I have to tighten my chain AT LEAST every 500 miles >:(

[shinyribs]

10 hours ago, pattonme said:

might want to try one of these:

http://www.ekchain.jp/product/

 

EK makes Firepower chains.

 

https://www.btosports.com/p/ek-chains-firepower-x-ring-chain

 

His 525FPO chain is an o-ring and has a tensile strength of 9,000lbs. That's not a cheap chain. 

 

 

 

@AlbatrossCafe  I'll admit I put a DID on my 07, but I have Firepower on two dirt bikes that see a LOT more abuse than any street bike. They're fine. Being sold a "cheap chain" was not your issue here IMHO. I would carefully inspect your chain tightening technique, but like you and Rick both brought up, you obviously got great mileage on your first chain with whatever you are doing. 

[shinyribs]

47 minutes ago, pattonme said:

rubbish. those teeth are hooked. It's 50 bucks for a set - for crying out loud rip and replace with new.

 

Also EK chains are good. RK chains are shet. Do not buy!

My riding buddy with 30k miles on his RK chain may disagree. It's a 530lb bike fully loaded with luggage, too. But out of honest curiosity, what issues have you personally had with RK chains?

[r1limited]

1 hour ago, AlbatrossCafe said:

But really it is NOT rust and is actually the oil from inside the chain that has completely leaked out.

If grease and oil leaked out of that chain that bad then that chain is shet and worthless dont care who made it. 

1 hour ago, AlbatrossCafe said:

Dude told me that WPS is actually the "house brand" of EK chain. So theoretically, they should be the same thing...

Not exacty, bulk rate chain may be built by differing OEMs such as EK and sold down stream but the materials used may be cheaper.  I can give you example in electronics as well, Linksys was a great product until Cisco purchased them, Belkin builds most of Cisco lower line products aka Linksys, Belkin is fing cheap ass shet, under performing CPU slow ram, bad manufacturing.  Oil is another, ya maybe Castrol blends for cheaper oil brands but the differnce is blend it is a shet blend.  Demand they replce it with a real chain.

[faffi]

Sounds like a defect chain, either due to lack of hardening of pins/rollers or seals not sealing. If it was typical for the brand, they would not last long. Tried to contact the manufacturer?

[rick]

could just be yer camera angle causing some artifact, but the valleys between the teeth do not look symmetrical. A picture more square on to the sprocket would help.

 

Nice that they are replacing the chain. I would still have a look at the front sprocket. It spins more per mile. Combine that with fewer teeth working at any given time, the front sprocket will wear much faster than the back. For all you know, a faulty front sprocket took out the chain.

 

Considering how bad that chain is and how quickly it got there, I think I would replace both sprockets, regardless of how "good" they look

 

  

 

 

 

[pattonme]

8 hours ago, shinyribs said:

My riding buddy with 30k miles on his RK chain may disagree.

Maybe RK have gotten better over the last decade but the RK wore considerably less than the EK - like half the miles. I generally get 25k+ out of a chain. The RK was finished by like 15.

[AlbatrossCafe]

Well since shop has told me they will replace chain/sprockets on it for free, I decided to say "f*** it" and continue commuting on it since everything was going to be swapped out very soon anyway.

 

Now I'm hearing a sound I've never heard. Only happens when chain is unloaded (AKA when I am not on the throttle). Don't think I'll be riding this anymore until the chain/sprockets have been replaced lol

 

 

[pattonme]

something is quite wrong with that. Suggest you stop riding until you (or the shop) can definitively identify and fix.

[YZEtc]

If you ever find any cause or remedy, please report back here.

[rick]

A broken chain can just fall harmlessly to the ground like a snake, but really bad things can also happen if a chain breaks while riding. 

 

Yep, park it until it's fixed. 

[r1limited]

12 hours ago, rick said:

A broken chain can just fall harmlessly to the ground like a snake, but really bad things can also happen if a chain breaks while riding. 

 

Yep, park it until it's fixed. 

It can also take chunks out of a perfectly good leg

[shinyribs]

18 hours ago, AlbatrossCafe said:

Well since shop has told me they will replace chain/sprockets on it for free, I decided to say "f*** it" and continue commuting on it since everything was going to be swapped out very soon anyway.

 

Now I'm hearing a sound I've never heard. Only happens when chain is unloaded (AKA when I am not on the throttle). Don't think I'll be riding this anymore until the chain/sprockets have been replaced lol

 

 

That chain is telling you to pull over. Be safe, duder. 

 

If the shop is gonna warranty the chain for you and install it, that's cool. But too has happened in that drive for me to reuse the sprockets. If they're not gonna give you new sprockets I'd buy them myself. I don't know what your toolbox looks like, but I'm sure it's a job you can handle. 

[shinyribs]

35 minutes ago, r1limited said:

It can also take chunks out of a perfectly good leg

And bust up/destroy engine cases. Or lock rear tire and put you on the ground. 

 

A bad chain can turn a good day to real phucky real fast. 

[r1limited]

23 minutes ago, shinyribs said:

And bust up/destroy engine cases. Or lock rear tire and put you on the ground. 

 

A bad chain can turn a good day to real phucky real fast. 

Bad Chain

Bad Chain

Whutcha Gonna Do

Whutcha Gonna Do

When it breaks on you

[AlbatrossCafe]

On 5/12/2018 at 5:36 PM, shinyribs said:

That chain is telling you to pull over. Be safe, duder. 

 

If the shop is gonna warranty the chain for you and install it, that's cool. But too has happened in that drive for me to reuse the sprockets. If they're not gonna give you new sprockets I'd buy them myself. I don't know what your toolbox looks like, but I'm sure it's a job you can handle. 

They are gonna do sprockets and chain, all covered. Great shop. I'll probably tip them some beer money or something. Hopefully sometime this week. I HATE driving to work, especially when it is nice here in WA (rare that we have such good riding weather!)

[shinyribs]

I drive a 14' Grumman step van for work. I feel your pain.