Suzuki GSX650F Forum - www.GSX650F.biz

Hey all,
Just a quick question regarding chain life expectancy... I brought my bike brand new just over a year ago, and mechanically, i am very impressed One thing that's come to my attention just in the past 2 or 3 days, is that my chain tension seems to always be needing adjustment. I hadnt ridden my bike for about a fortnight, until the other day, i took it out for fuel and air etc so i could go for a scrap up the snowy's with some mates. Not thinking much of it, i just jumped on and rode off to the servo, and noticed a bit of a delay on power response. I kept on riding, and was on my way home, i was giving it a bit of stick around a corner, and rolled off the power to pull into my driveway, and had a big crack of a power cut. Knowing that this was most likely chain tension or wheel allignment related etc, i jumped off to have a look and found the chain was rediculously loose (i've never had t adjust the chain myself until now, its normally pretty good with keeping tension). All good i thought, i just adjusted my chain, and was all good for the ride. We rode probably about 600 km's on Tuesday (awesome day for it if anyone else was up Tumbarumba/Khancoban way). But when i returned home, i noticed my chain has come slack again. After only 600 odd k's of riding.

My question is... After 14,000 km's of use... is it likely my chain is on its way out? Stretching etc? All my wheels are alligned, my sprocket wear is good... I'm just wondering how far i should expect for chain life... I do ride rather hard as its a LAM's motorcycle, so i ride it like a sports bike, and have to keep the revs up to it to get the performance through the mountains so i an keep up with my mates, and i rarely commute, i just keep it for scrapping and hitting corners... So maybe its natural to only get this sort of life... This is my first big bike, as i used to ride a little zzr250, which obviously evrything lasted for ages on that little beast lol. So was wondering on your experiences with chain life???

Thanks for any help. Mick.

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I'm at 15K miles on my '08, and just now beginning to have to make adjustments. Based on my past experiences, I'd say my chain will need to be replaced in the next 5K miles. So, I'm expecting about 20K miles, which seems about right for this weight/power bike.

Look after it and you'll get 30,000km.

I have more than 26,000 km on mine. I make very minor tension adjustments every 2 months/2,000km. I lube it about 5 times a year, and have never cleaned it.

I would be surprised if the LAMS 650F would have the power to stretch the chain so prematurely, even when ridden hard. Incorrect or insufficient lubing would be my first suspect as this will kill a chain pretty quickly. The chain should not be "rediculously loose" after just 600km. Did you tighten the axle nut to the correct torque?

OP doesn't mention cleaning or lubing at all in the first post...

I've given my chain regular attention and I have a little over 17.5Kmi. May be overkill, but I was told to lube it about every 200 or so miles and to clean it every 600 to 800 miles. I had to adjust it about 5 or 6 times for the first 10K mi. I think I had stretched it out pretty good 'cause I've only had to adjust it twice since. It's ready for slight tightening which will happen when I get the new tire this week or next. The service manager where I got the bike stressed how important this kind of maintenance is along with tire pressure.
Don't know, but I guess I'll plan on changing the chain and sprokets at around 20K mi.
I know I've enjoyed my riding much more than otherwise.
I noticed also that a lot had to do with how hard I was "hitn' it".

A lot depends on the conditions in which you ride lots of blown sand and grit will kill a chain in a short time unless you clean it and lube it every, 600Km is recommended and if conditions are really bad more often. I have 12,000Km on mine and it’s still like new.

Steve

Yeah i did the wheel nut up to the proper specification. And i lube and clean my chain religiously, as i'm in the power transmission industry and know the negative effects improperly serviced and cared for chain can cause (my mates have a great laugh at my obsession with upkeep maintenance and cleanliness lol). I've been riding to work and back for the last 2 days, giving it a caning at every corner/set of traffic lights/hill/roundabout/any area that gives me the excuse lol, and it hasnt appeared to have slackened again. Cant explain it. Most likely human error as these things normally are
Spose ill just have to keep a bit of a closer eye on it for future. Was just curious to see what everyone elses experiences were with chain was all

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First chain under very bad conditions,
lots of sand and 2 winters, just over 13000km

Second chain (DiD), one winter, 24000km.

I just had to have mine changed at 10K miles. It wasn't cared for real well by PO so I knew it would need it eventually. It had some rust and stuff, coulda probably cleaned it and got another 1 or 2 K out of it, but I put 500miles a week on it so now or 1 month from now? I chose now while I was having the front tire replaced.

Up to 8000km I used a Motul Spray can to lube it every 500km. Cleaned it every 2000-2500km.
After that went for the Pro-Oiler automatic lube system. 12.000km past and I only needed to adjust the chain once and looking at the sprockets I probably can @ another 20.000km before replacing. This with dirt/sand and about 1000km wet riding. Just adjust the oiler for a higher lube setting and chain keeps lubricated even if there is standing water on the road.

Gonna put it on my new bike right away.

Don't even O-ring chains need the grit cleaned off of them to reduce wear between the chain and sprockets? The owners manual recommends cleaning the chain regularly. Seems part of the problem is that an oiled chain would also attract dirt. Doesn't take long to clean one, a little kerosene and a stiff brush. I use a grunge brush
http://www.amazon.com/Simple-Solutions- ... B0012TPVC0
Kerosene is recommended by the owners manual as it also lubricates but I use a chain lube too. Total time is 5 minutes to do this every 500 miles or so.