Chain length

Why is a standard chain so long ? If you look at the below pic you can see this chain could be shortened and joined with a link and still fit .
Now i know you could say :because your chain has streached and therefore longer " BUT
If i was to turn the slide plates around you get even more space .Enough i think for a NEW chain to be shorter giving you a shorter wheel base
and therefore making the bike more agile.


Slider around the other way .If i was to pull the wheel back i would have even more space .


Has Suzuki gone for HIGH speed stability with longer wheel base over nimbleness .? If so i'm buying a rivet link tomorrow .

Mate we were short changed on HP and paint and wire coverings etc so don’t knock the extra chain.
I seem to remember your US nemesis or someone equally as skilled milled up some new blocks way back in the early days to allow for an even shorter chain.
As usual you have stolen another idea but I won’t tell if you don’t

I miss the old man hand though

But as you can see in the bottom pic there is plenty of space already .No need to make anything .
I would just cut the chain and put in a rivet link .BUT

The chain on the bike is a Rk GB50gsvz3 .Nothing i've ever heard off .I would say that exact chain is not available in Oz so the chance of getting a
rivet link exactly the same as a Rk gb50gsvz3 is nill .

I could get a rivet link for a RK 530... neally the same but i would have to cut the original chain to measure it. If is not exactly the same as i expect
i'm stuffed (well the chain is )

Has anyone got an old ORIGINAL chain they have taken off and havnt chucked out yet .Could you tell me the thickness of the pin that
goes through the hole .I need to know the exact size 4.678 kind of thing .Not nearly 5 mm .Its a toughy i know.

Hi Gus,

I get 5.240 mm,

Isnt a 530 chain a 530 chain?

@2wheels: my thoughts too... I'd expect all 530 chains would be o-ring. I don't think you will sacrifice straight line speed at all, what you will get is more of a light sensation in the front wheel under acceleration

The 1250 does have a slightly longer swingarm than the old 1200, but if you ever rode a gen 1 Bandit you'll understand just how twitchy they were.

530 is 530 ? Thing is the manual doent say 530 (numbers above )

Did RK make a chain especailly for Suzuki bandit (cheap for suzuki with a 100,ooo order ) hence the strange number .Which isnt exactly a 53o?

Thank Dek ,now i can measure a 530 rivet link pin and tell .

Bought a rivet link ($9) and all seemed to measure up the same ,so to work /
How it looked standard


With wheel pulled foward and the links i want to remove .


With an angle grinder grind the top of the pins level.


Punch pins through the other side with mammer and punch .


Insert new pin and o-rings .Tap outside and o-rings into place .


This can be awkward .I put a large hammer behind pins and used a small socket extender on the front plate and hammered that.3 hands help
When happy plate is on enough (measure others ) use hammer and punch to spread rivet (with big hammer behind )You wont see rivet change shape



Mark new link so you can keep an eye on it ( just to be sure it hasnt moved ) Adjust chain
Wheel base is now 16 mm shorter.

Couldnt you buy a removable link like this?
would make chain maintence a lot easier

I could have but i dont trust them .Give me a rivet link anyday .

I found that RK chains for bigger bikes ie. ZZR and the Gixer, only had rivet links due to the HP and/or weight. I too used the large decision maker as Gus demonstrated , but ended up buying a chain breaker kit for about $90. Best thing for people without 3 hands, nice n easy.

Gus can you tell me how much play does a chain need when it is correctly adjusted? Have heard 1/2 inch of movement up and down with weight on seat and is what I use but I am forever having mates tell me I have too much movement.
truck

truck wrote:Gus can you tell me how much play does a chain need when it is correctly adjusted? Have heard 1/2 inch of movement up and down with weight on seat and is what I use but I am forever having mates tell me I have too much movement.
truck

I can guarentee you that's to tight.
Might be OK on a race track or stiff sports bike but you need more on a bandit.

set mine @ 20 - 30mm at the centre of the chain on the side stand . this allows for when the bike is loaded up & should leave a little slack when your on the bike

I'm about 25 + mm slack on chain .I hate that job ,thighten axil nut and i get less so have to start all over again . Better a bit loose than tight
i think .Make sure you rotate wheel to see if you can find a " tight spot " on the chain and adjust it at that spot .
I dont measure the slack or anything ,its just "that about right " thing .

Now tension on stearing head bearing not a pleasant job either . I'm always "too tight " bugger "too loose "

workshop manual for 2004 bandit ( this model shouldn`t be much different ) says to use a spring gauge ( kitchen scales will do) and set the initial force to move the bars with the front wheel off the ground to 200 -500 grams making sure the cables aren` t interfering with the whole process . I found the bounce method the best where you bounce the bars from center to side lock with the front wheel off the ground , the bars should swing back to just touch the other side steering lock making sure the cables don`t interfere with the whole process .In the end though you know how your bike should feel & that`s the best gauge .

ps
Just looked it up & this model is also 200-500 grams / it also says that if you are reassembling the steering head you should torque the steering stem nut to 32.5 foot lb & turn the steering side to side a few times to seat it in then back it off 1/4 -1/2 a turn then set your tension as described above.

Like the chain i dont measure it ,its just "that about right " thing .

gus wrote:530 is 530 ? Thing is the manual doent say 530 (numbers above )

Did RK make a chain especailly for Suzuki bandit (cheap for suzuki with a 100,ooo order ) hence the strange number .Which isnt exactly a 53o?

Thank Dek ,now i can measure a 530 rivet link pin and tell .

Interestingly the pin diameter on the DID 530 ZVM2 I put on was 5.365 so the 530 spec probably just covers pitch and width, not the internal dimensions like pin and bush.