I'll be sticking with the 530.

As an aside, some may remember that, when I first took delivery of my 14R, I was complaining about a lateral offset on the chain run. That is, the front and rear sprockets did not align up over the length of the run, front to back.

I bough a tool, and measured the offset (it seemed like alot), but I could not convince anyone at KAW that it was important enough safety defect to consider as a warranty repair. Everyone I spoke with said "Just Ride It".

So, the cycle has over 19K miles now, and the chain shows the offset wear. The "widening" of the pitch, over time, also has a lateral feature. The chain roller-to-sprocket interface has worn a non- 90 deg "valley" into the rear socket, as seen from the side of the rear sprocket teeth.

If I look at the rear sprocket from directly 90 deg opposite from a tooth, I can visually detect an offset worn at an angle into the pitch valley between teeth. I'm estimating it's 10-15 deg offset. ie: It's a significant amount.

But, it does not appear to make trouble for anything, or make the cycle unsafe. There's never been a moment where I did not have complete confidence that the chain was staying on. The chain slack is not enough, in any swingarm position, to give me anxeity about that chain coming off.

I ignore the problem, now. I'm just giving a "long term update".

I should also mention that the chain itself is in great shape. I expect many more miles service from it, but I will be replacing everything as a set (chain and sprockets), when it's time.

I'm dreaming up a way to detect this offset with string.

Stay tuned'inn.

Never heard of this kind of misalignment using the factory hash marks....???It should have...ZERO misalignment.None of mine have ever worn a sprocket as you are saying.Always lined up the marks...or the chain for that matter...if it's actually wearing the chain...it's not safe.I wouldn't chance riding it with it doing that.Is it possible for the bearing(s) and spacers inside the axle to shift?Maybe it(the axle)got pushed in and caught on a lip in there forcing a a collar to move just slightly?IDK.Still...wouldn't the hub spacers keep it aligned?You don't suppose maybe the spacers are on the wrong sides of the hub do ya?There is a depth difference...and it isn't very much.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 11/11/2014 @ 7:03 PM *

If your axle is adjusted to the same mark on both sides, my guess would be the swing arm is not straight. Either the pivot is not square to the frame or the arms are bent. Never heard of such a thing before.

If I look at the rear sprocket from directly 90 deg opposite from a tooth, I can visually detect an offset worn at an angle into the pitch valley between teeth. I'm estimating it's 10-15 deg offset. ie: It's a significant amount.

I think ya could rule out bent swingarms...or worn pivot shaft bearings.It's a 2012...Meb would have to be riding with a chain totally too tight,or bangin the rear end into some serious concrete abutments to damage the arms OR that pivot shaft area.You haven't DONE that have ya Meb;)?This sounds strangley like the spacers are on the wrong sides.????I know...I know...you know how to remove yer wheel there and get er back up and runnin;)...I did just that one time...got the spacers in wrong...I didn't ride it like that...I caught it...but I did see the misalignment looking down the chain run....that's what caught my attention.

This sounds strangley like the spacers are on the wrong sides.????

This would have had to be done at the factory, and then pass inspection at my service center (I took it to them, they confirmed the offset is present, and told me to "Ride It". The OEM service center for the west coast was then contacted, with my local service mananger "in the loop", and they said "Just Ride It").

So, the mis-alignment has been there since day 1, and I already have a tool (which the service manager used and confirmed) that shows the offset is present.

I'll be looking very closely at the parts stack-up when a new chain gets installed (soon, I now have the tool selected and on-order).

Thanks for the ideas, guys. These are helpful to me, they inform about what I should be looking for.

... but, I will look at the spacer placement. Thank You!

If I understand you, you are saying there is wear across the bottoms of the sprocket tooth valleys across the face of the sprocket? That would not be normal wear. Is the ware only on one side of the sprocket?

So, I'll try again to describe: Like this: Looking *through / across* the rear sprocket teeth, from the sprocket side, from directly / 90 deg., across / through teeth.

From that view, the "normal" wear pattern should be a straight edge and surface across the face of each tooth, 90 deg to the side of the sprocket, from one side of a tooth across to the other side (the far side :) of the tooth. "The face" is defined as: the surface area offered by the tooth that engages each chain roller. *That* face.

OK, now, the abby-normal wear pattern that I see is: The same tooth face is not 90 deg (perpenducular) to the sprocket side. It is, instead, offset by ~10 deg. Said a different way, I have to look, not perpendicular "through" the teeth, but instead I have to look at an offset through the teeth to view a 90 deg tooth surface.

