Snapped Chain Melodrama…

[Artyman]

Well, that was an interesting trip…

I went to Manchester for a few days and left yesterday morning to ride back home to Glasgow. All went well. The weather was brilliant so I did a detour off the M6 into Blackpool as I thought it’d be nice to see the tower and then I stopped at Fleetwood for some fish and chips - which were delicious - and I ate them overlooking the cobalt blue estuary with Sellafield glowing in the distance…

Getting back on the Motorway at Kendall it was mid afternoon and as the motorway was quiet, I decided to get a move on and set the cruise control to about the 90 mark. Things were going well when all of a sudden my revs hit the redline so I backed-off the revs - immediately thinking I’d lost a gear - knocked it down to 5th, upped the revs and the revs just hit the redline again. Fortunately it was quiet so I backed off the revs and coasted into the hard shoulder. I looked down to the left looking for gears hanging out of the casing and…

My chain had gone. Bugger.

So, sitting up high on the banking and watching the sheep in the distance, it took about 30 minutes for the RAC recovery truck to arrive. Not bad at all…  They loaded me up and took me to Tebay services - where apparently I was being trans-loaded as they couldn’t go to Glasgow but the other wagon could. Okay….

With the Veek offloaded and then on-loaded, the driver then told me I couldn’t come in the cab with him because of covid. “But I’ve been triple jabbed and if anything, I should be more worried about you.” I said. “Sorry mate, company policy”. Fair enough.

So at 3.30 I waved goodbye to Bess and phoned the RAC and explained that I was up shit creek without a paddle. She said my policy doesn’t cover me for taxi’s so she’ll try to organise a hire car.

Okay…

She then called me back to tell me that she can’t get a hire car for me as I was too far away from their regular hire car company. “We’ll what do I do” I asked. “I’ll call you back she said”. So then I said “Why don’t you get a taxi for me, get me to Carlisle and then I’ll jump a train as there’s one every hour. I’ll even pay for the train myself”.

She then said she’d have to ask her supervisor as taxis are not on my policy…. About 40 minutes later she called back to say they’ve authorised a taxi. Progress….  So, the taxi arrived at 1900 and I caught the 1948 from Carlisle to Glasgow and then another train, which got me home about 1030.

So, today….

The Stom arrived safe and sound just before lunchtime, so once it was offloaded I jumped on my 250, nipped into Glasgow and bought new chain from Mickey Oats. £99. A quick stop off at S&S Accessories to buy a chain rivet press but they wanted £69 so I popped into Machine Mart and bought a kit for £24. Bargain…. So, with a bucket-full of anticipation I got home and set to work fitting the new chain - which is where my world started to crumble. No, it wasn’t damage. I was actually expecting some damage behind the drive cog cover, but it was perfect.

No, the issue was that the chain seemed too short. Well, it was 114 links but it seemed to be a couple of links short. A panicked phone call to Mickey Oats again and it seems I did have the right chain. Then I had a moment of lucidity… “I’ll call you back” I said.

I did a count of all the teeth on the two sprockets and called the shop back to confirm my counting - and it seems that the previous owner had fitted non-standard sprockets that I had grown two extra teeth.

Double bugger.

So, two new sprockets have been ordered, which I will collect on Tuesday, and then hopefully on Wednesday I’ll have the Strom back on the road.

A couple of things of note….

The RAC cover was with my insurance, which is through Bennett’s. My policy was only about £30 difference to those without breakdown cover, so as far as I’m concerned, it was well worth the extra as without the RAC I’d probably still be at Tebay services now. Yes, it was a bit of a faff - but - they did get me and my bike back home safe and sound, so job done.

When you buy a used bike, count the teeth on your sprockets to see if they are standard - as you may end up like me. Could you imagine breaking down in Europe with a snapped chain and then finding you need new sprockets because your new chain is too short…?

When I got to Carlisle station I went to the ticket machine and put in my destination. It wanted £57…. So I got my phone out and I bought my ticket through the Trainline.com - which cost £20.57. What a bargain. So always have your Trainline app handy….

Am I peed off…? No, far from it. I'm happy as a pig in the proverbial because I’m going to Europe later this year so I’d sooner have all this crap happen to me now rather than somewhere in the back of beyond…

If anyone finds a bike chain between J37 and J38 of the M6 northbound - you can keep it…!!!

[Youngman]

I love your attitude!
I remember riding around Eastern Europe back in 2006 with a failed indicator bulb and a knackered chain. Only when I got back to Germany could I get any parts and repair the sucker - but .. I got to meet loads of friendly garage people more than willing to help me out.
Before the M6 you'd have gone over Shap on the A6 and there were a raft of garages there constantly toiling on overheated/knackered old cars. No such luck at Tebay.
Stoicism - not just for Greeks and Roman Emperors (well - Augustus at least)

[Rixington43]

As a bonus, if the rear was 2 teeth up, you probably weren't speeding even with the cruise set at 90 🤣.
Mine came with non standard gearing as JT remain convinced that European 1000s had 42T rears rather than 41T. Much happier with it back to standard.
Must admit I wasn't so happy with the Machine Mart chain rivet press though, hope it works OK for you but I think I will be shelling out on a Motion Pro PBR.

[Mark Shelley]

Why did the chain break?

