Hi All,

When rotating the rear wheel, just found my chain is loose in areas and tight in others.
Time to be replaced.
So I'll do the sprockets as well.

Any recommendations on whats the best brand to use is and how many teeth I should be looking at.
Or just stick with OEM?

On a side note, just found all this yesterday while adjusting and lubing the chain.
When rotating the wheel it does get quite tight in a particular area.
I have a ride planned for 2 days on Wednesday (probably around 1200km with very fast sections).

Am I going to be okay on this chain till I replace when I return?

Thanks guys.

First off stick with an O-ring or X-ring chain for the street. Ring chains are basically a sealed chain and prevent intrusion of crud in to the bushing which makes them last a LOT longer in everyday riding. If you are happy with your gearing then stick with what you have. Buy a name brand chain and sprockets such as D.I.D and you won't go wrong.

FWIW...I replaced front,rear and Chain all at the same time this go round.Mine has a couple or 'tighter spots' along it's run....I'm riding it...no problems that I can see.Probably install an OEM rear this winter...supersprox stealth on there now...never noticed any tightness with the factory rear...IDK....I take good care of my chains....the front is a driven steel 17T.I think factory works best probably.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 10/26/2014 @ 8:54 PM *

Grn, I can't quite make out what brand you installed.

Whose brand did you select to install for the chain and sprockets?

I think thats what the OP is asking...

Thanks,

On a side note, just found all this yesterday while adjusting and lubing the chain.
When rotating the wheel it does get quite tight in a particular area.
I have a ride planned for 2 days on Wednesday (probably around 1200km with very fast sections).
Am I going to be okay on this chain till I replace when I return?

As long as that's NOT the spot the chain is at when you hit a big BUMP in the road!! LOL JK...unless your chain is really overdue for a replacement, chances are it will just stretch if you overtightened it.

Is it REALLY that much tighter at the tight spot?? I had a tight spot on the OEM sprockets and it was at the most just a couple cm different than the loosest spot. You adjust with the chain at the tight spot if you have one. That way, it shouldn't stretch.

If you really want to play it safe, measure across the number of pins specced in the SM. If you're past the limit on chain stretch, you prolly want to stay away from stretching it any more.

Grn, I can't quite make out what brand you installed.
Whose brand did you select to install for the chain and sprockets?

I have used Vortex and AFAM aluminum rear sprockets. Both 45 tooth. I have used SuperSprox 17 tooth front. Don't go with an aluminum front. It will wear out in no time (so I was told). Vortex is probably aboutt he lightest one you'll find. Both my aluminums have worn pretty well. I had 12,000 miles on the Vortex and still looks serviceable but some wear. AFAM looks good but only a few thousand miles on it. I guesstimate i will get 18,000-20,000 miles out of an aluminum sprocket.

45 tooth is not that noticeable from stock at low rpm believe it or not. Yeah, you notice it but it's not like you will flip the bike because you have the extra teeth. It will take off with a little less clutch and it will roll along at an idle a little bit easier. Once rolling, you feel the extra pull. High rpm, that's where you really feel the shortened gearing come into play. The best way to describe 17/45 is like you down shifted (so you might ask why not just downshift??? Yeah, why?). It runs about 500 higher at normal street riding revs. I like it. If you do a lot of touring, it's gonna drink up a bit more gas and it's gonna be running at a higher rpm than you need much of the time on the higway. I like it though. Better for wheelies and feels a bit more racey. I really noticed it after riding with it for a while and then comparing it to the busa which has stock gearing (a tad shorter stock gearing than the stock 14). 45 tooth won't kill ya. Don't be afraid of it. I actually was somewhat underwhelmed at first.

OH--my vote is for EK ZZZ chain. Lighter than stock and just won't wear out. I never adjusted it at all with new sprockets installed at the same time. Also, a bit lighter than stock. Don't know how DID weighs in but the stock chain was DID and it was heavier. EK had a very nice spacer included with mine for safe riveting of the chain.

* Last updated by: Rook on 10/29/2014 @ 3:57 PM *

Yup...Driven steel front....Supersprox rear.EK chain.The big one;).The tight spot(s)...maybe two along the run.Nothing extreme...just a bit.Still has play in it at those spots.Next time...Kawasaki front...Kawasaki rear....factory chain brand.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 10/29/2014 @ 5:28 PM *

Can you get an Enuma chain in a straight length? If you get it from KHI it'll be endless.

You'll have to drop your swingarm.

Ended up getting JT sprockets with standard 17/41 (non alloy) with top of the line RKM Takasago chain.
A bit expensive but worth it.

I have another friend who has tried many many different sproket brands over the years.

He tells me the JT brand is his current favorite for sprockets.

Hagrid:

Don't know how DID weighs in but the stock chain was DID and it was heavier.

Can you get an Enuma chain in a straight length? If you get it from KHI it'll be endless.

I've never heard of Enuma, and I think I read conflicting info from you and Rook (he believes OEM is DID brand).

I dont know either way which it is, and maybe it was both. They could have switched brands over time due to ? (Cost?)

