What the juddering f.... (899 panigale)

[cmaguire]

It might need moving back nearer trickywoo's 10mm than my 6mm, but if the wheel is currently sat where it would be for a new chain then you'll be ok for adjustment range.

Removing a link moves the wheel around 16mm forwards.
I just checked my bike and the chain has been adjusted once from new. Where it sits now I could move the wheel 18mm more before it hit the end of the slot, although the chain would obviously be well shagged by then.

If it adjusts up and doesn't make any snatching noises when the wheel is spun then I would replace it next service

[trickywoo]

cmaguire said:

He might as well try it.
Taking a link out (which I am not suggesting) makes a massive difference to wheel position

Agreed. It’ll be interesting to hear how it all works out.

I think the s1000r has a longer wheelbase than the rr just due to the adjusters sitting further back so if there is range no reason not too.

[BOR]

cmaguire said:

It might need moving back nearer trickywoo's 10mm than my 6mm, but

I think it will be surprising how little the adjusters will need to be moved back to tension that chain - I'd say LESS than 6mm.

Don't forget, moving the adjusters by 6mm takes out 12mm of slack.

I'll take 3mm in the sweepstake.

[thatdude]

How on earth have you not spotted the chain in that state?

Has it never ever been lubricated at all?



Shocking.

[IforB]

Dear God.

Did they fit a chain from a pushbike? To get that sort of stretch after just over 1000 miles is definitely not OK!

On the other side, I hope you've learned a lesson from this, in that not wanting to learn the first thing about maintaining a bike is not smart.
Get some tuition in the basics. Checking oil and fluids, chain care and adjustment and simply spotting when something is wrong. You don't need to be Rossi's crew Chief, just understand the machine you are riding at a basic level.

That chain could have ended you. It has happened many times and unfortunately will happen again. Snapped chains can be lethal. You got lucky.

[thatdude]

Weekly checks; chain, tyres, fluids. Tyre pressures can massivly affect the handling, so get a footpump with a gauge and keep them checked.

[rodericb]

cmaguire said:

trickywoo said:

The adjuster looks pretty far out already and I doubt 10mm+ would tension that correctly.

He might as well try it.
Taking a link out (which I am not suggesting) makes a massive difference to wheel position

I think it'd be more than 10mm. On first glance I thought it'd run out of adjuster but I would imagine there's a fair amount of adjustment there. As you say, I'd be adjusting it first before leaping in to take links out of it. But, everyone seems to want to lower the gearing on their Ducati superbikes with larger rear sprockets so if the OP was thinking of that, I'd do that first!

[CaptainSlow]

Anyone see Dragon's Den last night. One of the entrepreneurs stated that chains need adjusting every 200 miles and that on average that would four times a year.

Dragon Jenny a self-proclaimed biker than understood the issue didn't raise any dispute.

At that rate I'd be adjusting every week.

[catso]

rodericb said:

But, everyone seems to want to lower the gearing on their Ducati superbikes with larger rear sprockets so if the OP was thinking of that, I'd do that first!

Is it possible that someone fitted a smaller front sprocket to do just this? - the budget/quick way to fitting a larger rear as the front costs less, is easier to fit and doesn't require a new chain. This obviously then leaves the chain slacker and although there should be plenty of adjustment, it does require someone to actually adjust it.

Also a smaller front sprocket puts more torque/load onto the chain, making any wear/stretch more pronounced...

[supermono]

I once bought a secondhand 748 and serviced it totally, cleaned and lubed and adjusted chain and embarked on my European trip to Assen for a trackday. Riding it from the trailer near Assen for a ride out, it started skipping teeth after ~50km hard riding. Turns out the chain which had been left neglected by previous owner seemed to adjust up fine but must have been full of hard rust/oil which meant within no time it went from well lubed and adjusted to almost dragging on the ground like the OP's within 50 miles.

So don't be too harsh, it might be possible someone did look at the chain but for some reason it quickly went out of adjustment.

Fortunately I could fit a new chain before enjoying the trackday without further incident.

[thatdude]

CaptainSlow said:

Anyone see Dragon's Den last night. One of the entrepreneurs stated that chains need adjusting every 200 miles and that on average that would four times a year.

Dragon Jenny a self-proclaimed biker than understood the issue didn't raise any dispute.

At that rate I'd be adjusting every week.

So what was he selling? Shaft drive conversion kits?

I've had an FZ1 for a few years now; put on about 6000 miles on it, adjusted the chain twice (it's now been replaced, but that's not the point).

Clean the chain, lube the chain, and it'll last a good 18,000 miles of road riding.

I had 30,000 out of a chain and sprocket set with a scottoiler on my old SV

[naetype]

My chain's not like that.

Fleegle told me to check.

[Richyboy]

I test rode one and the chain was completely rusted. Is it because the chain is basically sitting slightly above the hot exhaust that it needs constant fettling?

[naetype]

Apparently the OEM chains are cack and rust very easily and quickly.

[Biker's Nemesis]

We got a roll of "DID" 428 chain as a favour from a BSB team that we sponsor.

To cut a long story short this roll of chain isn't DID, it's a roll of Chinease sloppy shoe lace that stretches and gets tight spots after 1 day of racing on a motor cross track.

I'll bet my arse you'll have something similar on your doo-cat-e.

[gavgavgav]

just to check as it's hard to see in the pic - was a gold chain fitted & is it really dirty/ picking up old oil from the front sprocket cover? (there is a reason I know this!) This could be simply the mechanic not cutting enough links off the chain & leaving one or 2 too many in when fitting the new chain, as it's only just over 1K old. Assuming the chain just needs cleaning up and oiling, I would count the links and see if you have the right number fitted first.

[Lee540]

Biker's Nemesis said:

We got a roll of "DID" 428 chain as a favour from a BSB team that we sponsor.

To cut a long story short this roll of chain isn't DID, it's a roll of Chinease sloppy shoe lace that stretches and gets tight spots after 1 day of racing on a motor cross track.

I'll bet my arse you'll have something similar on your doo-cat-e.

I had something like this on my Bandit, ruined in less than 6000 miles, cheap ste off eBay

[anonymous-user]

Biker's Nemesis said:

We got a roll of "DID" 428 chain as a favour from a BSB team that we sponsor.

To cut a long story short this roll of chain isn't DID, it's a roll of Chinease sloppy shoe lace that stretches and gets tight spots after 1 day of racing on a motor cross track.

I'll bet my arse you'll have something similar on your doo-cat-e.

stty chains are hard to spot, you don't find out until it's too late. Having seen what a knackered one does to engine cases if it fails, etc I always check and replace them before they are on their last legs.

[Krikkit]

As you bike sages are here, what brands do you recommend for chains?

[catso]

I use DID the ZVMX version, in fact I've got one here waiting to fit to the 916 as the current chain's got a few too many tight spots in it.