Hi Guys,
As some of you may know, I am going to the Nurburgring next month (I have posted it up here enough over the last 6 month, so you should know :lol ). Well I have never toured abroad on the bike before, and touring in the UK is usually under 1000 miles, so chain adjustment before I go and upon my return is fine. However, I expect to cover 2500 - 3000 miles in 10 days. I would expect no more then 500 of those to be on the motorway, and 120 of them going round a track. If I were at home I would adjust my chain about 4 times doing all that. I have a quality Renthal set up and I own the tools to do the job, but is it worth taking a big bar and wrench and 2 big sockets? Given how heavy and bulky they are, and the fact that they don't fit under the seat, is it acceptable to adjust BEFORE I go, and not again until I return home? How do you foccers deal with this when your away?
Not quite sure what to do with my early mid-life crisis. Ideas on a post card to P.O.BOX 150...
Standard Yam toolkit can do this on the thous, would have thought you'd have similar on the 6? Ok, so you can't torque it, but you tighten it up as hard as you can go and it's not going anywhere. The toolkit has extension bar to give you the leverage you'll need to get it really tight. You might want to make sure you check that the wheel nut is not air-gunned on before you go - some places go way overboard with this.
That's a good point Nick. I never use the original tool kit as I have a big chest full of quality stuff (not meaning that as a brag). I will have a look at it and see what is there. I'm sure your right though. The wheel nut is not a problem, I have had the rear wheel off a ton of times. In fact I took it off today and dropped it off at the shop to have a new hoop fitted  . Is the standard kit going to chew up my nuts though :lol
Not quite sure what to do with my early mid-life crisis. Ideas on a post card to P.O.BOX 150...
Not if you make sure it's good and square on the nut before you apply pressure. I currently don't have much in the way of tools, this is how I've always done it. Never used a torque wrench, never had one loosen off on me in my entire riding career.
A mate of mine once had a GPZ1100. First time he came to take the rear wheel off, it took both of us hanging off a 6 foot pole on the socket wrench to get that sucker off! :eek That's why I mentioned the point about air guns.
Gees, that grease monkey sure fixed his wagon :'(
Not quite sure what to do with my early mid-life crisis. Ideas on a post card to P.O.BOX 150...
Mine hasn't needed adjustment since in 3500 miles, only a clean / lube session. As long as it's OK before you go it should be fine when you get back (though my chain doesn't get the hard work of a track).
I adjust my chain (usually) every 600-700 miles. I do like to work the machine as hard as I dare. Very rarely do I partake in easy riding, even when I set out with that intention :lol .
Not quite sure what to do with my early mid-life crisis. Ideas on a post card to P.O.BOX 150...
When I rode to Germany a few weeks ago I did around a few thousand miles and I lubed the chain probably about 3 times, it didn't need any adjustment at all and still doesn't. Just clean it up really well before you go (use a proper chain cleaner) and lube it good and it should be fine
Or just fit a scottoiler! That way you only have to adjust the chain when you change the tyre! : 
Stop polishing it and ride the bloody thing!!
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Surprised you get any sleep at night worrying about things like that :lol
Might be an idea to try out the toolkit before you go. That way you'll know it works.
Cheers fellas'. Deffo not going to fit a scotoiler, that's for sure. I had the Tutoro system and got rid of it. Not for me :rolleyes . I will check the standard kit, although I changed the adjustment nuts for better (non rusty) ones way back, so I will need to add 2x13mm spanners. As for cleaning it, that is done. I had the front sprocket cover off last week, scooping out all the gunk with the wife's toothbrush. Don't worry, I sprayed it with brake cleaner before I put it back :lol . I have the rear wheel off just now, so the chain, swing arm and rear suspension assembly are getting blasted with brake cleaner and GT85. It will be very clean, and then I will lube the chain with wax. I am just a bit fanatical about adjusting the chain, having my wheels aligned perfectly and tyre pressure. Not sure why
Not quite sure what to do with my early mid-life crisis. Ideas on a post card to P.O.BOX 150...
(07-08-13, 08:13 AM)Strifae link Wrote: When I rode to Germany a few weeks ago I did around a few thousand miles and I lubed the chain probably about 3 times, it didn't need any adjustment at all and still doesn't. Just clean it up really well before you go (use a proper chain cleaner) and lube it good and it should be fine
Pretty much the same here. I do 500 miles a week commuting (not hanging around) and just keep it lubed every 2 days. No adjustment needed in over 3,500 miles.
Those are my principles...if you don't like them I have others.
I think I have OCD :'(
Not quite sure what to do with my early mid-life crisis. Ideas on a post card to P.O.BOX 150...
Think you need a scottoiler vsystem! Leaps and bounds above most others. Keeps the chain clean, lubed and you'll barely ever need to adjust it - only remote issue is you can get a little bit of splatter on your rear wheel, but it comes off with a wet cloth!
When I get a new rear tyre I set the chain up as per manual, I usually aim for near the full two inches of slack recommended for the Gen1 thou. And that's it till the tyre comes back off, though with the rate that I seem to pick up punctures sometimes it ain't long before they come back off (see the thou section).
I did manage to get the full life out of my last PR2, 6000 miles and no longer legal, checked the chain several times but never adjusted it.
Of course I've got a Scottoiler. And it's set to just drop a tiny bit of oil on the chain now and again - so not that much mess really.
I've never had to adjust my chain, other than at tyre changes which was at around 3,700 miles, done over 5,000 on this tyre, I use spray chain wax every 500mls, when I wash it, or if it rains.
Ok, Ok, I gave into the pressure. I just bought myself a brand new scottoiler v system . I had a look at the acumin electronic system, but I was not keen on the idea of being tied in to using their own pressurised canister of oil (which I can not find refills). Anyway, panic about adjusting the chain is over. I will set it before I go, and apparently never need to touch it again.
Cheers fellas
Not quite sure what to do with my early mid-life crisis. Ideas on a post card to P.O.BOX 150...
You'll not regret it, its a no brainer for anyone to fit one!
It might need a tweek or two to get the flow exactly as you want it, but you tend to forget your chain after a while and you'll wonder what all the fuss was about.
Stop polishing it and ride the bloody thing!!
Good move. Just remember you just need to set the oiler so you get a wee bit of oil on the chain.
Also if you set it for too much, you'll get a big mess all over the back wheel and it can also end up on the edge of the tyre, and that might give you a wee surprise!
The other thing is make sure you ain't setting your chain up too tight. Lots of folks do just that, and it's a sure way to guarantee the chain will stretch.
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