Jump to content

Chain upgrade

By YZ450RDR,
in YZ400F/426F/450F/450FX

 Share

Recommended Posts

Grand Master

DPW

Posted
Posted

My personal favorite is the DID 520ERV3.

Reasons are>>

X-Ring last forever

One of the narrower X-ring chains

Spins a lot freer then most "ringed" chains(in my experience)

It is expense and you will need a chain riveting tool.

Add some Ironman sprockets and you are set for awhile.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Grand Master

grayracer513

Posted
Posted

I use the Regina ORN6 O-ring chain. They cost around $65, and I get 18 months or more out of them, adjusting them no more than 4 times over the duration. If you want to make that much out of the supposed drag of an O-ring, they also make the same chain as the ZRH, with lipped seals having a Z cross section, similar to the X ring.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Contributor

kz2zx

Posted
Posted

I seem to keep chiming in behind Gray.

The ERV-3 is a roadracing chain, for 1000cc bikes. It costs about $170. You're paying for a lot of tensile strength you just don't need with a 450 single. The chain is still as subject to abrasion from sand/grit as an O-ring, and will wear about as fast, in my experience.

You can get X-rings (the EK SRX I just put on my 426 'tard, for example) for about $70-80. Or do what Gray said, and get an O-ring for about $65-70.

(I use either DID ERV-3 or EK RXO on a ZX-10R, depending on which is on sale when I need one. I get about 6/7 of a season - 12 weekends with practices out of 14 dates - from a chain and sprockets. Compare the longevity to two full seasons from one set on a ZX-6R at 118 HP, vs 160HP from the 10R.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Grand Master

DPW

Posted
Posted
The ERV-3 is a roadracing chain, for 1000cc bikes. It costs about $170. You're paying for a lot of tensile strength you just don't need with a 450 single. The chain is still as subject to abrasion from sand/grit as an O-ring, and will wear about as fast, in my experience.

You may need to shop around if you are paying that much for an ERV3.

I don't see that much difference in the tensile strength between the other chains....

ERV3>>38.5

ERT2>>36.0

520VM>>35.8

520VT>>37.5

http://www.didchain.com/specs.htm

http://www.didchain.com/offroad.htm bottom right

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Grand Master

grayracer513

Posted
Posted

Let me be clear. I did not recommend "an O-ring chain", I specifically recommended the Regina ORN6 and then the ZRH. I know how these perform from firsthand experience. Just buying an O-ring chain is no guarantee of anything.

The question of tensile strength is far too often given far too much weight in selection of a good chain, and pretty much anything over 5000-5500 pounds is enough. More TS than required usually means a significant weight penalty. Chains rarely fail on dirt bikes from being pulled apart.

One other point regarding the two Reginas I mentioned is that they use conventional, clip type master links. The outer plate is a press fit, but they require no special tool to lock the link together. If you prefer riveted links, Regina offers the ORS6 and the ZRD.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Grand Master

grayracer513

Posted
Posted
Does it fit within the set of all O-ring chains, sir Pedant?
Obscure bit of vocabulary these days, particularly for someone who can't spell "Gray" ?:worthy:

It's not over-interested in detail to point out that the set of all O-ring chains, which does indeed include the ORN6, also includes some rather marvelous pieces of junk. Some assume that one sealed chain is like another, and that simply isn't true, and to say that because one of the set is good indicates that any of the remainder are also simply fails basic logic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Contributor

kz2zx

Posted
Posted
Obscure bit of vocabulary these days, particularly for someone who can't spell "Gray" ?:worthy:

It's a shade, not a colour, like any other.

It's not over-interested in detail to point out that the set of all O-ring chains, which does indeed include the ORN6, also includes some rather marvelous pieces of junk. Some assume that one sealed chain is like another, and that simply isn't true, and to say that because one of the set is good indicates that any of the remainder are also simply fails basic logic.

If I had an inkling we would have this discussion, I'd have written this: "...an O-ring chain, such as the one Gray suggests."

So, to summarize: Personally, I like EK and DID chains. But not the ERV3 for a dirtbike, I think it's overkill for the application.

Pax?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Grand Master

DPW

Posted
Posted
It certainly is.

ERV3>>38.5

ERT2>>36.0

520VM>>35.8

520VT>>37.5

http://www.didchain.com/specs.htm

Could someone explain how the ERV3 is overkill for a dirt bike? Looking at the specs of the four chains I listed I don't see a big difference in the numbers.

I also would like to know what makes the ERV3 a "street bike" chain? Seems weird that DID would advertise it also as an off-road chain on the their site.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Grand Master

grayracer513

Posted
Posted
on the press fit link, is a special tool required? I pressed on with my chain breaker...
Yes, it absolutely does. DON'T RIDE IT if all you did was press the outer plate on. If you have a clip type link, it will be good with the clip in place, but if it's the riveted type,with no clip, the ends of the pins need to be staked to hold the plate on.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Grand Master

grayracer513

Posted
Posted
Could someone explain how the ERV3 is overkill for a dirt bike? Looking at the specs of the four chains I listed I don't see a big difference in the numbers.
The ERT2 is already well beyond the tensile strength needed at 8100 psi. The ERV3 costs more, weighs more, and for that, it offers 8600 psi of tensile strength.

It is interesting that they claim a great deal of wear resistance for it, but by the look of this page, they did offer it as a road racing chain:

http://www.didchain.com/newproducts.htm

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Community Regular

rdrata

Posted
Posted

Thank you gentlemen; what do you reccommend, a clip type master link to replace press pin or staking the pins? I have utilized master links to this point; 1st time with the press fit. What tool do you reccommend if I go with the later? Don't worry gray, only buzzed the street (although I suppose it could have come off there too...)!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Grand Master

grayracer513

Posted
Posted

Riveted links are thought to be better because there is no chance for the clip to be dislodged due to incorrect assembly or due to being worn down by passing through the chain guide. They are thought to be stronger.

The first issue has some merit, but is easily avoided by making the assembly correctly, and by inspecting the clip condition and replacing at least the clip when it becomes necessary. The belief that riveted links are stronger is a misconception. Besides the quality of the materials, the press fit of the outer plate over the pins is what adds strength to the master link, and now that most of the better chains are fitting clip type links that way, there is no difference between them in that regard. A riveted link is just as subject to a sloppy staking job as a clip type is to misassembly.

Personally, I prefer clip links. However, it is important that you use only a master link listed by the chain manufacturer as being suitable for the particular chain in question. Issues of pin diameter and length, and other issues with fit may arise, and the use of the wrong link can seriously weaken the overall chain.

Riveting tools specific to the job are available from Motion Pro and others. Regina and DID both make several different chain tools, including riveters, that are significantly higher in quality in most cases, and not that much more costly. If you think you'll need it more than a few times, you may want to consider one of these.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Reply with:

ThumperTalk

Register a new account Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...
Terms of Use
Copyright
Privacy Policy