Chain change only? Or sprockets too?

[bat-kam 110]

Quick question.

After last chain clear I noticed that several chain links are seized. Bike has covered only 12k miles and sprockets look like new.

I ordered the VX2 X ring chain and sprockets but I started thinking whether to leave the current sprockets and keep the me ones for next change. On all my previous bikes I always changed chain with sprockets but those were in a lot worse state.

What those more experienced say?

 

Kam

[Rev Ken 6,327]

I've always changed both. Why not compare your new sprocket with the old one to see if there is any wear? 

[Guest machinman]

Change all if funds allow, I'm sure there will be some wear on the front sprocket, though it may not be obvious until you compare with a new one.

[danyboy 18]

it's allways the best to change both, chain and sprockets

[bat-kam 110]

OK, once I will get around doing this I will compare the sprockets before I go ahead and change them.

[Rick 236]

in my experience a good policy is to change the front sprocket at 6,000 miles as being much smaller it wears quickly, and then at 12,000 and so on. that way, if looked after the chain and rear sprocket will last 25,000 to 40,000 miles. If the chain has worn out both sprockets have probably had it, as Rev Ken says compare new with old.

[Grumpy old man 4,670]

Hi

My original chain developed tight spots at 8500, I only changed the chain, have got 16500 on the clock now and everything is still looking good. Oh I did fit a loobman at 8500.

[bat-kam 110]

I have brand new Tutoro oiler waiting to be fitted at the same time

[old commuter 87]

I had a new X ring chain fitted and mechanic said sprockets were fine and I didn't need to. Have them changed. He is reliable so left it to them.

[embee 7,288]

Definitely change the front. The rear sprocket gets a much easier life being nearly 3 times the size of the front, much less chain link articulation as it enters/leaves so may well be OK to leave, I've certainly left them on before.

[Guest sykospain]

I'm postponing any chain / sprockets replacement issues on my 12K Km 2015 bike until I save up ......

 

......enough snoojits to be able to buy this Brasilian firm's belt-drive conversion kit !

 

http://www.mmm3moto.com.br/d/honda/kit-relacao-transmissao-secundaria-c-correia-dentada-motocicleta-honda-nc750encomenda.aspx

Edited February 23, 2017 by sykospain

[embee 7,288]

I just wonder how they expect it to deal with the change in length as the suspension moves. Belts are a little more flexible than chains but they still won't take any significant stretch, the reinforcement cords are not intended to extend. A bike which is intended to have a belt will presumably be designed to minimise the change in centre distance, the swingarm pivots as near the output shaft axis as possible, or maybe some sort of tensioner pulley? (I have no technical experience of final drive belts, only camshaft drives).

[embee 7,288]

Just having a look at belt drive info, and found this very interesting item on the Gates belt site regarding "break-in" of CVT drive belts. I bet not a lot of people are aware of this. Not quite the same as toothed belts admittedly.

http://www.gates.com/industries/recreation/powersport

Edited February 23, 2017 by embee

[Guest sykospain]

The experts in belt-drives on motorbikes are obviously Harley & BMW.  Looking at the videos on the Brasilian mmm3moto.com.br website ( left had side pane; - "videos" ) reveals that they know about changes in belt tightness as the swingarm swings, which possibly explains why the smiling baldy who's speaking Brasilian Portuguese to-camera, seems to leave the installed, adjusted belt A LOT LESS TIGHT than the BMW belts are in operation.  You can just about twist the belt in the middle of its bottom run by about 90 degrees.  The belt supplied with the BR kit is a genuine guaranteed Gates 'Polychain' model, about the best-quality and most durable and forgiving drive belt available anywhere.  And the firm does about 20 different kits for a range of chain-driven current bikes.  They're not playing at it, despite the impression given by the rather iffy quality of their vids.

 

 

Edited February 23, 2017 by sykospain

[Guest sykospain]

[temp 359]

My experience of a BMW bike with a belt was that it would pick up damage from road debris so often that it needed replacing more often than a chain and at a higher price.

 

The worry being that the damaged belt would be more likely to fail than a worn chain.