I think I also read that a new OEM chain would be endless, and so I assume from that, that it's not a good idea to break it open and then put it on, and then re-link it. (That is, instead, correct "best practice" installation would be to drop the swing arm). That seems like alot of work to install a chain, much more than typical installation of a straight peice of chain. That point seems to drive up the installation cost (my time costs, too, if I'm doing it) for an OEM chain.

Do I read that right?

No...you do NOT have to break the chain...it comes with a set of links...two I think...for installing and THEN creating the 'endless link' chain.You don't remove any chassis parts...LOL...you funny Meb;)Two extra links...in case ya screw up installing the first one...nice of em really;)

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 11/4/2014 @ 8:09 AM *

My wife thinks so, too! Oh, wait, was she being sarcastic? I dunno :)

The chain that came on my bike WAS a DID. It says DID, JAPAN and 50ZVZ on the outer link plates. The 116 pin DID was 1.5 oz lighter than the 118 pin EK. Make the EK 116 pin and I'm guessing it will come in the same weight. I think it's a better chain though.

* Last updated by: Rook on 11/4/2014 @ 8:44 AM *

Thanks very much for your patience with me, all.

@Meb:

Repeated from the '12 service manual page 2-14:

- final drive: chain
- type: endless EK530RMX/3D
- manufacturer: ENUMA

Chapter 11-6 deals with chain replacement. It details using a press to rivet the master so I was partially wrong: a new OEM chain would probably be supplied in a straight length with rivet master(s).

oop, i was talking Gen1 again. Hey, if they switched to EK for the Gen2, maybe they thought it was better.

If you buy a chain that is already riveted, the only way you'd get it on would be by removing the swing arm (as you mentioned). If you're into lightweight, the ZZZ has lightenning holes in the outer plates. They have come up with an upgraded ZZZ with some sort of fancy outer plate since I bought mine. dragking found the newer one to be heavier than the old ZZZ.

No worries, D.

In the traditional Japanese fashion, we may find that ENUMA manufactures EK, DID, and RK chains. Different marques... all of them from the same automated press.

When i chain shop I first select the correct pitch and then consider tensile strength. Just about every purveyor recommends their strongest chain for > 1400cc engines... usually exceeding 10,000 psi.

"a new OEM chain would probably be supplied in a straight length with rivet master(s)."...they are.Even my EK had two masters with it.If I recall...all my other chains replaced from 07 on had the master links packaged with em."Endless" means...endless including the link to MAKE it endless.Otherwise...it'd be labeled...###link chain.

When i chain shop I first select the correct pitch and then consider tensile strength.

Hagrid, when you mention pitch, I think you're referring the the 520 numeric value. I dont know what the number means. Is that the pitch you're referring to?

IDK what the number means either except that the higher the number, the thicker the chain/sprockets. The Gen1 ZX-14 has a 530 pitch stock chain/sprockets and I would bet the 14r is the same. I thought about converting to a smaller pitch but others convinced me it was not safe enough for the 14.

Converting chain pitch is something that might be worth considering if rotating mass reduction is of importance. The ZX-14 sprockets and chain are 530 pitch. Liter bikes are using 525 pitch chains and sprockets and may be enjoying a significant reduction in rotating mass (I have been told about 1.5 pounds less) over the larger sport bikes. Some companies (Vortex, for one) will convert ZX-14 sprockets to 525 pitch. Boosted liter bikes are making as much torque as a 14 without converting to 530 pitch sprockets. I stayed with 530 pitch. That seems to be what most other owners have done regardless of riding style.

Yup, I meant 530. Thanks, Rook...

Only difference between 525 and 530 chain is the INNER width, pitch, which is the distance from the center of one pin to the center of the next, is the same. A 525 has an inner width of 5/16" and a 530 is 3/8". The outer width is determined by whether the chain is an "O" ring chain or not, have to have extra width for the rings to fit. Tensile strength for 525 and 530 chains is approximately the same. No real advantage gained by switching from 530 to 525.

Liter bikes use the 525 due to the narrower width and trying to keep everything as compact as possible

* Last updated by: Rktsled on 11/8/2014 @ 8:51 PM *

If it amounts to a lb or more of rotating mass, I'd call that a small advantage. You prolly wouldn't notice it by the seat of the pants. It all ads up though. I might look into converting to 525 some day. I'm sure the sprockets will wear faster if they are thinner. Maybe a tooth would be more likely to break?

* Last updated by: Rook on 11/9/2014 @ 6:42 PM *

Rook you'd have to have a pretty highly calibrated butt to notice the difference in rotating mass! LOL

Yeah, no weight loss mods were a big eye opener all by themselves. It's more after several have been done that the effect is noticeable. To me, it's best gauged by comparing to a bike that has not had the weight reductions. I still like to go for every ounce as long as I feel it's safe.

@Meb: yes, that was to which I refer.

As posted, the difference betwixt 530 and 525 pitch is roller width. It's easy to see the wider rollers, while heavier, deliver extended service life due to larger contact area under equivalent load.

If you go the 525 route expect shortened service life.