[Gert]

Good question Mark.  It is common practice to change the front sprocket on the Vee, from a 17 to a 16 tooth. The 17 front is often found to be too tall a gearing by some riders for town,  hence the change to a 16 tooth. Some went from a 41 tooth rear to a 43 tooth sprocket, but with the offset in price, it was less expensive to go to the 16 tooth front.
As a matter of interest, what was the size of both sprockets prior to the chain snap?

[TLPower]

You lucky, lucky baarstard.

No rear wheel lock-up, no chain removing your arse cheek or thigh skin and no knackered output case or clutch pushrod.

@Rixington, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224175839077?chn=ps&norover works rather well.

[Artyman]

Why did the chain break?

I haven’t a clue, Mark. Before I got the Strom I was seriously contemplating a Super Tenere, mainly because it was a shafty and because I always think the chain is always the weakest link on any bike - no pun intended… But, the Super is a big old beast and I think the Strom has more character, which is why I ended up with what I have.

I fitted an oiler not long after I got her and I’m always making sure the chain has a decent amount of play when I adjust it before a long ride. I think it was a combination of maybe me giving it too much welly far too often and probably age. Also, because the chain was obviously longer than the standard 114 link chain, it makes me wonder if the person who fitted the other chain had just added some extra links from another chain.

I don't know.

As I said, I’m just so glad all this stuff is happening now before I go rideabout in summer. Life would be too much boring if stuff like this didn’t happen now and again.

[porter]

I have tried both of the known spocket changes on my 2014 1000, ie 16 front and 43 rear (though not at the same time) and never needed to touch the oe chain. Just move the rear wheel back a bit for the 16t front or forward for the 43t rear.
I can't remember now but when I replaced the chain I bought a 120 link, it was a few links to long but not six. I appreciate you've not got the old chain to measure.

[Artyman]

This is my new 144 link chain.

[Artyman]

With the axle all the way forward..

[kwackboy]

Interesting read, You're very lucky. Go buy a lottery ticket... 

It's rare for a chain to break/snap, even in the most neglected cases.

I think you are right, it's probably down to the previous owner adding links. 

[porter]

I counted the chain side plates today I have 57 not including the connecting link, oe sprocket sizes (17-41)

[Gert]

@Artyman, what year / model Vee do you have? Your profile only shows DL1000.
I recall reading, the early model premature chain wear was traced to a problem inside the rear hub that caused rear sprocket misalignment, which lead to the chain eating away at the sprocket ruining both in about 10K miles. I heard that the 2014 DL1000 and newer don't have that problem. For more on the 1st gen Vee chain misalignment, https://www.v-strom.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=13820.0

[The Doctor 46]

I was at the Moto GP at Donington Park years ago. In the support race Steve Abbott who was the current sidecar champion at the time, had the miss fortune of loosing his chain during the race. It can happen to the best of us. 

[hill100]

Did Mickey Oats not recommend replacing the sprockets with a new chain ? Had a new chain snap on a brand new R1. Chain came round and went through the back of the engine casing. Dealer In Peterborough said it was an uneconomical repair and replaced the bike.

[Artyman]

Quote removed

Thanks Gert. It was an interesting read. I have the 2014, so I assume my strom has the necessary modifications. I must admit, the gearbox has always seemed a bit clunky, more clunky than my last Honda, but I just assumed it was because the Suzuki box was not as good as a Honda box.

When I get my new sprockets this week I’m going to strip out the rear wheel and compare all the bits with the workshop manual to make sure there are no other surprises for me. If the previous owner had changed the sprockets, they may have changed something else.

When I changed the rear disk and pads last month I did check the cushes and they were fine, but I’m going to look at the rear end again.

[mr_diver]

I'm guessing the 1000cc will have a similar spricket carrier set as the 650cc... well my GSX does anyway.

There is a spacer between the wheel hub and carrier that can be put in the wrong way round and will knacker the bearings.
If the previous owner has put on a cheap chain, they may have put the spacer in the wrong way round.

I've known quite a few chains on enduro bikes to have snapped, but it's not often a good brand road bike chain snaps unless very well past the point it should have been replaced.

You can get the correct pitch chain, but it doesn't mean it's suitable for the power rating of the bike.
I can fit a 525-116 JT-1XR2 chain on the varadero, but it doesn't mean I should. OK it's rater for 1000cc bikes, but I only opt for the ones that rate for 1400+cc and only DID or RK... it's like brakes and tyres, not something to skimp on.
I always work on the principle that never use something rated upto what you need it to do, but get one rated to 120-150% if you can.

I used JT chains on my enduro but they were essentially sacrificial and changed every few rides.
I think my hack bike had one, but that bike couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding.

I did have a customer who brought a chain back saying the joining link had failed after 14 miles (RK 525 chain) turned out he used a pliars to push the plate onto the open side of the rivet link but hadn't bothered to accrually splay the heads of the pins. We gave him a spare link andtold him to go away as he refused to pay £30 for the basic riveter kit (same as I use) and expected us to fix his stupidity.

[Artyman]

I managed to change the sprockets this afternoon. Looking at the old ones, with one extra tooth on each sprocket, they were bolloxed anyway, so would have been changed before long. I’m just so glad it’s all happened now. 

The sprockets came off and went on easy enough, and the shiny new chain went on straight afterwards - and fitted perfectly. And hopefully, we’ll get out tomorrow and do a few miles.

Well, that was an episode and a half. Another thread in the rich tapestry of lift….

[Artyman]

The little ‘n…

[Artyman]

The big ‘n…