How to tell if you need a new motorcycle chain?

August 03, 2022

How to tell if you need a new motorcycle chain?

Is your motorcycle’s chain looking a little beat up? Does it have the dreaded rust spots? If you’ve been riding your motorcycle for quite some time now and you haven’t given any love to your chain, this is the time. Chain maintenance is one of the most important things you should learn when you own a motorcycle. Over time, chains wear out and require replacing. If your chain isn’t maintained and working to the best of its ability, that’s horsepower you’re losing out on and could even leave you in a sticky situation. But how can you tell if you need a new motorcycle chain? Read more to find out:

Why it’s important to look after your motorcycle chain

Experienced motorcyclists develop the ability to spot problems with their motorcycles over time. You might even see them casually check their chains with just a simple flick of their motorcycle boots or fingers, to make sure the chain is at the right tightness to make sure it’s ready to perform at the best of its ability. It’s a skill that you should and will eventually learn.

Checking your motorcycle chain before you hop on and hit the road only takes a few minutes, but it is one thing that so many motorcycle riders tend to overlook. It’s easy to think that if there seems to be nothing wrong with the chain, then it’s good to go. But regularly checking your motorcycle parts is essential in order to have the best riding experience, not to mention your life is on the line whenever you ride your bike. A loose motorcycle chain could jump off the sprocket, get tied up and throw you off.

What to check for

Motorcycle chains are fairly quick and easy to visually inspect on most bikes, so you should be able to determine if you need to buy a new chain without much hassle. You can find the procedures on how to check your motorcycle chain in your service manual. This task is likely to get your hands dirty so you might need to wear some gloves before doing the inspection. You’ll also want a nice, flat surface to pop your bike on and adjust correctly. Now get your motorcycle up on the stand and give everything a once-over. Here are some things to look for:

• Check your motorcycle chain has a good amount of tension.
• Make sure it’s properly lubricated. If grease, rust, or dirt has already built up on your bike’s chain, clean and lubricate it.
• For the sprockets, make sure the teeth are securely mounted and not hooked.
• Check for any signs of rust or corrosion along with the frame and swing-arm.
• Inspect any cracks or lifting paint. Make sure that all nuts attaching it together are secured tightly.

The motorcycle chain should have just the right amount of slack and tension (refer to your bike’s manual). Too much tension on the chains could cause it to break at high speeds or over bumps. On the other hand, too much slack could cause it to miss teeth or fall off. If you’ve noticed that you need to tighten the chain’s slack a little more frequently than you used to, this could be a sign that the chain is approaching the end of its useful life. Worn spots inside the plates can also be a signal that the chain is out of alignment. Some other red flags include arched or crested sprocket teeth and moving/loose chain.

How to change Your Motorcycle chain

To properly adjust a chain, you need to wrench them with the right tools or have it done by a mechanic. Shaft-driven motorcycles don’t have to make periodic adjustments. However, fluid levels inspection and replenishment should be made regularly. You should also refer to your motorcycle’s maintenance schedule to find out when you need to change fluids.

You can change your motorcycle chains at home but make sure to securely lift the rear of the motorcycle to remove the rear axle and wheel. If you can’t do that, you may want to have a local mechanic do the job for you. Here’s how to change the chains:

1. Start at the drive sprocket nut. Remove the transmission cover to gain access to the drive sprocket and loosen the sprocket nut. Next, raise and support the bike using the bike’s builtin stand, blocks and jack stands. Remove and replace the components.
2. Put a socket or wrench on the axle nut, loosen it, and unscrew the chain tensioning bolt.
3. Raise the adjuster and push the rear wheel completely forward in the slotted swing arm.
4. Loosen the chain adjusting bolt and the rear axle nut. Push the rear wheel forward and remove the chain.
5. Disconnect the rear drum brake linkage and the stay or remove the caliper if your motorcycle has disc brakes.
6. Slide the rear axle out, remove the rear wheel and brake assembly then place the wheel on a workbench.
7. Replace the rear sprocket and drive sprocket on the transmission. Reassemble and adjust the chain by re-installing the rear wheel, axle and brake assembly on the bike. 
8. Tighten the chain-adjusting bolts to obtain 1inch up/down play on the bottom portion of the chain. Avoid adjusting the bolts too tight as a tight chain causes rapid wear.
9. Tighten the axle nut to spec using a torque wrench.
10. Torque the drive sprocket nut to spec. Bend the tabs against the flats of the nut. Reinstall the transmission covers.

Other Motorcycle parts to consider replacing

Like any type of vehicle, a big part of owning a motorcycle and staying safe on the road, requires regular checkups and servicing. Here are some other motorcycle parts and accessories you might need to consider replacing:

Brakes - test your brakes before each ride and ensure that each brake will stop your bike from rolling. See if each brake pad is wearing evenly and is still safe to use. If your brake pads are two millimeters or less, it’s time to replace them.

Battery - even well-cared batteries will typically last for two years, so you need to have complete regular checks and charging to maintain the health of your battery. Always refer to your bike’s manual for charging processes.

Oil - check the oil levels every few months and definitely before you go for a long ride. The more you ride your bike the more often you’ll need to change its oil.

Tyres - the minimum legal tread depth in Australia is 1.5mm which is the distance between the top of the tyre and the bottom of the grooves. New motorcycle tyres come with 8mm tread, but gets thinner over time and constant use. Don’t wait there’s less than 1.5mm of tread left on your tyre as excessively worn out tyres are dangerous to use on the streets. 

Take the time to check the health of your motorcycle parts and fix any problems. Take care of your motorcycle, and it will take care of you. Regular cleaning of your bike will help you spot potential problems and address it right away. The more often you care for your bike, the less often you’ll have to replace its parts. Need to replace your Motorcycle Chains? Just check out our full range of Motorcycle parts & accessories and get the best deals to the biggest motorcycle brands today! We’ve got all your motorcycle needs covered here at AMA.