Topic: Any suggestions on what kind of drive chain I should buy for my cb750?

[biglargemoto]

With so many different kinds to choose from just looking for some input or suggestions.  D.I.D., EK, Izumi, O ring, X ring, etc. etc.....?

[HondaMan]

If you want the longest life, most transfer power, and best sprocket life, get a Diamond chain. If you can find an older "XDL" one in a white box (I see them on eBay sometimes), so much the better: my last one went over 40,000 miles and the sprockets are still good.

If you can't find the "XDL" then get the Powersport, or the Harley-Davidson version (more $$, same chain). Lube every 500-1000 miles, keep it adjusted, wash it at the quarter car wash like you wanted it to shine, then ride about 5 miles to fling out the water, then lube and let cool. Do this regularly, and it will reward you!

The O-ring and X-ring chains out there have internal seals to lube the insides of the rollers, but this does NOTHING for the chain and sprocket contact, where most of the wear occurs. The O-rings chains are about 91-93% efficient at power transfer: the XDL/Powersport is 97% efficient, and tends to run much quieter.

My two cents...

[dhall57]

Im with you HM. Took your advice years ago when I got my 750K6 and put a Diamond powersport chain on it and also put one on my KO when I got it several years later.

[biglargemoto]

Awesome thanks for your help. 40k miles is great for a chain. I'll be ordering one ASAP!

[biglargemoto]

Just to make sure it's the right one I see the xdl version in the white box is the power lube one right?

[oldhatt45]

Couple of things.
In 1978 I put a Diamond 530 Chain on my 750.  Rode it actively (pretty much daily) until 1986.
That chain is still on her, but will be replaced as part of my rebuild/restore.

Just need to figure out how many links the new Diamond 530 chain will need (using 18T Front/47T Rear sprockets).  LOL  One of the few things I didn't write a note for.  LOL 

Charlie

[edwardmorris]

If you have brand new aftermarket sprockets, you might want to break those in with a super cheap chain first, then install the diamond. Let the cheap chain suffer the worst wear that happens when new.

[Dunk]

The O-ring and X-ring chains out there have internal seals to lube the insides of the rollers, but this does NOTHING for the chain and sprocket contact, where most of the wear occurs. The O-rings chains are about 91-93% efficient at power transfer: the XDL/Powersport is 97% efficient, and tends to run much quieter.

I got the RK X ring chain(orings with grooves I think?) from Z1 and do notice more noise than last year with my old regular chain of unknown manufacture. Not entirely sure the advantage since it still needs to be regularly lubed so the sprockets don't wear quickly. I'm not as OCD about chain lube as I should be so I guess I figured with longer lube intervals at times it would be preferable to have this type of chain. My biggest thing is I don't want a chain to break and put a hole in a case, been there done that. So oring to standard chain on these bikes we're talking a 2-3 HP difference at the wheel?

[oldhatt45]

Edward,

Didn't do any break in with the Diamond Chain and sprockets I have on my 750.  Doesn't make sense, since you want the sprockets to wear in with the chain.  Kind of like lapping valves as an analogy.  Get them mated.  In fact, in every piece of documentation I've read, it basically says, when you change the chain, change the sprockets.

Charlie

[Vinhead1957]

+1.   Oldhatt45. It's a group thing

[edwardmorris]

Charlie,

      I got that tip from Mark/Hondaman himself. If you have his book, there is a picture showing the OEM and some aftermarket sprocket side by side and how they're different at the teeth. Look at the excerpt below from my conversation with him on the subject

(I hope you don't mind me sharing, Mark )

"..........Don't forget to first run an old chain on the new sprockets, until it wears off the gritty finish in the teeth. It takes 200-500 miles to polish them. THEN install the new chain..........Maybe consider getting a cheap chain for your first one, like a DID chain ($28 at Amazon). The grit on the new sprockets WILL ruin the new chain in short order."



My old chain was unusable so he suggested a cheap D.I.D one first to get that grit taken care of, or even the diamond chain will take a beating.

[biglargemoto]

My 77 cb750k runs a 630 stock chain so is there anything I need to know before throwing on one of these diamond 530 chains?

[ekpent]

Guess you should have mentioned that beforehand. You will need a complete conversion kit to go 530, new sprockets etc.

[biglargemoto]

Yah I should have but just figured I was going to get a 630 chain and when looking at the diamond chains I don't see any.

[biglargemoto]

Guess you should have mentioned that beforehand. You will need a complete conversion kit to go 530, new sprockets etc.

Yah I should have but just figured I was going to get a 630 chain and when looking at the diamond chains I don't see any.

[HondaMan]

Edward,

Didn't do any break in with the Diamond Chain and sprockets I have on my 750.  Doesn't make sense, since you want the sprockets to wear in with the chain.  Kind of like lapping valves as an analogy.  Get them mated.  In fact, in every piece of documentation I've read, it basically says, when you change the chain, change the sprockets.

Charlie

You're exactly right about 'breaking them in together', except today we are suffering an added twist to the story. The sprockets we are seeing from China (and that is ALL of them, now) are being precision-cast to final size, not hog-cut as in the past. This leaves a grainy finish on the sprocket teeth today, plainly visible when you get the sprockets, that wears off and jams the links of your new chain, ruining it in about 500 miles or less. So, I have long advised running the first few hundred miles using the OLD chain on the new sprockets to eat this junk off, to save that new chain.

I learned it the hard way...

[Deltarider]

The sprockets we are seeing from China (and that is ALL of them, now)

JT sprockets are made in Japan, aren't they?

[HondaMan]

The sprockets we are seeing from China (and that is ALL of them, now)

JT sprockets are made in Japan, aren't they?

