Still have the factory chain on my '95 (as far as I know...really doesn't appear to ever have been changed) and the bike has 17.8K on it now. I bought the bike with 12K on it.
I lube it with Maxima chain wax every 500 miles religiously by spraying it on a hot chain and then scrubbing the excess and grit off with a clean rag. I ride twisties a lot and accelerate hard a lot. I don't do wheelies. I use the engine's braking a fair amount.
According to the little graphic on the chain gaurd, it's not even 1/3rd of the way worn out. Many of the rollers are starting to look somewhat dented but none are missing and no O-rings are missing. I can't pull any chain off the rear sprocket. I have only had to adjust it twice since I've owned the bike. It isn't terribly noisy -- I can't hear it over the stock muffler.
Isn't it unusual for a chain to last this long or am I missing something really obvious indicating that it should be replaced?
nothing wrong with that....
i have gone from 20-50,000 miles on a chain as a bike courier. But admittedly mostly using a DID X ring chain...
Simply used a 'scott oiler', or when that packed up, just any old oil, thrown on with a small long brush before i go ride....
A standard chain properly maintained might reach 25,000 mile before it wants replacing from experience.
Your bike has hardly broken in! There's stacks of life in it yet!:fing02:
When chains go, they tend to want adjusting a lot more often than usual. You should be able to pick up the signs.
[image: View Post]B4D80Y, on 05 October 2010 - 06:49 PM, said:
nothing wrong with that....
i have gone from 30-50,000 miles on a chain as a bike courier. But admittedly mostly using a DID X ring chain...
Simply used a 'scott oiler', or when that packed up, just any old oil, thrown on with a small long brush before i go ride....
A standard chain properly maintained might reach 30,000 mile before it wants replacing from experience.
Your bike has hardly broken in! There's stacks of life in it yet!:fing02:
When chains go, they tend to want adjusting a lot more often than usual. You should be able to pick up the signs.
Maybe you don't ride it hard enough????
Try to launch a few wheelies and some hard acceleration sprints to get that thing stretched out!
its still good because you lube it when it is hot and you wipe it with a rag, not a brush. I got 27,000 outta my last one with very, very little care. (O rings hate wire brushes)
[image: View Post]VFR72525, on 05 October 2010 - 06:38 PM, said:
Still have the factory chain on my '95 (as far as I know...really doesn't appear to ever have been changed) and the bike has 17.8K on it now. I bought the bike with 12K on it.
What's your typical MPG? How many miles do you get out of a rear tire? Are you 100% sure the PO didn't change it?
[image: View Post]FotoMoto, on 05 October 2010 - 08:30 PM, said:
[image: View Post]VFR72525, on 05 October 2010 - 06:38 PM, said:
Still have the factory chain on my '95 (as far as I know...really doesn't appear to ever have been changed) and the bike has 17.8K on it now. I bought the bike with 12K on it.
What's your typical MPG? How many miles do you get out of a rear tire? Are you 100% sure the PO didn't change it?
MPG is anywhere from 40-46 depending on what kind of riding I've been doing -- lately closer to the 40 mark. I put a new set of PR2s on the bike when I got it and the rear tire still has about 50 percent of its life left easily...so like 10K miles for a rear tire but that IS a PR2 which last forever anyway. I'm 99% sure the chain was never replaced. The PO was only the second owner and. he bought the bike with about 3K miles on it and rode it to 12K when I bought it. The chain had some rust on the side plates which I cleaned off when I got it.
[image: View Post]BaileyRock, on 06 October 2010 - 11:07 AM, said:
[image: View Post]Dutchy, on 06 October 2010 - 10:59 AM, said:
don't do wheelies (do burnouts count? :biggrin: )
I guess that's my problem, I love wheelies! :blush:
Avg. 15-20k from a high end D.I.D. chain.
:+1: About 18k is all I get on the VFR too. Of course with a Scottoilder on my VTR, the chain lasted 40k, and I HAD to do a wheelie on that every time I rode it. :biggrin:
[image: View Post]thereisnospoon, on 06 October 2010 - 02:22 PM, said:
[image: View Post]BaileyRock, on 06 October 2010 - 11:07 AM, said:
[image: View Post]Dutchy, on 06 October 2010 - 10:59 AM, said:
don't do wheelies (do burnouts count? :biggrin: )
I guess that's my problem, I love wheelies! :blush:
Avg. 15-20k from a high end D.I.D. chain.
I want to learn how to do wheelies :(
talk to SebSpeed.. I'm pretty sure he thinks he's saving money on front tires, by trying to keep them off the ground as much as possible. :laughing6-hehe:
End of thread · 13 posts recoveredWayback Machine snapshot 18 Oct 2010