EZ chain question regarding slack - Third and Fourth Generation VFR's

This should not require a lot of responses.  I just replaced the PO's roller chain with a DID X ring chain in preparation for a 2 up trip to San Fran with CeeCee.

Short story long, I want to know if my chain slack should be on the shorter or longer side of the 5/8-1" spec, given I'll be two up with luggage.

It seems like more weight = more slack in the chain, so I'd want to be closer to 5/8", but I just want to verify this.

Thanks!

I'd put it in the middle and check it regularly (say every 500 mi when you lube it)  for slack/tightness. I'm not aware there is one perfect setting for soloing and another for two-up.

I'd stick to the 5/8th. I've never heard that carrying heavier weights requires a tighter or looser chain.  If you run it at 5/8th there is less likelihood of you having to adjust the chain more often on your trip.  Have a great ride, heading down myself to North Carolina next week via the Blue Ridge and will have my chain at 5/8th. :smile:

The middle of the spec was my plan so far, but I know the slack on the chain is different when fully loaded than when on the center stand.  The angle of the swingarm changes relative to the bike with more weight, therefore the distance between the sprockets would change.  Now that I'm rubbing my two brain cells together, it makes sense to me that the angle between the front sprocket, the swing arm pivot, and the rear sprocket becomes less with more weight.  Therefore, the chain has more slack.

Note to self, follow Jims advice.

After adjusting to spec. ........ A good rule of thumb, is if it feels like you've bottomed out on your shock travel and know it wasn't that hard of a dip in the road, that means you're reaching the end of the chains length, and need to give it a little more slack.
Better to be a little loose than a little tight.
The perfect way to check is have two ppl sit on the bike, then check the chain to see if there's any slack(not much just that it moves)........ After it's set, check the spec. with no one on it and the bike on the correct stand that's called for........ And write down the spec. number for future ref'........

Actually the chain will tighten a little with a load vs at resting state on the stand. If you think about it, the swingarm kinda points toward the pavement without load, and then straightens out when loaded, so effectively it gets a little longer with weight on the bike. Monk has sound advice with checking slack once the bike is loaded. I always like to reach down and check slack with me on the bike after I get done adjusting.

 NakedViffer, on 08 May 2012 - 03:51 PM, said:

Actually the chain will tighten a little with a load vs at resting state on the stand. If you think about it, the swingarm kinda points toward the pavement without load, and then straightens out when loaded, so effectively it gets a little longer with weight on the bike. Monk has sound advice with checking slack once the bike is loaded. I always like to reach down and check slack with me on the bike after I get done adjusting.
Yeh me too, I made a L-shape rod to check it while I'm sitting on the bike (called a coat hanger).