Drive chain adjustment 1975 XS650B

[Gordon in nc]

I know some of you are going to roll your eyes when you read this.....I understand completely.

I need to replace the drive chain on my 650B. I've put thousands of miles on motorcycles and ALL of them were/are chain drive so this isn't something new to me. But with the XS Im still at the lower end of the learning curve.

Here's my question. The manual makes the statement concerning drive chain adjustment that both wheels need to be on the ground and the rider in the seated position. Then you adjust to 3/4" slack. This is not an uncommon description for that task for other brands.

Did the XS's tool kit (and others) come with a tiny person that could measure the chain slack while you were seated on the bike? Just wondering.

In the real world........what do you do if you don't have any help?

On some of my other bikes.....I remove the rear shocks and pull the swing arm up so there's a straight line between it and the swing arm pivot.....parallel with the ground. Set the adjustment then hook the shocks back up and measure it again....and use that measurment from now on. On my B model XS I'd probably have to remove the mufflers/pipes to do it that way...plus I have a luggage rack and hard bags attached to the top of the shocks. I can remove all that stuff.....but would rather find an easier way if it's out there.

Again......I'd like to hear what some of you do to complete this task. There HAS to be somebody else out there that doesn't have help in the shop. The only help I have is this keyboard.....and as you've learned by now, I'm not afraid to use it.

Thanks in advance.......Gordon in NC

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

My eyes rolled outta their sockets, can't see to type now.

Har...

Gordo, back in the shop daze, with a variety of bikes, and today, I'd do all this with the bike on the centerstand. I'd lube the chain, then set chain lash to about an inch, adjust brake, tighten axle. Then, come off the centerstand, set on the bike, reach down and twiddle the chain. Usually gets the chain at the right slack. If not, note the required correction, then back on the lift and centerstand, do it again. Repeat.

Then, would remember this "on the lift/centerstand" value for future bikes...

 

[angus67]

Sit in it backwards, then you can get a good look at the chain, and adjust.

 

[gggGary]

ratchet straps are your friend. I also have had to deal with the wife's eye rolls when invited out to the shop for suspension weighting duty. Hint three sacks of horse feed, softener salt, etc. is close enough for chain checking duty. I gotta get going and do the spring check over on the resto mod afor it goes on the van bumper for the trip down to Mountain view.

 

[retiredgentleman]

I've never used "manual instructions" to adjust a chain. 25 years of riding Yamaha motorcycles, and this is my simple way to do it.
Bike on centre stand. Halfway between front sprocket and rear sprocket, I push the chain upwards and measure the slack. I want to see about 7/8" slack. If its out by very much, I adjust to bring it to 7/8". That's all there is to it.

 

[grizld1]

Amen, RG! Guys, unless your laden sag is set too loose due to bad spring selection or insufficient preload, you don't need to get all AR over loading the suspension to adjust the chain. I just set the slack at about 1" with wheels on the ground and nothing on the saddle, and call it good. Tip: use a good sealed chain and you won't have to mess with it as often. See you at Mountain View, Uncle Futzer!

 

[5twins]

Chains often stretch unevenly which means they have tight spots. On the stand, I spin the wheel around, find this spot, and do my adjusting there. Afterwards, I do check it by sitting on the bike off the stand. My chain does get tighter when I do this. I also roll the bike ahead and back a few feet, checking the chain in several spots. I'm looking to find and check it at the tight spot.

 

[MaxPete]

Sit in it backwards, then you can get a good look at the chain, and adjust.

Yes, and that way you can also keep track of whether the brake light is working while you're riding without having to rely on that dippy MamaYama brake light monitoring system thingy on the dashboard.....

OK - I will stop now.

All seriousness aside, I agree with 2M and the other Gurus on the centre stand method. That's the way I did it back in the 1970s on my XS650B and it still works well on Lucille. It is however, a real comment on 1960-70s Japanese engineering that they would recommend such a wacky method as to require the rider to be on the bike WHILE AT THE SAME TIME adjusting the chain tension.

I wonder if the Japanese version of the manual has the same goofy recommendation - or was it just a gag they played on us western gai-jin?

 

[Gordon in nc]

THANK YOU fellows!!!!!!! That's just what I wanted to hear. I'm going to double and triple check the new chain tension. I'll be taking my brother along to the Dogwood and have to get a bike ready for him......he'll owe me a measure or two. I've always kept a close eye on the drive chain.....not sure why but... it's a pet peeve.

I have done the ratchet thing....thanks for that ggg......I'm also pretty AR about wheel alignment and have a set up here to check that. With the indexed swing arm I should be able to set it once using the straightedges......then make note of how well it works with the index.

OH........I was just down in the shop and was checking the cam chain tension ( check another item off the list) and I'll be damned. Yamaha DID furnish me with some help. But that little feller had a grumpy attitude. Ended up walking out on me when I asked him a question. Guess being locked up in the tool compartment all those years the guy needed some fresh air.

NOTE......pay no attention to the ratty frame paint. It WAS covered in grey primer. One of these days I'll get around to it but for the time being....I'm the fellow you park beside to make YOUR bike look better.

Thanks again for the help......it helps more than you'll ever know. Even though you "think" you know you're doing the right thing...it's nice to hear it from somebody else.

I think that little sucker stole my screwdriver????????? Gordon in NC

 

[TimeMachine]

Cheers Gordon lol

 

[kshansen]

NOTE......pay no attention to the ratty frame paint. It WAS covered in grey primer. One of these days I'll get around to it but for the time being....I'm the fellow you park beside to make YOUR bike look better.

Gordon, I bet if you had been lock in that tool box for that long you would not be smiling either!

And just so you know if you ever get to Central New York with that bike you can park next to mine to make YOURS look better! I figure why ride a bike that looks any better than myself!

 

[Bob Kelly III]

kshansen: I think your stragity is flawed fella' you want to ride a bike that looks good so the people don't look at you, throw up their hands in terror and run off screaming..... that's happened to me several times ! so I want a purty bike now ! so people won't notice my ugly mug !
why do you think I ware a full face helmit with the dark visor down all the time..... ? that's another strtigic move on my part ..... see ?
LOL !
Bob..........