FOAK: Chain and Sprox

What's the current flavour of the month, brand-wise?

It's for the Blackbird - 23,600 miles have taken their toll.

 

DID ZVM. No question. 38k+ miles on a lardy old FJ1100 (with Socttoiler
admittedly). Ridden not at all like a nun either FWIW.

JB

 

JB says...

Seconded. DID ZVM is the strongest chain on the market. Fitted them to
my last few bikes and never had to adjust the chain between tyre
changes.

--
Lozzo
Triumph Daytona 955i SE (Black with added black bits)
Suzuki Bandit 600S (Green with added shit bits)
Yamaha SR250 Delusion (It's "Special")
I'm a modern man, I don't mind buying tampons, but apparently they're
not a proper Valentine's present

 

darsy says...

I snapped a Renthal chain on my CB250RS and that was with a Scottoiler
fitted. I won't buy another.

--
Lozzo
Triumph Daytona 955i SE (Black with added black bits)
Suzuki Bandit 600S (Green with added shit bits)
Yamaha SR250 Delusion (It's "Special")
I'm a modern man, I don't mind buying tampons, but apparently they're
not a proper Valentine's present

 

Just hijack this thread. I need just a chain for my GSX600 but everyone
wants to sell me a chain and sprocket set.

 

Molly says...

For the pitiful amount a set of sprockets cost, it's a false economy to
replace just the chain. You'll **** the new chain up in double quick
time if you don't do the sprockets as well.

--
Lozzo
Triumph Daytona 955i SE (Black with added black bits)
Suzuki Bandit 600S (Green with added shit bits)
Yamaha SR250 Delusion (It's "Special")
I'm a modern man, I don't mind buying tampons, but apparently they're
not a proper Valentine's present

 

Are there any other chains with Japanese-sounding names like Tsubaki?
Only I bought a (possibly) Tsubaki C+S kit that included Renthal front
sprocket, some other rear sprocket and a (possibly) Tsubaki chain.

Shortly after I fitted it I noticed a series of little "nibbles" round
the edge of the rear tyre, though the chain never touched the tyre
when rotating the rear wheel by hand. I checked wheel alignment,
several times, then wondered if I'd assembled spacers the wrong way
round, but this isn't possible. I also checked for bent & badly fitted
sprockets with a pointer, then the engine bolts and the swingarm
bearings: all OK.

Finally, after a couple of weeks of head scratching, I noticed that
the chain was snaking as it rotated: not enough to touch the tyre at
low speeds but it must've been whipping sideways at higher speeds. I
finally figured out that the chain was actually bowed sideways. Cue a
new chain and it's been fine ever since.

 

Rubbish. I used to get a ration of about 2.5:1 of chains to sprockets
on the Triumph.

--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
\`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3 (slightly broken, currently missing)
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10
`\|/`
`

 

Chas says...

I have a Renthal gold 530 sideplate on my keyring, complete with the
Renthal 'R' embossed into it. I would very much doubt that Tsubaki were
making Renthal chain and branding it as such. Renthal's big claim was
that they supplied British made chain, and they very proudly advertised
this fact. As far as I'm aware, Tsubaki chain is made in Japan.

From my experience of working for the importer of DID chain as a sales
rep, I know that all the chain makers I encountered are very protective
of their name, brand and image - and if it says RK on the box, then RK
made it not someone else.

--
Lozzo
Triumph Daytona 955i SE (Black with added black bits)
Suzuki Bandit 600S (Green with added shit bits)
Yamaha SR250 Delusion (It's "Special")
I'm a modern man, I don't mind buying tampons, but apparently they're
not a proper Valentine's present

 

Ace says...

How many miles did you do on the Triumph?

--
Lozzo
Triumph Daytona 955i SE (Black with added black bits)
Suzuki Bandit 600S (Green with added shit bits)
Yamaha SR250 Delusion (It's "Special")
I'm a modern man, I don't mind buying tampons, but apparently they're
not a proper Valentine's present

 

I always fancied a Scottoiler but could never justify the cost. I can see
the advantage to a high-mileage rider and for long-distance touring, and I
like the principle of automatic and constant lubrication, but is there any
advantage to the low and medium mileage rider? Chain lube is fairly cheap,
and easy and quick to apply. Is there a kind of break-even point where a
Scottoiler becomes cost-effective? Is lubrication by Scottoiler inherently
superior to regular cleaning and lubing by hand? Would be interested in
anyone's input to this. (Almost bought one today, but managed to quell urge
to flex plastic on non-urgent items.)

--
Rich
==============================

2001 Disco II ES auto
1971 S2a 88" petrol
2005 XT660R

Take out the obvious to email me.

 

Rich B says...

So buy a used one from ebay. They're a lot cheaper that way.

