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Same chain, different slack?

Afan

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The chain on my 2013 NC700X was a bit loose. Or a bit more than "a bit loose".
I followed the directions from the Service manual, and a couple of videos but something's happened I don't understand. While most of the chain was to loose, ine part was "perfect". I tighten the chain up so now the most of the chain is ok, about 1 1/3 inch, but now, the "suspicious" part of the chain is so tight almost no slack at all?!?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/mENWUUJZGLg6jofH7

When I run the wheel, it will stop, forcibly at one moment - probably related to the "tight" chain

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZtXGpKbNPzE1fafN7

The bike has ~26K miles, the chail and the front sprocket replaced at ~12K miles, 3 years ago.

Ideas?
 
It is common advice, when a chain is getting late in life, to check the chain slack in many different positions of rotation, in case the chain has kinks, or it wore unevenly. Does your have visible kinks in some of the links?

If you want to get a few more miles out of that chain, adjust it for some slack at the tightest point, while other sections will possibly be much looser. Then keep close eye on it. I’ve ran some pretty kinky chains near the end of their life. I’ve been known to milk maximum miles out of chains and tires, but eventually it gets really wacko and you just gotta replace it.
 
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It is common advice, when a chain is getting late in life, to check the chain slack in many different positions of rotation, in case the chain has kinks, or it wore unevenly. Does your have visible kinks in some of the links?

If you want to get a few more miles out of that chain, adjust it for some slack at the tightest point, while other sections will possibly be much looser. Then keep close eye on it. I’ve ran some pretty wacky chains near the end of their life. I’ve been known to milk maximum miles out of chains and tires, but eventually it’s get really wacko and you just gotta replace it.

Is it worth to try to squeeze the last drop from the chain and then eventually screw up something else? The chain looks ok to me, not (many) kinks. But, I'm novice in this game... :)
 
Is it worth to try to squeeze the last drop from the chain and then eventually screw up something else? The chain looks ok to me, not (many) kinks. But, I'm novice in this game... :)
It’s your call. Other than the chain, I don’t see how anything else could be damaged. You got 14,000 miles out of the chain, so that’s not too shabby. The bike still goes where you want it to go, right? Get a new chain on order, and replace it when it gets too wacky.
 
My guess is somehow you made a mistake during adjustment and didn't notice it until tightening the axle nut.

With the axle nut COMPLETELY loose, you must make sure the tire is pushed forward, as those crappy oem axle adjusters are a terrible design. Not sure why they didn't design this bike with axle blocks like sportbikes. Well I know why, because boxed swingarms and these adjusters are cheaper to make. Nonetheless, you must make sure the tire is pushed forward while checking slack, and monitor the tires position while turning the nuts on the adjusters, making sure everything is in it's place as it would be once tight.

Only check chain slack on the bottom in between the front and rear sprocket (in the middle). Take your finger and lift up on the chain, if you can lift up on the chain around 1.5", it's perfect. That goes for most any chain driven street bikes. No matter what the manual says. Chains are better to be ran looser than tighter. Unless your chain is slapping and making excessive racket while riding, it may not have even needed tightening. One thing is for sure, do NOT ride it with a tight chain. Make sure you get it adjusted correctly before riding.

Also, I'd recommend buying a cheap alignment tool that clamps on the rear sprocket to help with alignment. Play with it until it aligned as straight as possible and has the correct amount of slack in the chain.

Also, if you are working on the bike with the rear tire in the air (either on jack or center stand) while adjusting the chain, note that the chain will tighten a little bit once it is sat back down on the ground, as the rear suspension will compress slightly, but it's not a lot. Just make sure while it's in the air, the chain will deflect around 1.5", maybe even a little more, tighten everything up, and you should be good to go. The chain cannot get tighter just from tightening the axle nut, so you had to have it adjusted too tight before you tightened it up. Good luck, and report back if anymore questions arise.
 
My guess is somehow you made a mistake during adjustment and didn't notice it until tightening the axle nut.

No. When I was cleaning the chain, when turning the wheel, I found that one part of the chain, a feet or two, would not follow the line of the rest of the chain, it would kinda half an inch go higher than the rest. But didn't do anything.
Last Saturday, after I got home from a ride, about 400 miles, when cleaning my bike, I found that the chain is a bit loose (about 2"), and that the slack is not the same for whole chain. On one section the chain is much tighter then the rest.. Then I was trying to tight the chain- I thought it's gonna fix everything, but 4/5 of the chain was ok, 1/5 of the chain was super tight.
Check the videos I posted.

Only check chain slack on the bottom in between the front and rear sprocket (in the middle). Take your finger and lift up on the chain, if you can lift up on the chain around 1.5", it's perfect. That goes for most any chain driven street bikes. No matter what the manual says. Chains are better to be ran looser than tighter. Unless your chain is slapping and making excessive racket while riding, it may not have even needed tightening. One thing is for sure, do NOT ride it with a tight chain. Make sure you get it adjusted correctly before riding.
Yes, I did everything correctly. Still have the issue with the section of the chain.

Also, I'd recommend buying a cheap alignment tool that clamps on the rear sprocket to help with alignment. Play with it until it aligned as straight as possible and has the correct amount of slack in the chain.
I have it, and I used it.

Also, if you are working on the bike with the rear tire in the air (either on jack or center stand) while adjusting the chain, note that the chain will tighten a little bit once it is sat back down on the ground, as the rear suspension will compress slightly, but it's not a lot. Just make sure while it's in the air, the chain will deflect around 1.5", maybe even a little more, tighten everything up, and you should be good to go. The chain cannot get tighter just from tightening the axle nut, so you had to have it adjusted too tight before you tightened it up. Good luck, and report back if anymore questions arise.
Yes, the bike was on the centerstand, and I adjusted the chain around 1.5", as you mentioned.

