Topic: 630 chain to 530 chain, what's needed?

[Rick]

First, hello...I'm new to posting here; mostly I just read and follow the advice.  When I did a real estate closing for a client he bought a house with a motorcycle in the basement.  It ended up being a 1978 750K.  I has just over 9,000 miles on it.  It seems the owner bought it and drove it one year; he parked it in the basement and the front caliper froze to the rotor.  It stayed there for the last 33 years.  The new homeowner didn't ride motorcycles so he gave me the honda for free.  All original rubber and lots of pitted chrome.  Anyway, the 4 into 4 exhaust rusted through 3 of the 4 pipes.  I did pull the carbs and clean them and the bike fired up after changing the fuel and oil.  I took it up the road and the trans shifts like new. The drive chain is another story....rusted so bad it's kinked.  Thought about changing to a 530 chain after reading the forum.  What year sprockets should I look for?  Thanks, Rick.

[70CB750]

1972 for instance.

[ccmclane]

I ordered a 530 front sprocket from http://shop.pbisprockets.com/.  I found the sprocket ratios listed for different CB750 models/years listed at http://www.cb750supply.com/products/2/chassis-brakes/66/drive-chains and made my decision after running some different numbers at http://www.gearingcommander.com/

(I haven't installed them yet so I can't comment on fitment directly, but everything I read indicated that it should be fine)

[750K]

Are you racing it? Or doing anything where the extra weight of the 630 chain is a concern? If no and the front and rear sprockets are in good condition, save yourself some time and money and buy a 630. They are fine for a daily rider and a cb750 has plenty of juice with it, I don't know how much hp gain you'll notice by going with a lighter chain in all reality.

[70CB750]

The key is what do those sprockets look like - after 9000 miles and 33 years they may be well used.

[Rick]

I'll try and take a look at them tonight; I have been reading the orginal chain had a riveted master link? For obvious reasons I would like to change to a clip-link.  I've run them on all my other bikes w/out issues.

[Xnavylfr]

The reason MOST people change to the 530 chain/ sprockets is because they are CHEAPER!!! The 530 is more than enough chain for the 750, some of the newer LARGER CC bikes are running 520s
Change to the 530
, then when you have to replace the chain it won't cost 150$ for just the chain!!!


Xnavylfr(CHUCK)

[750K]

^^^DID 630 non oring 9900lb tensile strength chain @ 88 links is around $79.95, anyone paying more than $100 for one isnt looking hard enough. No need to break the bank finding a decent chain, pay more if you want an o ring chain but if you lube it and take care of it a non o ring chain is plenty fine.

[Xnavylfr]

98 links of NON-O-ring chain 530 size is 22.40 at Z-1.. WOW can save over 50$ to buy something else with!!!


Xnavylfr(CHUCK)

[Schnell]

98 links of NON-O-ring chain 530 size is 22.40 at Z-1.. WOW can save over 50$ to buy something else with!!!
Xnavylfr(CHUCK)

You'll need to buy new sprockets, right?

[750K]

Yeah, that's their clear out price and they don't say what tensile rating it has. I think I'll not put a 20$ chain on my bike, I'll spend a bit more. Chain and sprockets are like tires as far as I'm concerned, I won't buy the cheapest I can find.

[BobbyR]

I have a 78K, the sprockets may be fine. If  you stay with the 630 there will be no fiddling around with shimming. You can slap a set of new sprockets on, put on the chain and go ride. Looks better with the big chain anyway.

[Rick]

After removing 33 years of gunk and crud...the chain isn't that bad.  I have Honda chain lube I use on the dirt bikes; I've been hitting the chain repeatedly and driving it up and down the road. The kinks seem to be working themselves out.  Sprockets aren't too worn at all.  I'm going to get the rest of the bike roadworthy (needs new pipes and tires) before replacing a lot of parts.  Just rebuilt my front master cylinder today and tore apart the front caliper.

[70CB750]

I like happy endings

As long as the chain is not streatched ...

[Xnavylfr]

I'm surprised SOME people aren't happy with ANY changes to the OEM on their bikes. They probably won't ride because their tires don't have the ORIGINAL air from JAPAN in them!!



Xnavylfr(CHUCK)

[BobbyR]

I'm surprised SOME people aren't happy with ANY changes to the OEM on their bikes. They probably won't ride because their tires don't have the ORIGINAL air from JAPAN in them!!



Xnavylfr(CHUCK)

That is not true at all. I just don't crap around when I don't have to.