That offset that I see across the sprocket teeth agrees approximately with the amount of offset I see down the chain run, from front to back sprockets. Those offsets are approximately equal.

...and, the chain appears to be wearing normally. I see no abnormal wear across the chain rollers (but there's a strong case that I dont know what I'm looking at, or looking for. I dont have "calibrated eyeballs).

I see, the sprocket is cocked so the rollers have worn the sprocket teeth more on one side of sprocket than the other. seems to me it should work fine once the sprocket teeth are worn to the chain but I guess I would want that fixed.

If the swing arm is not crooked, I would suspect the sprocket carrier (coupling cover) is not fitting properly. Is the coupling cover all the way in or do you see a gap between the wheel hub and the cover?

You might straighten the offset by having the inside of the sprocket machined so that sprocket fits closer to the coupling cover....or if you need to make the sprocket farther away from the coupling cover, you could shim it with some washers. Just an idea. You'd be the first one I've ever heard of that did such a thing. i wouldn't be too keen on being the guinea pig on this.

Or, maybe the wheel hub is too wide or too narrow. A new wheel would correct that.

Or, is the output sprocket to far from the engine? There is a washer under it and if that was too thick, That would cause the output sprocket to be too far away from the motor and cause sprocket misalignment. It would have to be quite a bit thicker than usual for that to be the problem. You are supposed to change that washer when you change sprockets. A new one should solve the problem if the old one is too thick. Maybe they did not install the lock washer when they put the sprocket on? It's about 1.5 mm thick. That might cause misalignment.

One trick you can use is to get one of the lazer tools used to make a straight line, it will project a long red beam. Align the beam on the top of your chain run so it sits on the joint where the two side plates meet and then look for mis-alignment down the run of the chain. I have an old lazer pointer that I mounted on a small tripod and then shine down the chain to check alignment after making a slack adjustment or changing a tire, a lot easier than using a string.

, a lot easier than using a string.

My string idea doesn't require raiding the wife's night stand for batteries.

Why aren't you guys simply aligning the adjuster block marks with a mark on the swingarm?If it's in between the hash mark...simply tap a small divit in there with a punch or something(on the swingarm marks area)...AFTER you adjust the chain slack?Long as those two divits(on each side)(or lines)are aligned with the adjuster block line...it's straight.Can't be any other way.His wear is indicative of a misaligned axle.Nothing more.He hasn't abused his pivot shaft bearings or anything else.They aint gonna just 'go bad' from riding.

How many of you align your rear wheel by looking THROUGH the axle and getting the marks lined up...on both sides?Then snugging the adjuster bolts up against the block...and securing that axle nut.It's really that simple.You don't need a lazer or anything to run down the chain length to check if it's even.It WILL be straight and even doing it like the manual says.Wheel alignment(rear)will be right with the front sprocket if ya do it like this.It HAS to be.

On all my 14's...and before...the swingarm hash marks have ALWAYS been dead on with alignment of the rear wheel...maybe in between a mark...but reliable...on BOTH sides.I've never had wear like Meb's describing...that's a rear wheel misaligned from the axle setting(s).

Those plates are 11,000 tensile strength steel.The sprocket?Not even.There may be some polishing on the inside of those PLATES...while the sprocket trough and possibly the teeth will be showing wear on the inside surface and the outside surface(in relation to the canter).Where the plates are hitting it.Since the teeth to the tips are slightly narrowed a bit(across the inside and outside surface...the wear might not be extreme...but it'll be there.On the edges across the width of the sprocket thickness.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 11/12/2014 @ 11:05 PM *

Adjust like THIS...looking straight through the axleNOT like THISTHIS adjustment can change depending on where you're looking at the marks from.And if you're using this way on both sides...your chances of getting it wrong are very good.And it doesn't need to be off by much...about as much as you determined in your post.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 11/12/2014 @ 11:58 PM *

"My string idea doesn't require raiding the wife's night stand for batteries."

Gold...

I'll let you know what I find. I'm thankful for all the considerate, well thought out advice.

"My string idea doesn't require raiding the wife's night stand for batteries."

Gold...

Yeah, Hagrid has the *best* humor.

...and, he trots it out on a regular basis!

Platinum.

* Last updated by: mebgardner on 11/13/2014 @ 7:44 AM *