--
Lozzo
Triumph Daytona 955i SE (Black with added black bits)
Suzuki Bandit 600S (Green with added shit bits)
Yamaha SR250 Delusion (It's "Special")
I'm a modern man, I don't mind buying tampons, but apparently they're
not a proper Valentine's present

 

Well, yes. The question was more, are they worth the bother compared with a
can of chain lube and five minutes a week?

--
Rich
==============================

2001 Disco II ES auto
1971 S2a 88" petrol
2005 XT660R

Take out the obvious to email me.

 

Ta. I think I'll keep you as my personal shopping advisor.
--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/CBX1000Z
|_\_____/_| ..87918../..23274.../..31893.
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 WG*
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 PM#5
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4 YTC#4 two#11
'^' RBR Clues: 00 Pts:0000 Miles:0000

 

Rich B says...

I'm still using one of the Scottoilers I bought used years ago and have
transferred from bike to bike[1][2], so in my case that's a yes. I don't
buy cans of expensive chain lube, I bought 5 litres of Husqvarna
chainsaw oil for 10 quid and 3 or 4 years later I'm still using it to
top my oilers up.

[1] Just been swopped onto the Daytona because it was nice and new
looking, so I'm looking for another for my Bandit.
[2] I left one of them on the Gixer when I sold it to Mike.

--
Lozzo
Triumph Daytona 955i SE (Black with added black bits)
Suzuki Bandit 600S (Green with added shit bits)
Yamaha SR250 Delusion (It's "Special")
I'm a modern man, I don't mind buying tampons, but apparently they're
not a proper Valentine's present

 

Well, I've got gallons of chainsaw oil in the shed, so that's half way
there. I'll give eBay a look. Cheers.

--
Rich
==============================

2001 Disco II ES auto
1971 S2a 88" petrol
2005 XT660R

Take out the obvious to email me.

 

Chas says...

I've seen plenty, but then I get around a alot

They don't sponsor Ian Lougher then? :

http://www.ianlougher.com/links_sponsors.php

or M3 Racing:

http://www.m3racing.com/sponsors/index.html

Or Hawk Kawasaki:

http://www.hawkkawasaki.co.uk/news/details.asp?NewsID=100

Or CAS Honda :

http://www.cashonda.com/racing2.php?class=sponsors

All proudly thank Tsubaki for their support. Knowing a bit about how
sponsorship like this works, the importer won't be paying for it, the
manufacturer will be.

Nope, the Bandit has an Afam which is shit and the Triumph has whatever
it left the factory with.

The process of retro stamping a roll of chain would be wildly cost
prohibitive. You shouldn't believe all you hear down the pub. Tsubaki
are a very big, extremely well known and respected company, so why are
there so many shite chains out there and so few good ones if they're
making them for so many different customers?

I'd do a bit more research before spending more than the cost of 5 pints
of lager next time.

--
Lozzo
Triumph Daytona 955i SE (Black with added black bits)
Suzuki Bandit 600S (Green with added shit bits)
Yamaha SR250 Delusion (It's "Special")
I'm a modern man, I don't mind buying tampons, but apparently they're
not a proper Valentine's present

 

Chas says...

No, there's a lot of bollocks talked by you. Scottoiler make claims they
can back up, and countless users swear by them, me included. You're a
poor troll who showed his hand a little too early in the game, into the
killfile with you.



--
Lozzo
Triumph Daytona 955i SE (Black with added black bits)
Suzuki Bandit 600S (Green with added shit bits)
Yamaha SR250 Delusion (It's "Special")
I'm a modern man, I don't mind buying tampons, but apparently they're
not a proper Valentine's present

 

About 30k. If memory serves neither of the first two chain
replacements required a sprocket set too. One time, certainly, I
desperately needed a new chain (it was hanging loose and I was about
to embark on a trip) but I couldn't get one in France because all the
dealers would_only_ sell them in C&S sets. Consequently I'd have to
order one specific to my bike, which would take some days. At least
two of the shops I tried tried to use the 'but the sprockets will
always need replacing too' argument but both agreed on inspection that
they did not. I eventually sourced a chain at a German main
dealer[1][2][3] and got it fitted at my local decent bike shop (Yammy
dealer).

So basically: "Triumph Sprockets in "Not Made of Cheese" Shocker!'

[1] Same one who replaced Wik's on the Italian GP run.
[2] Who could supply, but not fit it on a Saturday morning.
[3] And who also had the sprockets in stock but agreed that it would
be pointless to replace them.
--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
\`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3 (slightly broken, currently missing)
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10
`\|/`
`

 

I hate to rain on your parade, but you're talking bollocks.

There is a bearing surface between chain rollers and sprocket teeth as
well, you dimwit.