Chain Help Needed

Lee Harvey Griswold

Lee Harvey Griswold

XS650 Enthusiast
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Whats a good place where a guy can get a chain, and also if my hardtail is stretched 4 1/2 inches, how long of chain would you guys recomend I get??

Thanks in Advance,

LHG
 
Buy the 130 link and cut Back I got mine from lowbrow customs. You could also go to a Grainger type store and buy it in bulk had a buddy do that too.
 
Lee Harvey Griswold said:
Whats a good place where a guy can get a chain, and also if my hardtail is stretched 4 1/2 inches, how long of chain would you guys recomend I get??

Thanks in Advance,

LHG
Click to expand...

stock is close to a 104 link, I extended mine 3" and with the 120 link chain, I removed 6 links.
I paid $140+ o ring chain
 
I would only run a oring chain for off road or dirt roads. They rob HP becuase of the stiffness and don't affect the wear if your on regular roads and you use chain wax once in a while.
 
Good grief, NO tractor chain. That stuff stretches and BREAKS!!! Really I used it ONCE about a million years ago it is a disaster. I couldn't adjust it as fast as it stretched. Big Jimmie don't run that stuff, please. It's designed to go slow it is not designed for the speed and loads a motorcycle achieves. I did buy some less expensive chain for an XS? from an eBay seller who lives in Wisconsin seemed to be good stuff but I did not put a lot of miles on it.
http://shop.ebay.com/sledpartsguy/m.html?_nkw=XS+650&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_mPrRngCbx=1&_udhi=&_udlo=

Anyway reasonable yes, tractor supply low speed chain no!
Gotta say I wince when I see these long a$$ chains with no chain guards and the riders butt right over it.
 
bassgoat1979 said:
I would only run a oring chain for off road or dirt roads. They rob HP becuase of the stiffness and don't affect the wear if your on regular roads and you use chain wax once in a while.
Click to expand...

no way the hp I supposedly lose is noticeable.
I rode this bike stock and w/ new chain, no way I can feel any difference.
I think its definately a negligable point and it is far outweighed by the nice, non oil slingin o ring style. and I agree with chain wax, good stuff.
 
My chains stretch befor they wear out. I don't fling any more oil than oring either because I wipe of the excess like the can says. (I rarely oil the chain) Personal choice of course, but oring chain was devoloped for dusty & muddy conditions. If you cruise and have an oring check the milage, it adds up. Plus you can get about 3 chains for the price of a oring. If you have money to burn get a oring. Xring if your feelin real froggy.
 
I've got a DID X-ring on my other bike. 6,000 miles so far and the chain (and sprockets for that matter) aren't showing any signs of wear yet. From what I've read, the chain will go 25,000 miles (and that's on a 125hp bike). It doesn't sling anything because I use dry-wax lube instead of chain oil, which is not an option with the non-o-ring chains from what I understand. I spray it down pretty thoroughly every other fill-up, and always after the ride when the chain has some heat in it.

Also, it "stretched" slightly and I had to adjust it after the first 500 miles or so, but since then it hasn't "stretched" at all. Note that the chain doesn't really stretch, the joints between each link wear and allow more play between links. Nothing in the chain is actually "stretching". "My chains stretch befor they wear out." That's wrong... if your chain is stretching, it is wearing out!

You'll end up paying more with tractor chains in the end. Each one is cheaper, but you'll go through them a lot faster. Plus, who wants to be changing their chain every 2,000 miles? Add in the cost of sprockets, and it could be real expensive. Just go with the quality chain and end up paying less over time.
 
Last edited:
I tried some cheap chain from the tractor supply. Put it on new sprockets. Oiled after every ride, while chain was warm to help it soak in. At about 1000 miles it sounde like someone was rattling a can of marbles. Noticeable wear on the sprokcets.
I flipped the sprockets, put the old o-ring chain on. Ran it a few thousand more. No addded wear on the sprockets.
I just put another new set of sprockets and an o-ring chain on. A Sunstar 17 tooth front. A Mike's 30 tooth rear.
The chain is a CC Rider o-ring chain. I chose this chain because a friend ran one on his Harley, a 74 FXE with a 93 inch Shovelhead. He ran the chain over ten years and over 50,000 miles. He put a new one on after the master link clip broke and let the chain fall of as he pulled up to the gas pumps at a fillup. It layed about 20 feet behind the bike. the master link about another 10 feet past the chain.
We checked the new chain against the old chain by holding the ends even and letting them hang down. The old chain was about 1/4 link longer than the new chain.
If it can hold up that well on that bike, then it should do as well on my 650.
 
Sounds like the life I get from standard MOTORCYLE chains. Never tried tractor chain. I don't know about 25,000 miles, but close. Don't have trouble with sprokets either. If you want a oring chain plan on spending $100+ or get a reg motorcycle chain and do reasonable matanance. Just like oil, reg moto oil is fine unless you really have a hatered for changing your oil and want to push it. I wouldn't get tractor chain, it can't handle that speeds at 60+.
 
Oh I didn't plan on running this indefinitely. I plan on getting a reg chain sooner or later, but I want to get everything underway as far as the condition goes.
 
I say, don't go cheap. But a good quality o-ring chain. My experience with standard chain is it needs adjustment all the time, (because it is wearing faster). Years of riding prove this. Pay the extra 60 bucks for longer life and less maintenance. I wouldn't even consider tractor chain, it's made to move very slowly. This is not a place to be economical. To many bad things can happen. It's like brakes and tires. It's a safety issue. My experience is that you end up paying for it later. I see it all the time. Wanna go cheap? Buy a cheap mirror, or something that your ass doesn't depend on.
 

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