• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

Chain Disadvantages ,,Advantages,,!!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter madmikeracing
  • Start date Start date
M

madmikeracing

Guest
Guys say the 530 is lighter. Other than that I see absolutely no advantage. I've got another thought too. Every turn of the wheel on a 39 tooth spocket you have 39 teeth rolling over 39 rollers, where on a 47 tooth 530 you would have 47 teeth running over 47 rollers. To me and my limited mental capacity, this meens the 530 will be seeing about 20% more mechanical wear in the same miles vs. a 630 chain. Of course many other factors such as more teeth will be engaged at one time on a 530 chain so stress will be distributed over more links of the chain to even out the wear? Now like I say, my mind is not always on track, so anyone else comment?
THe advantages are many, and there are really no disadvantages to going with 530.

The chains are slightly lighter (about 1lb of revolving weight), so this equates to a small percentage increase in HP at the rear wheel.
The X-Ring chains last longer than 630 O-Ring chains. Based on comments for hundreds of customers, anything a few thousand miles better to double or more the normal life. The reason for this is the X-Ring versus the O-Ring. The conventional round O-Ring only has one sealing surface between the side plates. The X-Ring has two surfaces..
The 530 X-Ring chains are cheaper by about $10.00 than the 630 O-Ring chains..
530 chains are much more available. Try walking into a bike shop and finding 630 chain on the shelf... Probably less than 1 in 10 dealers will have any in stock..
You can get a variety of different 530 chains - including a mix of colors.

There is a high-end XW-Ring 630 chain that will last a lot longer than the conventional O-Ring 630 chains, but it is fairly expensive.
this was some Info I copied from The internet, Comments Guys?

 
chains are dirty and a pita
chains are I think still stronger than a shaft drive
maybe not any more

Id go with a shaftie now but I am getting old and lazy
 
Most do the 530 conversion because the parts are lighter, cheaper, and more widely available than 630 equivalents while being just as durable if not more so. Chain construction has come a long way in the last 34 years and it's one of the easier modern upgrades for these bikes.
 
Id go with a shaftie now but I am getting old and lazy
All the more reason to go to a shaft.

Why bother with all that chain cleaning and maintenance?

I have been "too old and lazy" to do chain maintenance for 36 years now. :encouragement:

My last chain-driven bike was traded-in in April, 1979. My #1 son had an '81 450T for about a year, then he got shafted.
Mrs. Steve still has her first bike, it's listed in my sig. Some day it will look like that picture, but it has not breathed air on its own since 1983, so I have not had to play with its chain, either.

.
 
Most do the 530 conversion because the parts are lighter, cheaper, and more widely available than 630 equivalents while being just as durable if not more so. Chain construction has come a long way in the last 34 years and it's one of the easier modern upgrades for these bikes.

Chain construction has indeed come a long way - but the best practice in construction is only available in currently used sizes. And 630 is emphatically not a currently used size.
FWIW, most modern bikes of comparable power to our big dinosaurs now use 520 chain but 530 is still used in huge quantity as OE sizing.
 
Yes Shaft Drive has its Benefits, I drove a KIR BMW for one Year. One of the Peeves !!to say it lightly was the shaft drive had a habit of occasionally seizing up locking the back Wheel and...well you can guess .The cure was Lube with a Honda Special grease, I actually bought a Tube and then decided to sell the Beemer as it only went 210 kms an hour .Im a old GS Guy ,Maybe a turbo Hayabusa/ But,,,too much money for a dirt poor guy like myself, Thanx for all the chain opinions. Mike
 
530 Conversion

530 Conversion

I've only ever ridden chain-driven Suzuki(s). I have no knowledge of how a shaft-driven bike feels so I can't speak to that.

However, I can say that maintaining a chain-driven bike isn't too much trouble for me. I purchased the 530 conversion from Z1 but sadly, have not completed the install. I'm geographically separated from my "T" but look forward to re-acquainting myself with her.


Ed
 
I've only ever ridden chain-driven Suzuki(s). I have no knowledge of how a shaft-driven bike feels so I can't speak to that.
See if you can hitch a ride on one, you might be pleasantly surprised.

