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Chain Slack


Guest Black Knight

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Guest Black Knight

My NC has only done just over 300 miles from new, and already the chain has too much slack.     It's certainly more than the correct 30mm Honda recommend (It's probably more than double that!!).

 

IMHO, I think the chain should'nt really need adjusting until it's first service at around 600 miles.

 

I can only think that it was not checked under the PDI?  Has anyone else experienced this?

 

I would normally adjust the chain myself, but I hav'nt got a centre stand at the moment so it's not going to be easy for me!

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One thing I have found interesting, what with me being a chain newbie and having compared to NC chain with the CB - The NC's chain looks like it could barely cope with a small child's pedal bike, wher

If you want to know the correct method of adjusting your chain August BIKE mag page 111 has a walk through on chain adjustment. The NC is done with the bike on the side stand and not on a centerstand

I quite like the Tutora Oiler, it's fairly basic and is easy to fit & set up by yourself, there' no complicted wiring to worry about and prices are reasonable.

Guest Lockon2

My NC has only done just over 300 miles from new, and already the chain has too much slack.     It's certainly more than the correct 30mm Honda recommend (It's probably more than double that!!).

 

IMHO, I think the chain should'nt really need adjusting until it's first service at around 600 miles.

 

I can only think that it was not checked under the PDI?  Has anyone else experienced this?

 

I would normally adjust the chain myself, but I hav'nt got a centre stand at the moment so it's not going to be easy for me!

You could be right and the chain was to slack in the first place, I did not need to adjust mine before its first service - I think if you set it to its correct adjustment now and then see what happens, hopefully all will be OK.

Ref adusting the chain the book shows that this is done on its side stand and this is how I did mine, only takes 10 mins to do. With ref to chain slack I just did a 1600 mile trip and it did not need adjusting on my return, also the slack is min 30mm max 40mm.

Happy tinkering.

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My first chain was a nightmare.  My second one has been really good, only needing 4 adjustments in 6k.  Not sure if I had a dodgy chain first, but I also now have an oiler.  Would not be without it now.

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Guest Black Knight

My first chain was a nightmare.  My second one has been really good, only needing 4 adjustments in 6k.  Not sure if I had a dodgy chain first, but I also now have an oiler.  Would not be without it now.

 I must admit that in the past, most of the bikes that I've had, the chains did'nt need adjusting until around the 1000 mile mark.  I might consider fitting an oiler though.

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ddazzler64

My first chain was a nightmare.  My second one has been really good, only needing 4 adjustments in 6k.  Not sure if I had a dodgy chain first, but I also now have an oiler.  Would not be without it now.

 

 

 

My first chain was a nightmare.  My second one has been really good, only needing 4 adjustments in 6k.  Not sure if I had a dodgy chain first, but I also now have an oiler.  Would not be without it now.

 I must admit that in the past, most of the bikes that I've had, the chains did'nt need adjusting until around the 1000 mile mark.  I might consider fitting an oiler though.

 

what type of oiler people?

i have been using that chain lube 41HnlYfj6TL._SY355_.jpg

thoughts appreciated...

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Guest billc700s

If you want to know the correct method of adjusting your chain August BIKE mag page 111 has a walk through on chain adjustment. The NC is done with the bike on the side stand and not on a centerstand which could make a slight difference when checking slack.

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Guest Black Knight

 

My first chain was a nightmare.  My second one has been really good, only needing 4 adjustments in 6k.  Not sure if I had a dodgy chain first, but I also now have an oiler.  Would not be without it now.

 

 

 

My first chain was a nightmare.  My second one has been really good, only needing 4 adjustments in 6k.  Not sure if I had a dodgy chain first, but I also now have an oiler.  Would not be without it now.

 I must admit that in the past, most of the bikes that I've had, the chains did'nt need adjusting until around the 1000 mile mark.  I might consider fitting an oiler though.

 

what type of oiler people?

i have been using that chain lube 41HnlYfj6TL._SY355_.jpg

thoughts appreciated...

 

I quite like the Tutora Oiler, it's fairly basic and is easy to fit & set up by yourself, there' no complicted wiring to worry about and prices are reasonable.

  • Like 1
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Guest motorboy

If you want to know the correct method of adjusting your chain August BIKE mag page 111 has a walk through on chain adjustment. The NC is done with the bike on the side stand and not on a centerstand which could make a slight difference when checking slack.

