Ok guys, that time has come, got to the point that the existing chain is about 3 times it's original length. Gonna have to change it... (mind you, about 17k miles wasnt too bad i spose)
Want to replace it, need advise. Best type? best price? where from? Do i buy linked? "Endless"? what ever?
Not much of a spanner monkey, so need as much info as poss.... (the old one is pretty & gold & looked nice if that helps))
need the size(length) etc etc......
over to you guys
Cheers....
(ps, just realised - i'm on standard sprockets)
Need a new chain....
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essexbloke
- Posts: 656
- Joined: Wed Nov 13, 2002 12:29 pm
- Location: Colchester, England
If you change the chain you should really change the sprockets mate. They wear each other down in a fairly unique way so trying to put a new chain on old sprockets is not recommended. Mine is still running ok but i recently changed the whole lot on the GSXR for a hundred quid (parts) and 50 quid (labour). Got a set from Bandc express, anodised sprocket and Tsubaki gold chain. It hasn't rusted a bit and i ride it in any weather (not a fair weather biker 
) and the whole thing looks awesome.
I really reccommend that you get the whole lot done and that you get a garage to do it. I tried doing it myself but got nowhere!!
Good luck
) and the whole thing looks awesome.I really reccommend that you get the whole lot done and that you get a garage to do it. I tried doing it myself but got nowhere!!
Good luck
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essexbloke
- Posts: 656
- Joined: Wed Nov 13, 2002 12:29 pm
- Location: Colchester, England
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Stormin Ben
- Posts: 1234
- Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2002 12:23 am
- Location: Birmingham
Can vouch for the B&C stuff
And can also point you in a cheaper direction for EXACTLY THE SAME STUFF
Steve@paddockstand.co.uk
T: 01476 408309
M: 07960 953535
Below is his price chart (compared with B&C prices)
Nice bloke, great service and before you ask, absolutely nothing to do with me!!
>>Hi Ben,
>>Right here we go.
>>Part Code
>>Retail Inc Vat (B&C's prices)
>>Our Price Inc Vat
>>Difference
>>530-AP-104 (530 pitch, 104 link Alpha O-ring chain)
>>£57.04
>>£51.43
>>-£5.61
>>530-APX-104 (530 pitch, 104 link Alpha X-ring chain, gold)
>> £62.75
>> £56.47
>>-£6.28
>>315A-530-16 (16-tooth front sprocket)
>>£19.41
>>£17.46
>>-£1.95
>>240-530-43HA (43 tooth rear sprocket -hard anodised)
>>£34.19
>>£30.77
>>-£3.42
>>240-530-44 (44 tooth rear sprocket -alloy)
>>£28.44
>>£25.59
>>-£2.85
>>Total
>>£201.83
>>£181.72
>>I realise that you don't want all of this so let me know which parts >>you want and I will get on it. A direct comparison is £94.48 + PP >>Which I will do for free.
NB standard rear sprocket is 41 tootha nd would require a 102 link chain, not the 104 link I ordered to go with the larger rear sprocket
Ben
And can also point you in a cheaper direction for EXACTLY THE SAME STUFF
Steve@paddockstand.co.uk
T: 01476 408309
M: 07960 953535
Below is his price chart (compared with B&C prices)
Nice bloke, great service and before you ask, absolutely nothing to do with me!!
>>Hi Ben,
>>Right here we go.
>>Part Code
>>Retail Inc Vat (B&C's prices)
>>Our Price Inc Vat
>>Difference
>>530-AP-104 (530 pitch, 104 link Alpha O-ring chain)
>>£57.04
>>£51.43
>>-£5.61
>>530-APX-104 (530 pitch, 104 link Alpha X-ring chain, gold)
>> £62.75
>> £56.47
>>-£6.28
>>315A-530-16 (16-tooth front sprocket)
>>£19.41
>>£17.46
>>-£1.95
>>240-530-43HA (43 tooth rear sprocket -hard anodised)
>>£34.19
>>£30.77
>>-£3.42
>>240-530-44 (44 tooth rear sprocket -alloy)
>>£28.44
>>£25.59
>>-£2.85
>>Total
>>£201.83
>>£181.72
>>I realise that you don't want all of this so let me know which parts >>you want and I will get on it. A direct comparison is £94.48 + PP >>Which I will do for free.
