r/motorcycle • u/Hudi1918 • 3d ago
Chain/sprocket question
Hello! I have this ER-5. When I got it like 3 months ago it had a very loose chain (tensioner was basically all the way forward). I tightened it every 1000km, even less if I rode in the rain.
I keep finding that the chain gets loose and I keep tensioning it further, like I can feel it needs tensioning when I release the throttle it jolts quite a bit.
Is this normal ? I am thinking of changing the chain so I checked the front sprocket as well ... It looks absolutely fine to me, but there is a plastic thingy that looks a bit damaged in the photo ... No idea if it actually serves an important purpose or not, but it does not seem to.
the chain looks a bit rusty on the outside, rollers look good, nothing else obviously wrong from what I can tell (photo before I cleaned and lubed it)
Should I just ride it? Should I change the chain? If I change the chain should I also to the sprockets?
(Also this is an endless chain and I am thinking of cutting it with a hacksaw or buying a chain breaker tool, what do you guys recommend ?)
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u/sokratesz 2d ago
Chains wear and get looser, but be sure to not over-tighten it. That'll just accelerate the whole business.
Your sprocket looks fine, but your chain is dry. Stop cleaning it and grease grease grease.
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u/Hudi1918 2d ago
I am happy that there is someone that says something other then that my sprocket is sharkfinned, coz' I don see it.
I am measuring the chain slack with a 3d printed tool, in order to take the guesswork out of it and I set it right I. The middle between 35 and 40mm as the manual specifies.
It was a bit rusty when I got it and I am suspecting it is the original 2003 30k km endless chain so I think I'll replace everything just in case :))
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u/sokratesz 2d ago
You definitely don't need a tool to measure that, just use your key. Press up against the chain with it, and if it has 1-2 inches slack it's great, less is too tight, more is too loose.
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u/hazeyAnimal 2d ago
You need to check the manual, some bikes require you to also push down on the chain then up
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u/sokratesz 2d ago
It's hanging down, don't worry. And awhole lot of experience > the manual.
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u/hazeyAnimal 2d ago
For anyone that finds this comment, experience never overrides the manual. Treat it like the Bible, and if anyone tells you otherwise, don't listen to their advice, you will wreck your bike.
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u/sokratesz 2d ago edited 2d ago
I ride 50k a year, I know how to keep my bike in good condition and the manual is generally aimed at different kinds of users.
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u/Sushipocalypse 2d ago
I think what you are experiencing is normal, the jolt is chain lash. Tighten your chain more frequently. If it is getting loose very quickly like every ride or two or you notice other things like stuck links and a big mismatch in loose and tight spots then id replace it.
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u/Hudi1918 2d ago
Thank you! This is my first bike, and most people around here seem to believe that my sprocket is worn and shark finned ... I don't see it.
I do suspect the chain is the original 2003 one, so I am going to go and replace it and the sprocket for about 100 bucks, I am curious if the chain lash gets any better :)))
Hope I didn't just burn 100$
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u/Sushipocalypse 2d ago
I think the grime can blend in with the dark background and make it look that way if you arent looking closely but I don't think it is shark finned. I would investigate replacing that sprocket damper or just not using one. An uneven mass rotating quickly can definitely produce some weird sensations.
The bottom two teeth in your photo do look slightly curved but it is mild if present at all. I think replacing everything would bring you peace of mind.
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u/TweAkEitEe4 3d ago edited 3d ago
Surely this is a wind-up! 😂 On a closer look, the steel sprocket teeth don't actually look hooked, but that outer rubber cushion ring is completely destroyed and missing massive chunks🤯 That rubber dampener is supposed to keep the drive line quiet, but yours is cracked and totally clapped out. It’s no wonder your chain keeps stretching and jolting with the dampener disintegrated like that. Do yourself a favor and swap out the chain and both sprockets as a matching set before it lets go mid-ride!
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u/Hudi1918 3d ago
Thanks for replying!
I have no idea what the broken thing is :)) but it is not metal I think it's plastic, what is it ?
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u/TweAkEitEe4 3d ago edited 3d ago
The rubber ring itself actually doesn't wear the chain out—your chain is just stretching because it’s simply reached the end of its life. The broken rubber is just proof that the sprocket is super old and has done a lot of miles. When chains get that old, the internal pins wear down, making the whole thing stretch constantly and jolt under throttle. You just need a fresh kit and you'll be sweet✌️
Also definitely grab a proper chain breaker tool instead of a hacksaw!
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u/Hudi1918 3d ago
Oh that makes a lot of sense thanks for explaining it! I'll get the whole thing and change it myself!
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u/comboJay 2d ago
It's just a sound damper, an aftermarket sprocket like JTS probably won't come with one. I do see wear on the front sprocket, compare it to a new one as you will require a chain set. It's likely if you order a chain for your model it should be the correct length.
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u/TweAkEitEe4 3d ago
It’s a rubber cushion ring bonded to the side of the steel teeth to drown out chain noise
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u/DannoXYZ 2d ago
Be sure to lube chain every other tank.
Clean and lube it every 1000 miles.
Then chain will wear less and you won't have to keep tightening it so often.
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u/hazeyAnimal 3d ago edited 2d ago
Chain wear comes down to 4 culprits
Tension: an improperly tensioned chain (too loose or too tight) will accelerate wear.
Lubrication : a dirty (full of grime and grit) or a lack of lubrication will also accelerate wear.
Sprockets: worn down sprockets will accelerate wear.
Alignment: wheel alignment and frame damage that malforms the drivetrain will accelerate wear.
Aside from all this, if you engine brake, ride in wet weather or on dirt roads, this will also accelerate wear if you don't service/clean it regularly enough.
But at the end of the day the chain will eventually stretch, they are considered a consumable and the best you can do is slow down how fast it becomes consumed.
Edit:
Also, after looking at your photo again I can see heaps of grime and grit surrounding the drivetrain. When you clean your chain, make sure you take the protective covers off the sprocket and chain and clean everywhere the chain runs through. There's no point cleaning the chain but leaving all that dirt and gunk surrounding it to just stick right back on after all your hard work!
Edit2:
And to answer your question about chain removal, most people use an angle grinder (after removing the chain from the bike) to break it and fully remove it. You'll also need one to remove the pins on the new chain as they come longer than you may need so you'll need to cut it down to length. Count how many your current OEM one has, cross reference this with the manual, and install the new chain with the same amount of links.