Doing necessary maintenance on my craigslist VFR, noticed I need a new chain. At 25k miles, what’s my outlook as far as maybe needing new sprockets? I don’t feel the need to change the gearing, Just want to keep it stock. Tried searching the forums, but must be doing something wrong. I did a chain in an old KAW I used to have, but will need resources on the fine details of doing one on this particular bike, as well as any other links to previous threads on this or hints anybody might be kind enough to render. I will also search YouTube.
I sometimes get away with doing a front sprocket and chain if the rear is not too bad off but if the current parts are original they are probably long gone.
You can measure the chain for "stretch" (more like wear/slop in the pins) and check sprocket wear with some small 1/4" sockets, see how large a socket will fit in between the teeth with 1mm relief in the gutter. I have a near-new sprocket from another bike I can compare. A new chain on worn sprockets will wear in pretty quick and wear out pretty quick if the sprockets are too pooched. It's a waste of time and money if one or both sprockets are too worn but maybe worth doing, maybe also with a front, if the rear is decent.
Also sometimes a whole low-mile setup can be found from a wrecked bike on ebay for pretty small money.
If cost is not a big concern just replace all three, otherwise I can try to help you measure what you have.
I always change out both the chain and sprockets at the same time. And remember the OEM front sprocked has a rubber componet that gives a quieter result. Do not accept any thing less; it will effect your speedo accuracy. I know this from experience.
Honda is not the only source for sound-dampened front sprockets these days. Ognibene definitely make them, and I think maybe someone like JT does as well...
IMO if the chain is maintained decently the main issue is the front sprocket wearing out, and letting a worn out front sprocket eat the chain is just throwing away money. Plus labor.
Changing the whole set for peace of mind is fine if you like, or if you allow the whole system to wear out that's what you need to do. But it may be smarter to replace the worn out element first and save the rest, get 50% more life out of the system at a modest cost.
The idea of the set wearing together is clearly not true if you measure and see how much the front sprocket wears vs the other two components. However for sure if you let the front completely go it will take the rest of the system with it so it eventually becomes true. However this is at the cost of letting the smallest and lowest-priced element of the system destroy the more expensive elements.
If you have 10-15K on your chain and sprockets maybe just the front is worn out. Why ride a bike with a worn out component in the driveline?
I've also changed the gearing on both my bikes, on my Ducati several times and without changing the whole set; just the front, just the rear. No problems.
I know I'm repeating myself, but an old courier trick was to turn the front round after 5k mikes, then replace it at 10k miles then flip #2 at 15k miles, expecting a 20k life. So buy new chain + rear sprocket plus two front sprockets.
Aha yes that can be a problem, but my 16T front was symmetrical and a little thinner on the shaft, so I had to use a spacer to get it in the right place for the chain run 👍😎 The current 520 front is from an R1.
Thanks for the info, folks. My sprockets still look really good, even the front one. All the surfaces have great definition. The tech who failed me for the chain at inspection said the sprockets looked good, too, so I’m just going with the new chain for now. I had a problem with the stuff I ordered, and had to send it back, so I’m still waiting for my parts. 😞 It’s killing me. I hate online shopping, but it’s the only way for me to go, as my local places are useless.
I wonder if that isn't something that mostly applies to 520 sprockets (and maybe 525): giving them the same shaft engagement of a 530 sprocket?
I know my 520 kit has the same position for the rear part of the chain, so cetre line would be different to the 530.
The original 530 rear was the same both ways, just a flat piece of metal really. The 520 is not as it has a machined thinner centre to lighten it even more.
The 530 front I don't know about, but again the 520 is different one side to the other.
Honda is not the only source for sound-dampened front sprockets these days. Ognibene definitely make them, and I think maybe someone like JT does as well...
Sorry, I'm in the UK and have never bought one myself, but someone posted the part number in another thread: It's the normal JT part number with "RB" on the end.
Finally got a chain that was acceptable and replaced it. I went for a VOLAR brand chain. Has several good reviews from riders who tried it out, and it’s inexpensive. My sprockets both looked really good, so I stayed with them, and will change them over next time. Funny part is, I went out for a road test, felt really great, then, getting off the highway exit to go home, one of my headlight bulbs Burned out on the high beam side, so I got to discover the fun facts of H4 vs 34901-MS2-672. No biggie. I’m sort of working my way down a checklist of things to service, seeing as it was a fairly neglected bike that needs all the routine stuff done. I’m waiting on new brake master cylinder diaphragms, oil filters, air filter, and of course, the new bulbs. Once I have the bodywork off to do the oil change, I’ll do a comprehensive inspection of the cooling system hoses and anything else I can think of, so, plenty of wrenching fun left to have over the next couple of weeks. Hoping to get everything done by the end of August. In the meantime, though, she runs great and is lots of fun.
I’ll post about how the chain works out. I’m also taking a flyer on a $15 Chinese air filter, and a pack of 3 oil filters for under $20, because broke.
Seems like the centerline of 520 sprocket teeth would be the same as 530 sprockets so the chain would run
centered where it was originally designed to run.
