I've recently used up my RK O-ring chain so I'm looking for a replacement...

(Mine has gold links)

My general impression were that it was a good chain.
It was light and featured stepped sized links (every other link was taller so not all links rubbed the sliders).
The supplied split link broke very soon and left me stranded but the replacement split last the life of the chain. The RK chain has a smaller pin size to any other chain I've had so none of my 'generic' split links would fit this chain.

One thing that annoyed me is that the chain was so tight that it hardly wanted to bend until it warmed up, even when new - pushing the bike around the garage was noticeable harder.
As the chain aged it was getting tighter & tighter when dry. It had to be oiled heavily to make it move freely, it didn't want to sit properly on sprockets either which made adjusting the chain hard until it had been run a little, and was a total PITA to feed around the front sprocket. This is annoying as I remove & refit my chain every few rides to give it a thorough clean.

I suppose my concern it that this chain may be harder on the sprockets as the links seem to resent being turned. Once hot the chain moved freely enough I think but eventually started to develop the odd link that didn't want to sit straight.

So, what are your impressions of the RK SO chain, and would you buy it again?

Edited by DrzDick, 13 July 2012 - 02:48 AM.

DID or regina chains are good

I find a chain lasts 10,000 miles on my 99,7% street ridon SM

rear sprockets 20,000 miles

CS sprocket 10,000 miles

in my opinon the "factory" RK chain was junk

my DAD just distroyed a "factory" RK chain on his GZ250 with under 4,000 miles on it

Edited by iowaBClivewire, 13 July 2012 - 07:43 AM.

been running rk chains on my drz's since 2004.

first started with their standard o-ring chain. then went to the xso x-ring chain. for years i could get the xso for about $50. just ordered a new rk chain - wasn't the xso, as i couldn't find it at rm, but this one was about $72.

street use i get at least 10 k out of them. off road use i get about 2 - maybe 3k.

i found them to be a good value when they were $50. never had any master link issues at all.

I've found them to be very good chains.

My canyon carver/track day R1 has a 520GXW RK o-ring on it now, which just replaced an RK o-ring that had around 12k of fast roads, track days and clutch wheelies. I expect similar longevity out of the new one.

My race R1 has a 520GXW RK o-ring on it now for the last two seasons. Still in great shape. I expect it to last this season as well.

My DRZ has a 520 RK o-ring on it now (not sure which model) for the last 5k, and it's due for replacement (I have a new RK waiting to go on). It's shot, but I beat that poor bike so mercilessly (deep mud and alot of off road with dirt wheels, a bazillion wheelies and hard back shifts with the SuMo wheels) that I'm very happy with the life of the chain.

I got great miliage out of the stock RK chain.  12k

Then I wnet to 13/43 sprocket combo and new x ring RK.... bad move on my part.  The sprocket combo ate that RK in no time...I am still with-in RK's specs but barely.

I have sense returned to a 14/43 sprocket como (kush rear for sometime now)  Bike seems to like this combo better. So do I.

Sounds good, I'll probably give them another shot then.
I do find them to be good value for money here in the UK but when I ask others which chain they use the answer is generally DID or Renthal, which made me wonder a little...