Chain Life Question

 Put the Honda Shadow 600 up on the motorcycle/ATV jack (*) using hockey
pucks (*) to jack it on the frame only, then adjusted the chain (*), lubed
it, and adjusted the rear brake (*).  Actually used a torque wrench (*) with
a crowfoot extension (*) in the process.

(*) = operations that are high-tech by my standards and tax the limits of my
mechanical ability.

Noticed that with 6,300 miles on the bike, the rear axle adjustment is
creeping towards the zone marked as chain replacement.  I'd guess that the
chain will need to be replaced around 10,000 miles.

Questions:

a)What is normal chain life?

b)Anything that can be done to slow down the wear on a chain?

Thanks.

 David T. Ashley wrote:

10000 isn't very good. 20K is more like it.  Less on powerful
liter-class sportbikes.

I've never replaced a chain due to stretching.  The chain is worn out
when the links kink up.  To preserve life, oil regularly and ride like a
grandma.

 

Vee-twins tend to give chains a hard time because of the power pulses.
My Ducati eats a chain every 9-10k. My old Triumph 1200 Trophy used to
get 20k from a chain.

There are too many variables, anyway, to give a hard and fast figure,
but singles and vees, by and large, chew chains up faster than fours.


--
BMW K1100LT  Ducati 750SS  Honda CB400F, SL125 & SH50
chateau dot murray at idnet dot com
"What you're proposing to do will involve a lot of time
and hassle for no tangible benefit."

 

10k's definitely a little short, although I do know people
who routinely replace chains somewhere in the 10-15k
range just as a matter of preventive maintenance, rather
than waiting for the thing to get to the limits or break on
the road.  But - are you sure your chain is actually that
worn/"stretched"?  And what do the sprockets look like?


Besides keeping a proper eye on the tension, the most
obvious question is - what are you doing in terms of
cleaning and lubing it?

Bob M.

 
The index marks on the swingarm at the rear axle have a green bar and a red
bar.  The green bar represents the normal adjustments as the chain and
sprockets age.  The red bar represents when the chain and sprockets need to
be replaced.  The axle position ain't too far from the red bar.  I'm not
sure how long it will take to reach it.

My guess at 10,000 miles is very subjective.  I'm not sure how long it will
take to get to the red bar.  It could make it to 15,000 miles.  I'm pretty
sure it won't make it to 20,000 miles.

10,000 miles is a subjective guess.

Driven sprocket looks fine.  Drive sprocket not visible.


I've been oiling it with 90-weight gear oil maybe every 500 miles.  Tonight,
since I now have an ATV jack, I jacked it up, started the bike and put it in
first gear so the rear wheel would spin free and off the ground, and sprayed
the chain thoroughly with chain lube.

Anything else I should do besides spraying it with chain lube?