But it seems as though the centerline of the teeth isn't the centerline of the sprocket body.
The centerline is NOT the correct place. Front sprockets are nominally centered on the rear cenrterline which is determined by the drive hub inner face. As 530 is wider than 520, the rear centerline will move inboard when a 520 sprocket is fitted, so the front needs to do the same !
The centerline is NOT the correct place. Front sprockets are nominally centered on the rear cenrterline which is determined by the drive hub inner face. As 530 is wider than 520, the rear centerline will move inboard when a 520 sprocket is fitted, so the front needs to do the same !
The centerline might possibly move inboard if the sprocket is narrower through the body, but if it were thicker where it butts up against the drive hub,
or had a spacer machined into the sprocket then the centerline would be the same. That would explain why the sprockets only mount one way. If you're
moving the centerline around you run the risk of interference with hard parts, or tire interference.
I think you may have missunderstood me. The right or inner side of the chain run does not move regardless of what thickness sprockets you mount, so no danger of hitting any parts of the bike. Almost all the replacement sprockets I have seen are flat or have a reduced centre thickness for lightness (is that a word ?) rather than an offset to maintain a 530 centre line ! Moving the centreline inboard is advantageous to the longevity of the output shaft bearing too. Although the VFR 5/6/8th gen have a bearing good for 200hp, so not really an issue 🙂
I think you may have missunderstood me. The right or inner side of the chain run does not move regardless of what thickness sprockets you mount, so no danger of hitting any parts of the bike. Almost all the replacement sprockets I have seen are flat or have a reduced centre thickness for lightness (is that a word ?) rather than an offset to maintain a 530 centre line ! Moving the centreline inboard is advantageous to the longevity of the output shaft bearing too. Although the VFR 5/6/8th gen have a bearing good for 200hp, so not really an issue 🙂
If you mount a thinner sprocket, why wouldn't the centerline also move? Unless the sprocket is machined so the centerline of the chain isn't on the centerline of the sprocket. Offset
so to speak to keep it in the proper location with respect to the countershaft mounting location.
Yeah, there is some confusion here. If you mount a thinner sprocket, the inboard side of the sprocket is going to be closer to the case, simply because there is less material, because it's
a thinner sprocket. The centerline of the chain, i.e. the middle of roller needs to be the same regardless of the horizontal measurement of the chain. If you lay a 530 sprocket and a 520
sprocket flat on the table, the centerline of the sprockets will be different, unless the sprockets are machined to have the same mounting area thickness.
As I said, the distance from the sprocket stop on either the countershaft or the rear hub, to the centerline of the chain needs to be the same regardless of chain/sprocket size. As you said the
520 sprockets cannot be mounted either way, they are one way mount only. Which means the centerline of the sprocket is not the same from either side. If they were machined that way
Bubba...there's a good reason why the Chinese don't make airplanes or elevators. The same reasoning applies to why I wouldn't use a air filter from them on my VFR to save $30. I'd buy a lawn sprinkler, a pair of socks, maybe some beach toys from them but avoid anything using Chinese products on anything of high value to me.
You'll find an awful lot of things are made in China nowadays and a lot of the components in stuff that is assembled elsewhere, I use Hi Flo filters. air and oil, not sure where they are made but they work fine.
Bubba...there's a good reason why the Chinese don't make airplanes or elevators. The same reasoning applies to why I wouldn't use a air filter from them on my VFR to save $30. I'd buy a lawn sprinkler, a pair of socks, maybe some beach toys from them but avoid anything using Chinese products on anything of high value to me.
As a matter of fact, they do make planes and lifts.
Passenger and fighter jets, as well as developing stealth technology and becoming world leaders in AI.
They also make most of the worlds high end electronics.
But I admit they also make a lot of cheap rubbish.
Keep in mind that Boeing make planes, specially the new 737 Max that has been grounded for months because they don’t work and fall out of the sky.
I wouldn’t buy an unbranded chain, but would buy a branded chain made in a China. It’s not rocket science.
What's the thinking on gearing? or is it best to stick with stock? I'm looking now for a chain and sprocket kit, trying to find one with the rubber dampened front sprocket, is it a 530 chain I'm after?
I went down a tooth in front (6th gen stock front sprocket) because I have to do a lot of low-speed maneuvering around home and work. I think I prefer this gearing though I have not done any long highway trips with it. The speedo / odo are off a fair bit now. When this setup is worn out I might consider going back to stock and just abusing the clutch a bit more, or getting a speedo healer. If I wanted this gearing again I'd re-create it with a larger rear sprocket and stock front sprocket, and longer chain. Everything would last longer.
Stock chain is 530, I do not think it's worth losing some width in the sprocket bearing surfaces to go to a narrower kit.
Thanks Joel,stock gearing will do me, I think this kit might do my job, I asked the seller what size the chain is, it has the rubber damped front sprocket,
![[image: csm_JTF333-16RB_1__e25dfb7e67.jpg]](http://www.jtsprockets.com/fileadmin/_processed_/2/c/csm_JTF333-16RB_1__e25dfb7e67.jpg){kind=link}