NB standard rear sprocket is 41 tootha nd would require a 102 link chain, not the 104 link I ordered to go with the larger rear sprocket
Ben
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essexbloke
- Posts: 656
- Joined: Wed Nov 13, 2002 12:29 pm
- Location: Colchester, England
Excellent info - thanx....
Been thinking....
I'm on standard gearing, interested in making it a wheely monster.... do i go up a tooth on the front?
or the back? or down?
If so, what chain will i then need????
(ooh this is all getting confusing)
Can anyone give a list of req'd chain against gearing sizes? + what gearing does what to performance?
Been thinking....
I'm on standard gearing, interested in making it a wheely monster.... do i go up a tooth on the front?
or the back? or down?
If so, what chain will i then need????
(ooh this is all getting confusing)
Can anyone give a list of req'd chain against gearing sizes? + what gearing does what to performance?
IMHO DID chains still on top reliability-wise....I never managed to get any other make chain on any bike work longer and withstand wear better than DID X-rings...
As for sprockets- if you can get hold of Honda-branded oneswith required number of teeth - they are IMHO best quality and most wear-resistant and often have a rubber "stabilizer" around to make chain less noisy.
But funniest part of this dillema was that first time when I went to Honda official dealer to get quote for sprockets + chain kit I found that it was WAY cheaper than cheapest aftermarket I found. Mind, it is the case in Belgium, I have no idea how it is in UK and AU, heard from my Hornet's Nest mates that Honda consumable parts prices higher there?
In Belgium set of sprockets and chain Honda-branded DID is about 116-120 Euro.
As for sprockets- if you can get hold of Honda-branded oneswith required number of teeth - they are IMHO best quality and most wear-resistant and often have a rubber "stabilizer" around to make chain less noisy.
But funniest part of this dillema was that first time when I went to Honda official dealer to get quote for sprockets + chain kit I found that it was WAY cheaper than cheapest aftermarket I found. Mind, it is the case in Belgium, I have no idea how it is in UK and AU, heard from my Hornet's Nest mates that Honda consumable parts prices higher there?
In Belgium set of sprockets and chain Honda-branded DID is about 116-120 Euro.
4 wheels moving body, 2 wheels moving soul
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Stormin Ben
- Posts: 1234
- Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2002 12:23 am
- Location: Birmingham
OK, here goesessexbloke wrote:Excellent info - thanx....
Been thinking....
I'm on standard gearing, interested in making it a wheely monster.... do i go up a tooth on the front?
or the back? or down?
If so, what chain will i then need????
(ooh this is all getting confusing)
Can anyone give a list of req'd chain against gearing sizes? + what gearing does what to performance?
To increase acceleration at the expense of top speed
Increase the rear sprocket
or
Decrease the front sprocket
NB Dropping one tooth off the front sprocket is roughly equivalent to increasing the teeth on the rear by 3
Each tooth increased on the rear will reduce top speed and cause speedo to over-read by 2.4%
ie if top speed at the redline on standard 16/41 = 150mph
then top speed on 16/42 = 146mph
But speedo will still read 150mph (except they are way more inaccurate than that and will probably be indicating 165!!
)As far as chain length goes
Change of a single tooth will not have a massive effect on the standard chain length (102 links) However, its worth noting that increasing the rear size will shorten the wheelbase and make the bike slightly nimbler.
