It has been a long time: chain vs. shaft

[TheCafeKid]

Got both, Shafties are the way to go if you're in a post-apocalyptic world.

You just never have to touch them, maybe some moly grease if you're bored....

Chain bike for speed......but high maintenance, gotta inspect them more often!

I like em both for different reasons. Yeah, for a long distance tourer I suppose the shafty has it's merits.
But I'm not buying the "harder to maintain" line on chain drives. They need cleaned every 400-600 miles and toss some lube on em. Takes 10 minutes tops. Today's chains have much longer life spans when properly maintained than roller chains of old. My bike has had the same chain and sprockets on it for 12,000 miles now and shows zero signs of wear. It's still smooth, and quiet.
And, while it doesn't happen often, bust a drive shaft component out on the road, and you're nothing short of screwed. Carry a spare master link and you're on the road in less than 30 minutes at least to get you to the next MC proprietor.
For a "tuner" bike, track day bike, etc chain all the way. But a shafty is the way to go for no muss no fuss long distance...provided it's a proper sorted out design.

[Tim Tom]

Nah, Suzuki GS shafties are for people who wanted a BMW but didn't have the requisite cubic buttload of cash.

At least, that's true in my case... I really wanted a BMW boxer -- an RS1100 or something similar. The GS850G was a good bit more attainable.

This Motorcyclist article is what inspired me to look for a GS850G specifically... I found mine the next spring.

http://bwringer.com/gs/850sport_tour/

Thanks for sharing that article. I quite enjoyed reading it. What they say is true, the 850G is a damn good sport-tourer. But you of course already knew that

[sedelen]

Thanks for sharing that article. I quite enjoyed reading it. What they say is true, the 850G is a damn good sport-tourer. But you of course already knew that

I had a friend who had a 850G back in the day. I think the GS850 is a really nice bike, beautiful lines, nice size, comfortable, big tank.
One day I got a picture from him, couldn't believe he put this wierd looking sidecar on it. Looks like something from a batman film.

[tkent02]

That thing needs blasters on the front of it.
Maybe even a little R2D2 unit sticking out the top.

[RageZro]

Yep, no track days on a shaft...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ablvo8uv-pk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOSxBD9B1r0

Slow too...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgGYe5LV4sM&NR=1

This ones for my buddy Josh... ZG1400 & ZRX

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPSZQLXKRXI

My apologies for the heavy does of vitamin K but this IS about shafties and chain, not brand

Oh and I seem to remember nearly dying from heat stroke while trying to find one of those damned easy to replace master links for Coles bike when it pitched the chain back at the first Triple R near On-Flamingsburg Ky. Chains are for sadists!

[Rover]

I have only owned chains but I'd take a V-Max anytime.

[Dogma]

...
Sadly, the Nonfango racks and bags were also NLA shortly after the article appeared.

I just found this, but I don't see yet how to get them, or what the mounting options would be. They do look like really nice gear. I'd have the cash by spring, if I could find a way to get a set.

Edit: Crikey!

[bwringer]

I just found this, but I don't see yet how to get them, or what the mounting options would be. They do look like really nice gear. I'd have the cash by spring, if I could find a way to get a set.

Edit: Crikey!

The Nonfango mounting kit for the GS850/1100 has been out of production for aeons. I got my GS850 in 1998 (less than a year after the article came out) and started calling around (pre-interweb era) looking for pricing, no one could get the parts.

Honestly, if you're into butt-crampingly expensive Italian luggage, it would be far easier to buy Givi bags and mounting hardware, then fabricate your own rack and mounts. Givi stuff is much more widely available in the US of A, and for not much dough you can buy the mounting hardware separately that bolts on to whatever racks you engineer.

[TheCafeKid]

Jimmy thanks for the vid... That track looks kinda slow though
But. At this point I simply want to do a track day. Or ten. Next year for sure.

[Dogma]

The Nonfango mounting kit for the GS850/1100 has been out of production for aeons. I got my GS850 in 1998 (less than a year after the article came out) and started calling around (pre-interweb era) looking for pricing, no one could get the parts.

Honestly, if you're into butt-crampingly expensive Italian luggage, it would be far easier to buy Givi bags and mounting hardware, then fabricate your own rack and mounts. Givi stuff is much more widely available in the US of A, and for not much dough you can buy the mounting hardware separately that bolts on to whatever racks you engineer.

That's the conclusion I was coming to as I continued to search. Maybe I can score some used Givi bags on eBay someday, or (even cheaper), mount up some of the Givi-knockoff top cases.

[Dogma]

Jimmy thanks for the vid... That track looks kinda slow though
But. At this point I simply want to do a track day. Or ten. Next year for sure.

Ten? I suspect that once I get a taste of the track, ten won't be enough.