Chain tension adjustment

It's been a long time. Thrity years ago I told a RUB riding a
shovelhead that he could save money by flipping his sprockets over and
he was horrified by the thought. He said that he trusted "his"
mechanic to do all work on his Harley.

 

Or my personal favorite, a small $1 Ace Hardware
carborundum grinding wheel chucked into a drill.
Useful for destroying damn near anything quickly.

 

I'm baffled here. Just cut through the chain on the lower chain run.
What's stopping you? Are you seriously saying you can't get to the
chain?

 

Hello again,

If mine don't straighten out by lube and riding, I'll de-grease a kink
and either straighten or trash the chain.

Considerable time and money involved in that.

Years ago I beefed up the super-structure of my garage, mounted a monster
eye-hook, and used a chain and hoist to get a bike off the ground. I
likely need a stabilizer to keep it still. May make one one of these
days.

And I, also, have seen a shop or 2 like that.

CBR to Vega? Kinda like taking a space-ship from Mars to Pluto?

I had a '73 Yama vert-twin that got similarly neglected for years.
Finally sold it in '06 to someone who shoulda treated it right.
Miss it to this day.

Thx,
P

"Law Without Equity Is No Law At All. It Is A Form Of Jungle Rule."

 

If you truly remember the layout of the old (original) CBR600, you must
know a trick.

I'm listening. How?

P

"Law Without Equity Is No Law At All. It Is A Form Of Jungle Rule."

 

And are YOU seriously saying that method is somehow better than one 2 second
whack with bolt cutters?.....or even 30 seconds or so with a moto tool.

In my experience, trying to cut a chain with a hand operated hack saw is a
jerky, frustrating process.....even if it is out in the open where you can
get at it.

 

No. Just that it's simpler than the rather complicated system that the
poster Puddin' Man envisaged. Which, in case you've lost his posting,
involved a stack of bricks or a cinder block, a screwdriver with tip
ground sharp , a large ball-peen hammer and some chisels.

I quite agree that a set of bolt croppers or a power cutter will be
easier. But if you haven't got either, a hacksaw will do just fine.

 

This is, of course, the clinching argument

 

A pitcher is worth a tousand woids:

http://img401.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cbrchain.jpg

One needs at least 10" of saw-stroke to get anything done with a hacksaw.

Things that are obviously in the way:
Wheel and tire
Plastic chain guard (part of fender, methinks)
Mount ass'y for peg and shifter

I could turn the saw upside down and try to cut across an entire
link. Would this be a rational course of action?

Seriously, if I had a good portable moto-tool and attachment, there
would be no question of approach. I don't have such "implement of
destruction". Oughta but don't.

P

"Law Without Equity Is No Law At All. It Is A Form Of Jungle Rule."

 

Geez, does No one own a chain breaker??

 

I've seen a few internet videos of big bolt cutters cutting supposedly
impenetrable security chains with about three vigourous pushes. If
that doesn't cut a big bike drive chain, I know what I'm going to do -
use an old drive chain to lock up my scooters.


Around here, the hip thieves go to the home improvement store, boost a
battery-operated Dremel, go outside and charge it up while the
civilians pass by, then cut out the nicest bicycle in the rack.
Vancouver-area police have a minority of competent member so pick
easier targets to arrest, preferably just ticket.

 

Jesus, I'm thinking you are mentally defective now.

Yes, you cut across the link, at an angle of 90 degrees to the chain
run. Through the sideplates. What on earth else did you think you were
supposed to do? And you cut through the lower chain run, like I said.

 

*Waves*

You need quite a heavy duty one for big bike (600cc+) chains, mind you.

 

Not yet. 8^) Note the "YET" got to finish restoring the Titan
first...reminds me have to get a hold of Sundial and see how they want
some bits shipped. I'll only need a 520 chain iirc. Steel sprockets
mean I can go through several chains before I need sprockets. What?
Doesn't everyone STILL rotate sprockets?

 

One little thing: however you cut the chain, if you're going to
replace the sprockets too, personally I'd loosen the front sprocket
nut first. It means that you can then cut the chain & take it off,
then the front sprocket will come off easily. Put the new sprocket on,
put the new chain on, then torque up the front sprocket. I'm assuming
here that the bike has a conventional nut on the countershaft, not one
of those oval retainer things.

 

Last I checked, my front sprocket was just fine, wasn't badly worn nor
tearing up any of my new chains, so no, I haven't figured that out.

 

Took time, yes, but the stands trailer stands/jacks were cheapies, the
kind that sort of stack on each other. I think JC Whitney sold them. My
neighbor used to hang bikes from his garage with a series of chains and
come-alongs. Looked like a scene from Hellraiser.

I almost sold the CBR this past summer for a few hundred bucks, when gas
prices were almost $5 a gallon and people were clamoring for
motorcycles. Even though I rarely ride it, I just couldn't do it,
sentimental reasons. It was my first vehicle and rode it for 6 years
before getting a 4 wheel bucket. It still fits nicely in my garage, and
only costs about 150 bucks to own a year (registration and insurance
combined). Seems my front sprocket is currently gnawing on my chain so I
should probably fix that before I take it for a spin again.

peace

 

Might have signed some dumb kid's death warrant?

It was similar with the Yama. Had it longer than any vehicle I've owned, 29
years. But it didn't run right for the last 9. Supposedly insurmountable
fuel/air mixture problem (a thousand curses on the Dishonorable Mr. Mikuni).
Sold it to a young guy (with full knowledge of the problem) that was riding an
old BMW, knew what he was about.

3 choices:

1.) Use it.
2.) Lose (i.e. sell) it.
3.) Watch it deteriorate over time.

If the CBR is basically solid, methinks I'd whup a sprocket on it and ride it
when the route would be fun for a CBR. Ride the Vegas when the route would be
fun for a Vegas. The 2 bikes have obvious strengths and weaknesses.

Pax,
Puddin'

"Law Without Equity Is No Law At All. It Is A Form Of Jungle Rule."

 

It's gotta nut, no problem.

Thanks for the tip.

P

"Law Without Equity Is No Law At All. It Is A Form Of Jungle Rule."