That was what I thought, too: I ordered 10 JT countersprockets one day and they came in the box, marked "Made in China". Inside, the bags were labelled "Japan".

[dave500]

beware there are imitation "JT" sprockets,all JT sprockets come in a JT bag with JT and the sunrise stamp on them,christo member here bought a pair of JT from a place and one was in a plain bag and the sprocket was blank,the other was in a JT bag stamped properly,the seller didn't know #$%* and said he will contact his supplier(never heard back even though they had phone numbers etc),i emailed JT directly with photos and the reply was "ALL JT sprockets have a JT sealed bag and stamped with tooth count and the JT logo and part number and suggested the one we received isn't a genuine JT sprocket,any dick can sell you a cheap replacement and call it a rolls Royce one?


hello im dave,ive just purchased a front sprocket to suit honda cb550 (jtf288)i was sold it as one of your sprockets,it has no markings except 17 which is the tooth count,could you tell me if all your sprockets are branded with your logo,ive used plenty of jt sprockets and they all have been stamped with your logo,this one isnt and id like to be sure ive been sold a jt one,thanks.


Hello Dave,

All JT sprockets have our logo, it is unlikely that the sprocket you have been supplied is JT.

I hope this helps and thank you for using JT Sprockets.

Best Regards,

Jim Irwin
Bike Alert Plc
Axion House, 1 Silver Road
Lewisham, London SE13 7BQ
T: +44 (0) 208 297 7970
F: +44 (0) 208 297 7992
e-mail: jim.irwin@bikealert.com
http://www.bikealert.com

[Deltarider]

A bag like this?

[dave500]

yep that's the one.

[Markcb750]

I bought a Nickle Plated Diamond Chain 15000 miles ago.  I clean with WD40 and relube with a quality chain lube every 5 or 600 miles.  If I am riding long distance I lube every evening, just as Pirsig suggests.   

I like to allow several days after I lube to allow the lubricant to dry a little before I ride;  Less slop around the rear wheel.

The nickle looks shinny, and has a slightly lower friction coefficient, and delays rust. It did make the chain cost 25% more.

Hint; Spend 20min cleaning, 2 min lubing...

[oldhatt45]

Hondaman,

You're exactly right about 'breaking them in together', except today we are suffering an added twist to the story. The sprockets we are seeing from China (and that is ALL of them, now) are being precision-cast to final size, not hog-cut as in the past. This leaves a grainy finish on the sprocket teeth today, plainly visible when you get the sprockets, that wears off and jams the links of your new chain, ruining it in about 500 miles or less. So, I have long advised running the first few hundred miles using the OLD chain on the new sprockets to eat this junk off, to save that new chain.

Question for you Hondaman.  Can you buff/polish the new sprockets to get rid of the grainy finish???
Just curious if that would solve the "gritty" problem.  And due to old timers disease, Thank You Edward for reminding me to review "The Book". 

Thanks,

Charlie

[lucky]

If you want the longest life, most transfer power, and best sprocket life, get a Diamond chain. If you can find an older "XDL" one in a white box (I see them on eBay sometimes), so much the better: my last one went over 40,000 miles and the sprockets are still good.

If you can't find the "XDL" then get the Powersport, or the Harley-Davidson version (more $$, same chain). Lube every 500-1000 miles, keep it adjusted, wash it at the quarter car wash like you wanted it to shine, then ride about 5 miles to fling out the water, then lube and let cool. Do this regularly, and it will reward you!

The O-ring and X-ring chains out there have internal seals to lube the insides of the rollers, but this does NOTHING for the chain and sprocket contact, where most of the wear occurs. The O-rings chains are about 91-93% efficient at power transfer: the XDL/Powersport is 97% efficient, and tends to run much quieter.

My two cents...

The best chain advice!!! And the Diamond XOL has bronze bushings oil impregnated for longer life.
No special tools needed.

[HondaMan]

Hondaman,

You're exactly right about 'breaking them in together', except today we are suffering an added twist to the story. The sprockets we are seeing from China (and that is ALL of them, now) are being precision-cast to final size, not hog-cut as in the past. This leaves a grainy finish on the sprocket teeth today, plainly visible when you get the sprockets, that wears off and jams the links of your new chain, ruining it in about 500 miles or less. So, I have long advised running the first few hundred miles using the OLD chain on the new sprockets to eat this junk off, to save that new chain.

Question for you Hondaman.  Can you buff/polish the new sprockets to get rid of the grainy finish???
Just curious if that would solve the "gritty" problem.  And due to old timers disease, Thank You Edward for reminding me to review "The Book". 

Thanks,

Charlie

I actually tried that: I used a Dremel tool and one of the real small sanding drums. It's hard to prevent damage to the surface (making it non-round at the base of the roots), though. I did it to one of those "counterfeit?" JT countersprockets (17T size), not wanting to try to do 48 teeth on a rear one(!). It literally takes seconds to smooth it off, so if you have the patience I'm sure it would work all right. I might suggest also 'breaking' the sharp edges of the teeth while you're at it. I also (and ALWAYS) trim the teeth tips and sides like Honda did on their OEM sprockets of the 1970-1996 era, too. All of the JT/EMGO sprockets I have include too-tall tooth tips, and too wide at the tops as well. I would someday like to make a rotating jig that would slowly spin these sprockets for me while I trimmed off the tips and side angles of the teeth to be more like the Honda version. Yeah, it's probably getting anal, but when you get it on the pavement and hit 2nd gear, realizing that there is NO chain noise or vibration, it suddenly feels worth the extra effort.