Chains

Glad your enjoying the quiet rubber damped chains.... But did you notice a loss in power or range? I am no where in skill or speed as many of the riders here and I use map 2 99% of the time, but still felt the huge drag of the x-ring chain and gave it away after my second ride on it. I was told after it warms up it would be less friction but I don't think I got the chain warm enough as it was still doggy. Just feel like with battery operated performance machines that drag is a deal breaker.
 
Fod said:
but still felt the huge drag of the x-ring chain and gave it away after my second ride on it.
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Me too! It was one thing to chop the throttle at 20mph in my driveway and stop within 2 bike lengths, but when the front end dropped like a stone at the top of a steep downhill and my feet came off the pegs I saw it was a safety issue, so off it came (RK 520XS01 chain).
 
I too removed the stock o-ring chain, way too much drag - the protaper is different - thin o-rings made out of a sort fiber rubber so minimal resistance- a real awesome product
 
VINSANITY said:
I too removed the stock o-ring chain, way too much drag
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Yours came with an O-ring chain? My MXR had a Regina non-O-ring, the master links sucked (replaced w/D.I.D. 520NZ links, perfect fit) but the chain itself held up OK for 2.5+ years/3K miles.
 
rayivers said:
Yours came with an O-ring chain? My MXR had a Regina non-O-ring, the master links sucked (replaced w/D.I.D. 520NZ links, perfect fit) but the chain itself held up OK for 2.5+ years/3K miles.
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My bikes came with non-O-ring chains. They were both noisy as hell, and they both stretched like crazy from Day 1. I would have to tighten the chain every ride or two.

Frankly, I didn't really notice any additional drag with the x-ring chain, although the chain was fairly stiff going on. There might be more drag, but frankly, I just didn't feel it. Of course, I'm a slowpoke map 1-2 rider, and I use regen all the time, rather than brakes. So maybe I'm just used to the regen, and compensate with the throttle. My battery life definitely hasn't gone down. But I'm definitely enjoying the new sound. Sounds much more smooth, rather than jangly like the stock chain.

But my brake pads sure last a hell of a long time! I don't even think I've gone through 50% wear on either bike yet. Silver linings, right?
 
fyi...chains don't actually stretch, sprockets wear and the lubricant between the link pins shift but the metal does not actually stretch. chains do get longer due to the link pins moving rearward in their cavities as the grease displaces and the link pin can also wear and bend slightly.
 
One important thing to remember with O-ring and X-ring chains is to never blast the rubber rings with a pressure washer. Once the sand gets under the rubber, it's game over. :muutt:

I made that mistake with my KTM Adventure. After 5,000 highway miles, the chain stretched so long that the adjusters have maxed out. Also, the speed of the chain lengthening increased exponentially. Those big chains do not have locks, so you can't simply remove two links, you have to un-rivet and re-rivet links. And we were somewhere in the woods half-way from Tennessee to Colorado without this tool. The chain got so loose that it was jumping off the sprockets when the bike was turning. And then, I was able to put it back onto the rear sprocket with my bare hands without spinning the rear wheel.
 
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