The swing arm is full extended either side stand or center stand so either way is good.Depending on how hard you twist the throttle the chain(if you have a good one) will take a set(first adjustment) any where from 500 miles to 2000 miles and than should stay there for many thousand miles.On the NC I find closer to 30mm-35mm makes the bike smoother  than 35mm-40mm. Chains vary in slack so make sure you adjust at the tightest spot on the chain

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  • 3 weeks later...
ddazzler64

spoke to the dealer today about the increase in the chain's slack.  He said that the chain and sprocket were already worn! He puts it down to the excessive toque the bike has at low revs. Added that he had to adjust his 4 times in 500 miles.  I now need to source a good chain and sprocket for him to put on as the honda one will be a few hundred quid.  I will check the site here for advice on what to buy and where.

 

 :/

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I could not find a non OEM one when I looked last year, would be interested to hear if one is available now.

 

Hopefully with my new chain and oilier, that will be a long way off, as mine is holding up very well now.

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Guest motorboy

JT makes oem quality rear sprockets,have not found any front sprocket other than Honda and you can't beat EK SRX X ring chain

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Guest motorboy

JT makes oem quality rear sprockets,have not found any front sprocket other than Honda and you can't beat EK SRX X ring chain

Up date JT now makes front JTF1373 & rear sprockets AFAM has front 15 or16 T 200617

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Todd L.

Dealer told me that I'd have to adjust the chain in the first couple hundered miles and then it should be set. Well, mine hasn't needed to be adjusted once yet. It came adjusted on the tight end of the spectrum, and still is. I even had them check it because I didn't trust myself since it was still good. I lube every 600 kilometers (about 400 miles I think converted). I must be real easy on the bike then, or the conditions I ride in must be good for the chain. My bike didn't need the recall luckily.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest kentishtiger

Todd, I'm like you.

I haven't had to adjust my chain at all, it may have been done during its first service. But now getting on for 4k its still okay, had Kent Motorcycles check it out last week when I had wind deflectors fitted. They said it was fine, I had a scott oiler fitted from new, and also clean and spray it every week too. Maybe I'm just lucky, as I'm new to bikes I don't really know.

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Slowboy

The chain needing adjustment after 3-500 miles is normal in my experience. Mine needed doing at that, and I've only just needed to adjust it again at 5500 miles. I do have a chain oiler (Tutoro automatic) which helps for sure, but I'm pretty pleased with that mileage. Some of my bigger bikes with dead sturdy chains probably lasted to 800 to 1000 miles before needing the first adjustment.

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lipsee

Yeah me too ,I did not have to adjust the chain until about 3000 mLs  ,,but what a faff...it took me ages to get the correct tension and good wheel alignment ...I may invest in a chain alignment tool....

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Guest Biking Fifer

I was getting a weird whistling noise from my chain, it would appear I was not using enough lube (muc-off). Perth mcs made a slight adjustment to the chain (foc) and then re-lubed. They said lube after every wet ride and every 250mls in the dry. I was concerned about over lubing but they seemed to think you can't over lube a chain!!! Will just do it after every tank and that should keep things sweet.

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Well I only use WD40 on my chain with the occasional going over with an oil like 3-1 but that's about it. My chain appears to be in perfect condition.

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Guest Crusty

Well I only use WD40 on my chain with the occasional going over with an oil like 3-1 but that's about it. My chain appears to be in perfect condition.

What with the X being my first chain driven bike, I was overawed with all the contradictory ideas when it comes to chain maintenance. In the end I went down the route of meticulous cleaning and lubrication with the best chain lube I could find.

Did it help? Did it bugger! Chain was toast after 8000 miles.

I really wish I had followed Wozza's routine. I would've saved myself a lot of time, and money!

As it stands, I've put an oiler on my CB and, touch wood, the chain looks brand new. :)

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Guest Biking Fifer

As a total newbie (I had never even sat on a bike 12 months ago) I am amazed about the amount of ideas / methods around chain maintenance, even from the professionals, use wd-40, wd-40 will kill the o rings, oil after every ride, oil once a month etc etc

I am going to persist with more frequent lubing and see how I get on, the chain is about the worst part of the nc experience and even that is not too bad!!

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Guest Crusty

One thing I have found interesting, what with me being a chain newbie and having compared to NC chain with the CB - The NC's chain looks like it could barely cope with a small child's pedal bike, whereas the CB's chain looks man enough to raise and lower Tower Bridge for the next 100 years.....

Obviously the CB is a bigger bike, but the difference was still startling.

Edited by Crusty
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Guest granite

The December 2012 issue of Motorcycle Consumer News, has a very comprehensive article about chains; by Mark Barnes. He says your adjustment should be on the lose side. He spends several paragraphs on getting the alignment just right.

Yes, if you ask 50 people for their opinion about chain maintenance... you'll get 50 different opinions.

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I had to slacken off the chain after the first service - it had been adjusted to give almost no slack which is not good since this can put undue pressure on the output shaft bearing.  After a further 2500 miles it's still fine with the 35/40mm of slack I re-adjusted it to (lubing is by way of a Scott Oiler).

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