in any particular gear, but with the taller sprockets you'll be able to stay in each gear longer. Yes, if you're in 6th and want to accelerate as much as stock gearing, you'll have to downshift to 5th, but once you do, you'll be as quick as stock.

[VaFish]

Originally Posted by Triple Jim

Acceleration doesn't suffer except at takeoff.

And that lag at takeoff is pretty significant on a lowly 250 in stop and go rush hour traffic.

From my experience, in the way I ride, there isn't any difference in gas mileage between stock 14/45 and 14/42 gearing. When I had the taller gears on and would ride with my kids who have stock gearing fuel consumption was almost identical. I would be running about 1,000 RPM slower engine speed. But, when we would stop for gas pretty much identical amounts of fuel. My daughter would get a little better mileage, but I out weigh her by 65 lbs and she is a little lighter on the throttle than I am. My son actually seemed to use a bit more than me.

[Triple Jim]

Originally Posted by VaFish

And that lag at takeoff is pretty significant on a lowly 250 in stop and go rush hour traffic.

I guess you're right that it's significant, but I have 15/45, which is the same as 14/42, and to me it has an extremely low gear. I can idle along in 1st at walking speed. If with stock gearing the engine was running at 7,000 rpm, now it's going 6533, less than 500 rpm slower. I agree that this is probably not a big enough difference to change gas mileage significantly.

[Flying]

You gotta stay just around the engine's peak torque range to get good gas mileage!

[Triple Jim]

With six transmission ratios, it's not hard to stay in whatever RPM range you desire, regardless of sprocket ratios. If I go to 15/42 or 15/41 I expect I'll use 6th gear less. 6th may become more like the classic overdrive.

[Flying]

No worries about your logic there. I'm just being difficult with the terminology. :P

Engine speed is only a result of what leverage we get out of the gearing. Just from that we can't quite extrapolate whether gas mileage will be improved without assessing the rider's baseline driving habits.

[Gregg_VA]

New RK 520XSO 106 link chain went on just fine. Used the breaker and rivet tool set from Motion Pro. The ends of the master link didn't flare or mushroom head like some pics I have seen but it flared enough. Took it out today for about 300 miles. All is well. Oh, didn't change the sprockets. They seem like they have plenty of miles left in them.

[rgx107]

Originally Posted by Gregg_VA

New RK 520XSO 106 link chain went on just fine. Used the breaker and rivet tool set from Motion Pro. The ends of the master link didn't flare or mushroom head like some pics I have seen but it flared enough. Took it out today for about 300 miles. All is well. Oh, didn't change the sprockets. They seem like they have plenty of miles left in them.

This is my experience is well. The instructions that came with my riveting tool had a whole section with warnings about riveting too far, to avoid cracks in the top of the rivet. The manufacturer should specify what diameter to aim for, my chain/tool came with a small gauge to slide over the rivet and check the diameter.