Can I confirm one thing? Allen and Kurt, you both mention sprockets. I was under the impression that I was replacing the chain before it ruined my sprockets. If I were going to replace the sprockets anyway, the skinflint in me would be tempted to just keep riding, since I would never know that something was amiss if I didn't get down on my knees and squint at the little arrow behind the axle. I've seen diagrams of "OK" and "replace" wear patterns on sprockets since I was a kid. If the teeth on my sprockets look symmetrical, am I good with just a chain?
I don't have a dremmel; I'm wondering if there's a cutting tool I could just put on my electric drill. About the clip-on master link, I put 30K miles on my first CB550K back in the 80's but never had any chain issues. Maybe I could chance a master link on the new chain I buy. On Friday, July 6, 2012 3:05:44 PM UTC-4, EGrider wrote: > > First of all, thanks to all who offered suggestions on my trip up the Blue > Ridge Parkway. I couldn't get as far up north as I wanted to at the request > of the person sitting behind me, but we loved the trip, rain and all. We > made it to Blowing Rock, NC before looping over into TN and down through > US129 into GA. > > I just checked the chain after all the miles I put on the bike (1996 750 > Nighthawk), and the indicator is back in the "replace chain" range. So I > checked the illegally downloaded shop manual I've got and found that I need > to buy a 525 110-link chain. A quick check of Ebay, Bikebandit, etc. shows > me I can spend between $25.95 and $185 for a replacement. I put a $30 chain > on my 1978 CB550K (my Sunday afternoon bike) and it seems just fine, but I > don't ride that bike states away with the Mrs. on the back. > > Question #1 How much should I spend on a chain to get one of stock > quality? The bike has 24K miles on it now; I bought it with 13K. If that is > the original chain and I can get another 24K miles out of the next one, > that is fine with me. I might not put another 24K on it. Advice? > > Q#2 How do I get the old chain off when the new one comes in? Strangely, I > don't find instructions for this in the shop manual at all, and I didn't > find it on Paul's how-to's or a Google search. I do not find a master link > on the old chain at all, and I've cranked it around slowly, checking both > sides. Do I take off the real tire, undo the back left shock, and slip it > off the rear pivot arm? Bolt cutters? Hacksaw? And if the new one has no > master link, what then? > > I hate to be such a newb, but thanks in advance for any and all advice. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/nighthawk_lovers/-/eMZEWVLuy2YJ. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en.
