Expected life of drive chain?

Yes and no, if you can do what you say with a chain it is well past its sell by date.

When a chain is buggered it can fail without notice.

Andy
 
Dellortoman said:
If you swivel your head around quick enough when that happens, you might see the chain slithering along the road behind you like a snake.
Click to expand...

I remember one time when I'd put the connecting link clip on the wrong way, thinking "She'll be right" and discovering there actually is a reason you have to put it on the right way. I heard a little "tap" from the swing arm and a second or two later saw a chain descending from a great height onto the road ahead of me. But about the time I saw the chain landing I was worrying about trying to get the bike back into gear, it had mysteriously dropped into a false neutral. Or so I thought until put 2 and 2 together  :D.
No harm done, I put the chain back on (fortunately had a spare connecting link), no worries after that.

Ken
 
Cosi, I can only think it came off the back sprocket and shot up and forwards. Yamaha 650 (XS1B or F), I really don't remember what the chainguard looked like but obviously it didn't wrap around the sprocket like most do, there certainly was no damage done to it. I think I was very lucky  :D. I was 19, bad things only happen to other people when you're that age.

Ken
 
Shit, don't know about measuring things, all those numbers were giving me a headache. I have always pulled the chain off the rear sprocket (at 3.00 or 9.00 o'clock depending on which side the bike drives), over 1/4 inch and it's about time to change, sprockets I look for wear, pointy teeth etc. Change sprockets every other chain, advice given by my granddad, still works for me; he died 28 years ago so may now be a little little out of date.  :)

I do remember the day he told me off for being stupid regarding chains; we took one of my Ducati 24 Horrors, he held it out horizontal in his hand, side ways against the side plates, it bent past 90 degrees  :o He proceeded to tell me all the nasty things that could happen if it broke, still remember that. Of course you couldn't say anything like that now, you'd be done for... oh never mind.

Maitland.
 
I had a mate (long deceased) who had a Ducati Mike Hailwood Replica.
Nice bike, apart from unbelievably shoddy finish and iffy reliabilty.
Anyway, one day I got a letter from him (email hadn't been invented then)
Roger belonged to the zero maintenance school of biking, not a good thing if you ride a Ducati.
He had been riding along at his standard go to the pub speed (180 km/h = 115 mph) when the engine seized solid.
 
I had a mate (long deceased) who had a Ducati Mike Hailwood Replica.
Nice bike, apart from unbelievably shoddy finish and iffy reliabilty.
Anyway, one day I got a letter from him (email hadn't been invented then)
Roger belonged to the zero maintenance school of biking, not a good thing if you ride a Ducati. He wouln't replace a chain until it started skipping on the sprocket when he accelerated.  :-X
He had been riding along at his standard go to the pub speed (180 km/h = 115 mph) when the engine seized solid.
The back wheel locked up, and he was facing a very high speed tumble.
Firtunately, the chain was so shagged that it broke at this point, freeing the back wheel and saving his bacon.
Moral of the Story: if you are going to neglect maintenance, make sure you neglect EVERYTHING!  :D :D :D

Regards to all

Steve
 
andychain said:
Long Eaton.

Also rode in OZ I think but fell out with another rider over a girl.
Click to expand...

:o :o Other riders and girls: Both things are as much trouble as each other.

Although, it is better to have sex with a girl, rather than another rider (IMHO).
 
I get some flack from a riding buddy for using an "old" machine for long tours.  I say Kudos!  to Andy for undertaking a ride of considerable length - and using his Laverda as it should be ridden!
 
Made it home yesterday - all went well.  Managed just under 7500 km on a loop through BC, Washington, Oregon, California and Montana.  The chain needed only one adjustment - looks like my worries on the chain life were for nothing.

But now I have other issues to resolve over the winter.  Compression is low on my #1 cylinder, the rear brake master cylinder has sprung a leak, a few electrical glitches cropped up and the POR-15 tank liner has started to come off and plug my carb jets (I think caused by the ethanol in our gas here). 

Plan is to tear the bike down to the frame and do a complete rebuild/refresh... i have a long list of things I want to change/improve before the next riding season hits.
 
A ride of 7500 km on Laverda definitely shows some some fortitude, bet most of the rest of us can't say we do those sort of distances.
 
That was my last long ride on it.  Have come to the painful realization that I prefer more comfort for the long haul.  Having to choose between having the headlight on or the heated vest gets to be old very quickly after the sun sets.

Will rebuild the 1200 this winter and keep it for use on those shorter weekend rides, while finding something a bit more "boring" to ride on the long trips. 

Thinking a big KTM or Ducati might be the ticket for touring... 
 
During your rebuild spend some money on the suspension, get a gel pad fitted in the seat and fit a Redax/Saches ignition and alternator kit. You can then ride along in comfort on your Laverda with the hot vest and the lights on, at the same time!...for a fraction of the cost of a Ducati or KTM.


    Keith
 
I have a couple of clever tricks to avoid the problem of having the heated vest and lights on at the same time.

1. I avoid riding at night (other than in city limits) because I don't like dodging kangaroos and other animals. Most of Australia's animals come out at night and are too stupid to get out of the way.
2. I don't own a heated vest, heated hand grips, or any other form of artificial heating. Don't find them necessary, even in Tasmania. I use the same heat retention system as whales and seals - a generous layer of blubber  :D

Cheers,
Cam
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top