What are the "symptoms" of the stretched chain?

When that "stiff" part of the chain is around the rear sprocket, it would kind of stop the wheel - please watch the second video, @0:16. Why is that happening?

Also, while watching the 2nd video, is it my imagination or not all links of the chain are the same?
 
On some motorcycles I have owned, a chain being at the end of it’s life was determined by measuring it’s length over a certain number of links. The manual would say the chain has reached it’s service limit if the distance across, say 20 links, had reached over XX millimeters. So if you wanted to find out exactly why and where this chain is uneven, you may be able to measure the length over different sections of the chain to prove why the tension varies.

But, we both know that would be a waste of time, because ultimately you just need to replace the chain when it becomes unusable. BTW, what brand and model is this chain?
 
On some motorcycles I have owned, a chain being at the end of it’s life was determined by measuring it’s length over a certain number of links. The manual would say the chain has reached it’s service limit if the distance across, say 20 links, had reached over XX millimeters. So if you wanted to find out exactly why and where this chain is uneven, you may be able to measure the length over different sections of the chain to prove why the tension varies.

But, we both know that would be a waste of time, because ultimately you just need to replace the chain when it becomes unusable. BTW, what brand and model is this chain?

520 Pro-Street VX2 Series X-Ring Chain - 112 Links - Natural Steel, Manufacturer: D.I.D, DID 520VX2 X 112FB , as somebody suggested 3 years ago, like OEM sucks or something.
IS this stil "the best option", or in meantime there are new kids on the block?
 
I have installed nothing but VX2 chains on my NCs. I have been satisfied with their quality for a chain at that price point.
 
I have installed nothing but VX2 chains on my NCs. I have been satisfied with their quality for a chain at that price point.
Do you think there is a difference between VX2 and VX3?
 
Do you think there is a difference between VX2 and VX3?
Here is the marketing fluff. You'd have to decide for yourself:
  • Upgraded from the DID 520 VX2 chain, the DID 520 VX3 X-Ring chain fits a wider range of street, ATV, or off-road applications up to 800cc
  • New "Direct Energy Transfer" gives you amazing throttle response due to D. I. D. State-of-the-art technology to increase the chain's rigidity
  • Features greatly improved seal performance due to increased X-ring retention and durability
  • Average tensile strength of 8, 210 pounds, Weight (kgs/100 links) = 1. 52 (3. 35 pounds).
 
Here is the marketing fluff. You'd have to decide for yourself:
  • Upgraded from the DID 520 VX2 chain, the DID 520 VX3 X-Ring chain fits a wider range of street, ATV, or off-road applications up to 800cc
  • New "Direct Energy Transfer" gives you amazing throttle response due to D. I. D. State-of-the-art technology to increase the chain's rigidity
  • Features greatly improved seal performance due to increased X-ring retention and durability
  • Average tensile strength of 8, 210 pounds, Weight (kgs/100 links) = 1. 52 (3. 35 pounds).

So, the same product, different packing

Thanks
 
So, the same product, different packing

Thanks
I agree. To me, when they said a new drive chain feature was "Direct Energy Transfer", with amazing throttle response, it sounded pretty phony. That's the best they can do?

Yep, same chain, new name.
 
lol. It's a chain. Direct energy transfer is what it does. If they had discovered even a 1% increase in power transmission they'd have the entire bike & industrial chain market sewed up.
 
1. a lánc száraz, nem mozog
(hullámos)

2. nc motor rossz járás, a 6. fokozatban jól érzi magát
a lánc jobban nyújtódik egy helyen, a lánckerék is rossz kopás, csak a hajtás teljes cseréje lehetséges
 
1. a lánc száraz, nem mozog
(hullámos)

2. nc motor rossz járás, a 6. fokozatban jól érzi magát
a lánc jobban nyújtódik egy helyen, a lánckerék is rossz kopás, csak a hajtás teljes cseréje lehetséges

Gondolod, hogy az első lánckerék is rossz?
 
The chain on my 2013 NC700X was a bit loose. Or a bit more than "a bit loose".
I followed the directions from the Service manual, and a couple of videos but something's happened I don't understand. ....

Ideas?
Adjusting chains is both and Art and a Science.

This deep secret I figured out a few years ago. Uneven tension as the wheel is rotated is caused by sprocket-wear. A few years ago on a Chinese quad - the chain displayed the inconsistent tension when rotated; I decided to replace the chain but keep the old sprockets. When I installed the new chain it did the same thing until I changed the sprockets, then put the old chain on the new sprockets and the tension was still consistent which confirmed the problem was caused by worn sprockets.

Also, the manual for an Stihl "Farm Boss" chainsaw said to rotate the chain and find the tightest spot and adjust the tension there and when the loosest spot was too loose (chain was sagging and not touching the bar) it was time to replace the chain and possibly the bar.

And... motorcycle manuals from the 1980's said you needed to rotate the chain and find the tightest spot and perform the adjustment there. This language seems to have been eliminate from "modern" bike manuals along with the requirement that rider be seated on the bike with the kickstand up to confirm proper tension because rider weight and rear shock spring preload affect chain tension.

I believe chains sufferer from three things:​
1. Adjusted too tight
2. not lubed often enough and / inferior lubes [gear oil is proven to be the best lube and chain wax the worst].
3. not adjusted often enough.
 
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