Topic: Chains and Sprockets

[IainC]

So I'm in the process of trying to figure out what chains and sprockets to get for my 79 cb650 and had a few questions.

First off I want to clarify if I can use a o-ring chain or not. I've been browsing the forums for a while now and I've read that their may be issues with chains being too large for the case. I know this is particularly true for the 550, which is very similar to my 650. So what are your guys experience with this?

Second, I've been browsing brand names, as I want to make sure I have quality parts, but there is very little information on what's best and what to avoid. I've been considering a tsubaki chain, but what other brand names are considered quality, and what kind of difference can I expect between a mid-ranged chain and a high-end chain? Are the safety and performance benefits going to be substantial?

Third, same questions in terms of sprockets. What names should I be looking for and avoiding? I've read JT sprockets are really great, but have found very little about any other names. My local shop can get me the sprockets I need for a fair bit cheaper then I've found online (once factoring in shipping to Canada, most shops seem expensive in comparison to my local guys) but they are an unknown after market brand. Are there major differences I should be looking out for in terms of steel sprockets?

Thanks for any input you guys can offer.

[750Caferider]

I've got a 78 CB 750 SS SOHC and would like some info as well on the whole O-ring vs. std. chain/ which sprocket and case wear issue.  Wanna ride for a long time and not be scared of tearing up my case!

Cheers!

Anders

 

[uthinkimodd]

head over to the FAQ thread and you'll find pretty much everythign you might need under chains and sprockets.

[IainC]

I hate sounding rude, but I've read over the FAQ more then once and it doesn't answer any of my questions. There are a couple recommended brands, but all they have are either dead links or just a manufactures write up. Its hard to find information with personal experience.

[BobbyR]

I've got a 78 CB 750 SS SOHC and would like some info as well on the whole O-ring vs. std. chain/ which sprocket and case wear issue.  Wanna ride for a long time and not be scared of tearing up my case!

Cheers!

Anders

 

You are in luck the 78 Cb750 cam stock with an O ring 630 chain, so u have no clearance issues. I am sorry I know nothing about the 650.

[WFO]

yes you can use a o-ring chain and JT sprockets are just fine and diamond chains are highly recommended and cheap.

http://kscdirect.com/item/DIA%2BXMC-1548-M-104P/DIAMOND%2BCHAIN%2BCOMPANY_530%2BRIV%2B104P%250A

104 links i think with stock gearing 16/40.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=48105.0

[750Caferider]

Thanks! Now to hunt for the right sprocket setup...  Dunno if I want to change to get better mileage and less rpms or leave it stock.

Cheers,

Anders

[Johnny5]

I geared my bike down a little with one less tooth on the front sprocket. Im debating to put the stock size back on since Im doing more highway cruising than I originally thought. I love the take off speed, but when cruising in 5th gear, it feels like it wants a 6th gear.

[IainC]

Has anyone had any bad experiances with using any specific sprockets? I think I'm sold on the diamond chain, but not sure which sprockets to go with. I'm on a very tight budget so every few dollars here and there count. Partsnmore sells the 2 I need, at a great price with free shipping in canada, however, they don't specify a brand name.

[Johnny5]

I'll probably get scorned here, but money is very tight with me since Im on and off working. But I went with JT Sprockets and a JC Whitney "Heavy Duty" generic non-oring 530 chain. It's pretty heavy and I trusted it doing a 100 miles per hour. But since it's a not a oring chain, you have to lube it more often. This setup has performed well for the past 800 miles. I think the chain and sprockets all cost around $75 shipped.

[scunny]

yes you can use the 530 0-ring chain on your 650, had mine on for a wee while now and have checked and found no issues

[jaknight]

Hi IainC,

I like the DID (Heavy Duty) chain.  It is rated pretty close to 9,000 pounds.  I think it is actually 8,700+.  I prefer non O rings...... this has always been an ongoing debate on the forum.  It has been said that oils which are proper for the O ring material are not very good for the steel of the chain.  Oils which are good for the steel are not good on the O ring "rubber" material.  I have had very good performance with non O ring chains.  It solves the proper oil problem for me.

Diamond chains have been rated as the best........ it can be difficult however to get the proper Diamond chain.  DID has had an impressive history of reliable performance.  I got nearly 30,000 miles off my prior DID chain.

Sprockets?  Best is Honda made...... because the teeth are offset, canted, etc., etc., slightly different than all other sprockets made.  Honda did it for better wear and life and reasons of alignment.  HondaMan I believe is working on getting some sprockets made up just like Honda's engineered design.

Whatever you do go with, just stick to your guns and replace the chain and the front and rear sprockets all together, as a unit.....

~ ~ ~ jaknight ~ ~ ~

[IainC]

Can anyone recommend any other sources for the diamond chains? KSC won't ship to Canada.

[WFO]

Can anyone recommend any other sources for the diamond chains? KSC won't ship to Canada.

Try these guys: item# XMC-1548-M-104P 



http://www.diamondchain.com/products/catalog.php

Looks like you could find a local distributor i also saw several distributors on a google search.

[IainC]

So I'm still stuck on what sprockets to buy. I've pretty much decided if I stick with the stock sizes, I'll order from partsnmore, however, my friend got me thinking about switching them to a diff size.

Most of what information I can find are people wanting to gear their bikes so as to cruise better at highway speeds, but what if I wanted to gear the other way around, sacraficing a bit of my high end power, so as to have a little more pull and acceleration. I mostly drive around town, and the extra little pull would be nice, but if I did go this route, how far should I deviate from the stock 16/40 setup, and what should I expect in terms of performance changes? I saw a great thread full of the math on this about a week ago, but can't find it again for the life of me, and am still a little unsure what to expect.

Thanks again everyone

[technojock]

I've always found that an O-Ring chain will last half again as long as a regular chain but cost at least twice as much...  Being cheap, this sounds like a bad deal to me.

Also the less you can afford to replace you chain, the more you should oil it.  One more observation, if you change your chain when it's half worn, you can get 3x the life out of your sprockets.

Tony
AKA the Geezer Biker...