F800Gs chain wear

[markgs]

Hi guys, noticed a odd type of chain wear occurring on my chain...
1st chain lasted me 10k from new. In not the most anal with cleaning and waxing rituals but I do my fair share. The correct tension a always somewhere near as per factory spec (such a big tolerance)
I put the old chain down to just been plain knackerd with these wear points occurring.
Only last week I have fitted 2 new renthal sprockets orig size & pitch and a new 'X' ring super fantastic heavy duty chain (heavy on price may I add)
Within 400 miles in getting the exact same fatigue on the chain as the previous one?!?

Any input or is this just a normal thing with the 800?

Thanks

 

[markgs]

Will post pics when I figure how to add photos off iPhone app???

 

[markgs]

Here are the pics

 

[Micky]

Will post pics when I figure how to add photos off iPhone app???

Dunno Mark ... I use OEM BMW sprockets, DID Gold Professional chain, no Scott Oiler just good quality spray grease .... 30,000 miles before I replace all three, at the same time



Edit ... just seen your piccies ... dunno what you mean about 'fatigued' but that there chain is a non lubed chain

400 miles?

 

[markgs]

I'm not really bothered about the milage on them, I'd never change a chain without doing the sprockets at the same time. It's just I've never come across such heavy wear marks to the point it's wearing the top of the 'figure 8' part of the link off?

 

[markgs]

That chain Micky is 400 miles from been in the wrapper in box. It was lubed after fitting then has been soaked in rain for the past 4 days... I have quite a hefty commute. The wear I'm talking about is the shiny flat spots across the axis of the roller pin

 

[Wal2]

its obviously hitting/catching something.....1st suspicion would be around swingarm area or behind front sprocket cover

still needs some more lube on there though imho

 

[Micky]

Wouldn't worry about the little shiny bits ... they'll not hurt anything. We have chain guides and rollers to stop the chain from flip flopping about ... that's what the shiny bits are about

Ride and enjoy

 

[markgs]

While I'm here then, what's ur tension set on the chain?

And what lube do you use and how often applied?

 

[Micky]

While I'm here then, what's ur tension set on the chain?

And what lube do you use and how often applied?

Ha ... we could discuss all night over a bier or three

Tension as per the book BUT as the chain gets a few miles on it's back it will develop tight spots ...

Adjust when at its tightest ... wheel back and forwards to find. Once you've found the tight spot, bare in mind, that again ....

The chain is at it's tightest when the gearbox sprocket centre, the swing arm centre AND the rear wheel spindle are all in a straight line ... from this position, as the rear wheel rises and falls the tension becomes slackerererer

Better slack than tight ... when you're riding the bike you can tell if too tight or too slack, you should get a feel for it. Too tight mmmm some vibration, too slack and some noise mmmm you do/will get a 'feel' for it

Lube? As and when .... when my chain looks like yours in the piccie it's crying, I'm crying with it ... "Lube me lube me" T'is called mechanical sympathy/empathy

A good quality, none fling, 'O' ring friendly chain spray will be OK, not some feckin' cheap brand though ... currently using Castrol O-R at the mo. Back end of the 'bike cleaner than ya average 1200 no fling, no mess, no probs

Hope this helps ...



Edit ... how often? At the end of a days riding, if the rollers are bright'n shiny I'll give it a woooosh from the spray can, if they are dull from the grease I put the baby to bed and go for a pint

 

[Wapping]

Micky has it spot on.

Love your chain, it will love you back.

 

[markgs]

Ok enough of the 'chain love' lol

I still don't see how a plastic chain guide can wear metal plates down in a few hundred miles?

 

[Micky]

Ok enough of the 'chain love' lol

I still don't see how a plastic chain guide can wear metal plates down in a few hundred miles?

They ain't worn down, they've been made shiny

The shiny bits won't leave you stranded like a 1200 shaft drive that's said "feckit"

Keep it greased, and ride it like ya stole it

 

[markgs]

I shit you not, the last chain I took off was worn down to nearly the rollers. Just at the same point where it's started to wear now . It looked more like a modern cam chain than a bike chain.

Don't worry it always gets a good hiding.

 

[Micky]

I shit you not, the last chain I took off was worn down to nearly the rollers. Just at the same point where it's started to wear now

Not had that, not seen that, not in 50+ years of motorcycling

 

[steve hughes]

Silly question , is there a build up of debris behind the sprocket cover, this would catch the top of the chain as it went around the engine sprocket.

 

[bondyzf]

That's just the plating being worn by rubbing on the chain guide

 

[Micky]

That's just the plating being worn by rubbing on the chain guide

That's what I said in post 8

But our friend is saying that those shiny bits are being worn right down to the rollers

I'm saying I've never seen that in over 50 years of motorcycling, never ever seen the side plates worn down to the rollers ... not even on Paris Dakar bikes

 

[bondyzf]

If its wearing right down to the rollers then I'd be having the front sprocket cover off to check the casings, but that chain would go through the casing first before the chain wore that far

can't see it myself never seen a chain wear like that unless it's made from monkey metal imported by tt

 

[JayC]

That is definately wear on those side plates - the flat spots can clearly be seen. No amount of surface polishing is going to cause that. Are you sure you have the rear wheel aligned correctly? That's not telling you how suck the oval things but I'm thinking it is being caused when the lower run of the chain passes over the underside of the rear sprocket.
Have you checked for bright metal around the rear sprocket circumference?

I'd be inclined to check the rear wheel alignment as well as rear sprocket runout.

Edit:

On taking a second look I see it across the full width of the chain which would suggest there is deffo metal/metal contact going on somewhere! Rotate the wheel slowly by hand and have a good listen/feel for either unusual intermittent or constant friction.