 

I prefer the reliability and efficiency of a chain, and the regular maintenance (like 5 minutes a week) gives me the opportunity to check that area for any other problems too (eg wheel, tyre, brake, shock).

 

Looking forward to hearing how the NC belt and pulleys perform over time.

[Tex 36,816]

Just had dinner with a friend who's excited about the new carbon fibre wheels he's just bought for his BMW S1000R. They save 5kg of (unsprung) weight but cost a hefty £2.3k. Maybe 500 snots to ditch the chain is a bargain after all?!

[embee 7,288]

2 hours ago, temp said:

My experience of a BMW bike with a belt was that it would pick up damage from road debris so often that it needed replacing more often than a chain and at a higher price.

 

The worry being that the damaged belt would be more likely to fail than a worn chain.

 

I certainly wouldn't want to run a belt without a pretty effective stone guard on the bottom run at least.

[Guest Hati]

No getting away from removing the swing arm to fit/replace the belts

 

Would be VERY interested how this would work on on an NC. Keep us posted Alan if you spring for one.

[Tex 36,816]

1 hour ago, Hati said:

No getting away from removing the swing arm to fit/replace the belts

 

 

Luckily it's no big deal on the NC. Some people actually prefer do that to fit and endless chain anyway. On the 800 BMW the crafty Krauts have made it so you don't have to and it's simplicity itself. Honda could have/should have done that too.

[Guest sykospain]

The only slight worry so far in finding out more about this Brasilian conversion kit for changing from a chain to a belt-drive,  is that I'm not overly impressed by the delayed response via e-mail from São Paolo to my initial enquiry for details of the product - pulley dimensions and material, component photos, conversion and fitting instructions, etc.

 

The reply message that came this Saturday morning, following my enquiry of Wednesday, gave the wrong URL - omitting the br suffix, which gives you a '404 Not Found' error if you don't include it...

and the message also said the were manuals available for download from the page, and there aren't.

If I worked in Sales for a little firm like this making such a specialised accessory for a niche market, I'd be on the e-mail server several times a day following up enquiries, and continually niggling the firm's webmaster to keep all the pages bang up-to-date.

Another slight concern is that they take no account of anyone not being able to read / speak south-American Portuguese - 'brasileiro'.

So, not great so far.....

Edited February 25, 2017 by sykospain

[Trev 18,561]

On 2/23/2017 at 22:07, Tex said:

Just had dinner with a friend who's excited about the new carbon fibre wheels he's just bought for his BMW S1000R. They save 5kg of (unsprung) weight but cost a hefty £2.3k. Maybe 500 snots to ditch the chain is a bargain after all?!

 Hope he had a light dinner, don't want to undo all that weight saving by having pud 

[coopers12345 99]

On ‎22‎/‎02‎/‎2017 at 14:44, bat-kam said:

Quick question.

After last chain clear I noticed that several chain links are seized. Bike has covered only 12k miles and sprockets look like new.

I ordered the VX2 X ring chain and sprockets but I started thinking whether to leave the current sprockets and keep the me ones for next change. On all my previous bikes I always changed chain with sprockets but those were in a lot worse state.

What those more experienced say?

 

Kam

 

I changed my chain at about 18k miles, sprockets were fine so I left them. Don't believe in changing something for the sake of it, they should comfortably last the life of this chain and if necessary(probably will be) I'll change them then.

[Guest sykospain]

Still yawning on about this possible project to convert my bike to belt-drive, I realised that to fit a belt it's obligatory to remove the rear wheel, brake, etc., and unmount the rear swing-arm.

So feeling bored on this quiet sunny Sunday afternoon, with no wine to drink 'cos I have a medical MOT to undergo at the crack of dawn tomorrow morning, I've cobbled together a swing-arm removal and bearing service video using some excellent clear footage from Cote Motorcycles of Edmonton, Canada.

U-Toob link to follow when the ¾ Gig-sized durned thing has uploaded.

In case anybody else is interested.

 

Edited February 26, 2017 by sykospain
typos, as usual....

[shiggsy 529]

I though my rear sprocket looked ok until I overlayed it on the new one, then you can see how much of the slopes have worn away.