If you are wanting a lighter, sportier ride, try a 650G. If you want a bigger, torquier ride, try a 1000G or 1100G, but don't form your opinion based on an 850G. It is the same physical size as the 1000 and 1100, but has less power and is heavier, so it's not quite as much "fun".

Back when these bikes were new, many of the magazine testers said they had to keep looking down to make sure they had not been given a chain-driven bike, as they could not tell any difference by the handling alone.

.
 
Thanks Steve!

Thanks Steve!

I've only ever ridden chain-driven Suzuki(s). I have no knowledge of how a shaft-driven bike feels so I can't speak to that.
Ed

This...

See if you can hitch a ride on one, you might be pleasantly surprised.

If you are wanting a lighter, sportier ride, try a 650G. If you want a bigger, torquier ride, try a 1000G or 1100G, but don't form your opinion based on an 850G. It is the same physical size as the 1000 and 1100, but has less power and is heavier, so it's not quite as much "fun".

Back when these bikes were new, many of the magazine testers said they had to keep looking down to make sure they had not been given a chain-driven bike, as they could not tell any difference by the handling alone.

.

Oh, I'm open to trying one out Steve. Heck, I'd even buy one if the price was right and I was back in the tri-state area. I'm game...trust me. I wanna be able to critique and enjoy a shafty simply because YOU recommend it.

It would be extremely nice to have the option to ride which-ever one I chose...that's my dream. These bikes are wonderful to own and take care of...I can see why we are all passionate about these bikes no matter which one we own.

All the banter going back and forth is great as long as we remember why we ride. Truly a pleasure/privilege/honor to own a vintage bike.


Ed
 
EK chains are great, 530 is on all my bikes including my Hayabusa powered B-King. 23K on the original 530 EK chain and the only time I had to adjust it was when I swapped to a smaller front sprocket. Cleaning is time consuming (especially without a center stand) but if a 530 works on my 185 hp 1.4L bike a 530 will work on any stock GS...
 
Looking Forward to 530 Conversion

Looking Forward to 530 Conversion

^^It's like anything else JEDZ, it's a labor of love. When I had my bike in my apartment in Alamogordo, I layed next to her as she was on center stand and just turned the rear wheel cleaning the chain. I was on the first floor in NM but I'm on the 2nd here in FL. It's a total different feel here...I can't put my finger on it.

530 conversion will get done on my bike...I can't wait!


Ed
 
Why bother with all that chain cleaning and maintenance?

What cleaning and maintenance? They last years and years whether you do any of that or not. Got 17,000 miles on one chain, haven't done jack to it, not even an adjustment. It's not even close to needing an adjustment, still as tight as when I bought the bike. Lots of dirt, dust, mud, water crossings, etc on this one as well as two up high speed stuff.
 
^^It's like anything else JEDZ, it's a labor of love. When I had my bike in my apartment in Alamogordo, I layed next to her as she was on center stand and just turned the rear wheel cleaning the chain. I was on the first floor in NM but I'm on the 2nd here in FL. It's a total different feel here...I can't put my finger on it.

530 conversion will get done on my bike...I can't wait!


Ed

It better! I didn't bend that tire iron for not! lol Damn air compressor had to be down at that time or it would have been converted huh ED.
 
Chain drive bikes handle better- no rise and fall with acceleration /deceleration. Plus, everyone knows that shaft drive bikes can't wheelie.
 
530 & Wheelies

530 & Wheelies

It better! I didn't bend that tire iron for not! lol Damn air compressor had to be down at that time or it would have been converted huh ED.

We gave it a try Bill. All parts are in my tank bag just itching to be installed.

Chain drive bikes handle better- no rise and fall with acceleration /deceleration. Plus, everyone knows that shaft drive bikes can't wheelie.

I didn't think about that. Who am I kidding; I've only ever done a wheelie (if you can call it that) on accident with my first bike. Doh!

Ed
 
Chain drive bikes handle better- no rise and fall with acceleration /deceleration. Plus, everyone knows that shaft drive bikes can't wheelie.

Is that right...
wheelie.jpg

images
 
Back
Top