I added +2 to my rear sprocket on a slightly worn chain and it was at min on the chain adjuster (ie very tight to the front swing arm)
This meant that while 010's were fine, more track orientated tyres (208GPa's and Rennsports) fouled my hugger
I recently fitted new c&s kit and went for the longer chain (104 link)
With the +2 rear sprocket (43 tooth) the adjusters were very close to max and I wasn't happy that there'd be sufficient adjustment as the chain wore so I swapped for a +3 (44 tooth) and its now smack in the middle and the tyres don't foul the hugger
As a result the bike is lovely and frisky, picks up the front off the throttle easily in first and by cracking it open in second. However, it is slightly higher revving which TBH I only noticed on the motorway when I kept going for another gear til I got used to it.
Consequently I get maybe a couple of miles less on a tank than I did before
Hope this answers more questions than it raises
Ben
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essexbloke
- Posts: 656
- Joined: Wed Nov 13, 2002 12:29 pm
- Location: Colchester, England
Ok, so then, according to my calculations.... to turn it into a wheely monster =
Standard front sprocket = 16t
Larger rear sprocket = 44t
(Q - adonised = looks nice but wears quick?)
get a 104 link chain, (i'm running D207's) for plenty of room for adjustement.
Is that right?
Ps, type of chain??????? O ring?, X ring? Gold? what is the best reccommened type - i was told maybe X ring?
Am i right in assuming i'll need specialist tools to fit the chain? (i can get hold of a breaker)
That just about cover it all then....
(ta)
Standard front sprocket = 16t
Larger rear sprocket = 44t
(Q - adonised = looks nice but wears quick?)
get a 104 link chain, (i'm running D207's) for plenty of room for adjustement.
Is that right?
Ps, type of chain??????? O ring?, X ring? Gold? what is the best reccommened type - i was told maybe X ring?
Am i right in assuming i'll need specialist tools to fit the chain? (i can get hold of a breaker)
That just about cover it all then....
(ta)
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Stormin Ben
- Posts: 1234
- Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2002 12:23 am
- Location: Birmingham
Yep, anodized is fancy coloured but not as tough as a steel one. However, it weighs a lot lessessexbloke wrote: (Q - adonised = looks nice but wears quick?)
get a 104 link chain, (i'm running D207's) for plenty of room for adjustement.
Is that right?
Ps, type of chain??????? O ring?, X ring? Gold? what is the best reccommened type - i was told maybe X ring?
Am i right in assuming i'll need specialist tools to fit the chain? (i can get hold of a breaker)
That just about cover it all then....
(ta)
So the compromise is hard anodized.
Costs £5 more
X-ring is supposedly superior to O-ring due to twice the number of seals keeping the lubrication in
Costs £5 more
Tools. Not really. Due to the design of the Firestorm you don't need to remove the swing arm to fit the chain.
I took my chain to my local dealer who rivetted it for me FOC (Only takes 30 seconds with the right tools) NB you may have to explain to them that you CAN fit the chain after they rivet it coz its not normally the case for most bikes
I then took it home, removed the old one and fitted the new one to the bike myself in 10 mins
Ben
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essexbloke
- Posts: 656
- Joined: Wed Nov 13, 2002 12:29 pm
- Location: Colchester, England
UPDATE TIME.....
been running the new small sprocket and chain for about 500 miles now.... woo hoo... had the desired effect at the front end!!! did wonders for acceleration too.... (yup, just in time for the snow and ice - Doh...)
Hmm fuel consumption.... Big problem this one.... now struggling to get 85 miles per tank....... (could be that i'm still like a kid with a new toy, but jees thats bad)
Otherwise, it's one wheeled fun all the way..............
..
been running the new small sprocket and chain for about 500 miles now.... woo hoo... had the desired effect at the front end!!! did wonders for acceleration too.... (yup, just in time for the snow and ice - Doh...)
Hmm fuel consumption.... Big problem this one.... now struggling to get 85 miles per tank....... (could be that i'm still like a kid with a new toy, but jees thats bad)
Otherwise, it's one wheeled fun all the way..............
..