am replacing these on my vfr 750, in 40 years of bikes,only did once, suppliers have changed? am looking at d.i.d,,,,,renthal,,,,,,etc? can anyone give advice?
Have a look at B&C Express. Very good quality chain kits at sensible prices delivered to your door. Also you order kits for your bike rather than specifying sprocket and chain sizes so the chain comes the correct length; no measuring and cutting required.
As far as the actual job is concerned, what I do is the following;
Change the sprockets first, you are going to use the chain as a means of holding the gearbox sprocket in place, so best use the old chain.
Get a mate to hold the back brake whilst you release the gearbox sprocket nut. I have in the past actually sat on the bike holding the back brake myself whilst using a long breaker bar to reach the nut, but I wouldn't recommend this lol.
The nut will be very tight and turning it will easily turn the engine over before releasing it, so you need to lock the back wheel instead. Just check first whether the sprocket has any locking tabs that need bending flat first. Most Hondas don't have them and rely on a high torque setting instead.
Then after you've changed the gearbox sprocket, use the same technique of holding the back brake to release the drive sprocket nuts. You can do this with the wheel off the bike, but it's a lot easier with it on.
Drop the back wheel out, change the drive sprocket, refit the wheel and then tighten the drive sprocket nuts.
Now time to change the chain. I have done this in the past with big hammers and a metal drift, but it is so much easier with a good quality chain tool.
You'll need to grind one of the links flat first. I tried breaking Roachy's chain without doing this as I didn't have an angle grinder at the time and the chain on the CBR6 is only a 525. However, when the handle of the chain tool started to bend I realised it wasn't going to work lol.
So find the soft link (if you can), this will be identified as having small pips visible in the ends of the pins and turn the wheel until this link is on the drive sprocket where it isn't going to move about. If you can't find the soft link any link will do, but the soft link is easier. Then using a small angle grinder, carefully grind the pin ends and the link plate until it is all flush. Now your chain tool will easily push the pins through releasing the chain.
The bottom run of chain will now fall free. Connect the new chain up to the old loosely using either the old link or the new soft link and pull the old chain through, thus pulling the new chain through the swinging arm and around the gearbox sprocket. A little tip is to make sure the new chain doesn't catch on anything dirty such as the main stand or similar. It is annoying to fit a wonderfully clean new chain only for it to pull through covered in gunk.
Remove old chain completely and join the new chain using the new soft link using the lubricant provided (this goes onto the pins in between the O/X rings).
Then again using your chain tool, gently push the loose plate onto the link, making sure it's on far enough to nip the rings and little more. Much more and the link will become stiff with age. Then finally using the domed attachment on your chain tool, squash the end of the pins slightly to lock them in place.
Adjust your chain, lube and job done.
One last point, before doing any of the above, make sure the new chain is the correct size by wrapping it around the new sprockets. What you don't want to do is fit your new sprockets, then cut your chain in half with a big hacksaw because you can't find your chain tool and then find the new chain is the wrong size. You especially don't want to do this if the bike is your only means of transport and you're at work in the morning.
What the randy frog said.
Except that the VFR of your vintage is a single sided swinger so at least you can keep the wheel on and won't have any alignment issues. Lucky bugger.
I'd also like to say: tool, fnarrr, lubricant, fnarr
Ghostie is right about the alignment issues thing.
I had a 1995 VFR myself and thinking about it, if you remove the rear wheel, you could take the opportunity to dismantle, clean and lubricate the chain adjustment mechanism within the rear hub as this can stick.
A good online supplier is a company called WIZBIZLTD, they do a SSS x ring gold chain, with JT sprockets. good chain cus I've used them for years. Good advice given on the post, best one always undo the front sprocket nut first before anything else
thanks all, good advice , all taken on board, I went with SSS from wizbiz, thanx to canyoutameme note to Matt..its still possible to buy chains without 'o' or 'x' rings !!
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