Split links, they're dangerous! + Buzzards Rally

[mchaggis]

I'm just back from the Buzzards rally up in Dornoch, a fantastic weekend for me, but not for my geeper!

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/dsc00051-3.jpg
(Unblemished before the trip!)

After the Friday night fun and games we'd rolled out of our tents pretty late and I was really the worse for wear. We headed north up the A9, which is an amazing road up into Caithness, towards John O'Groats. As one must on a sunny Saturday, we were making progress...


There was the perfect mix of tight, twisty technical sections along with swooping corners, giving amazing panoramic views of the cliffs, sea and mountains, all in the same view. From nadgery little 1st gear downhill hairpins to 90mph, toe scraping beauties, there was everything you could ask for.


After stopping for tea, we turned around and headed back down the way. A few of the guys carried on ahead while I shat myself negotiating the nasty hairpins, so I had plenty of ground to make up. Just approaching Brora, Bang! ... Bang!. I coast into the Shell garage a quarter mile away where the others are waiting, and get off to inspect for anything amiss. Seeing nothing obvious wrong, I leave the garage and accelerate away gently.. BANG! The bike revs and nothing happens.. Is a gear selected? Yes. Rev, nothing happens.. Fuck.


Come to a halt, look down and there is no chain on my bike! So, there I go, running up the road to see the guy who was directly behind me just sat at the side of the road, waving my chain at me! A quick search around where the chain flew off at him reveals the side plate with pins on, bent and distorted. We proceed to walk the quarter mile back to where I heard the other two bangs, but cannot find anything.


The chain was 300 miles old, correctly tensioned and well lubricated, the split link was properly installed and was what the chain came with. I would not think 55-60 hp from a GPZ 500 would be enough to give a split link problems, but giving it enough hammer and rapid acceleration/ deceleration/ block changing made it go ping. Whether it snapped or simply came off we'll never know.


Ultimately, it was a random stranger who helped us out. He just happened to know someone a mile down the road who ran trials bikes and had split links aplenty! Luckily for me, I had my toolkit with me and soon we were back on our way. We bought the guy some beer but he wouldn't take any of it and was just happy to have helped! Top geezer!


https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/dsc00054-3.jpg
The bikes in Huntly.

On the way back, the wind blew my poor bike over in a petrol station in Inverness, bending the brake levers, disintegrating the mirror and front indicator. The rear brake jammed on, leading me to ride on it to unstick it. Cue a cooked and scorched rear drum. Eventually we got home, I'm knackered, but it was one of the best weekends I've ever had. I've ridden 600 miles in six days, and have loved all of it.


Anyone from here go along, or anyone got any nasty experiences with split links to relate?
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I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[stinkwheel]

Split links. Maybe it's just a kawasaki thing. I've had two fail on my GPZs and one on my KLE. All chains in good nick and well oiled (scotoiler fitted).

Don't use them.

Mind you, I pulled my KLE out of the garage today and it confirmed my oppinion that the chain they've fitted to those bikes is far too bloody small. It looks like a bicycle chain compared to the one on my VFR.

I went to school in Huntly.

I hope you didn't go along the A96? If you did, next time cut from Huntly across to Duffton (straight across the A96 from that Tescos) then Craigellachie, Aberlour, Granton and Boat of Garton. Takes you out onto the A9 about 15 minutes South of 'schnekky. No longer in journey time than the A96 and a bloody good ride out along Speyside.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[mchaggis]

The A96 was the road of choice I'm afraid. Partly because only a couple of us went to Buzzards last year and I was the only one with any maps. When road directions are A96->A9 either way, there's a little bit of temptation there.

Still, other than the caravans, trucks and tractors , it wasn't too bad. The A96 between Huntly and Elgin is very fast and really good fun. Not that'd I'd speed at all, of course!

I'd never realised how much fun rallies can be, especially with decent weather and good company. Get pissed, generally make a tit out of yourself, have a good laugh, ride bikes through amazing scenery and chill out in the sunshine. That's the life!
____________________
I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[SoND]

You shouldn't use a split link on anything over a 125.

There was one on the CBR when I got it and didn't realise until it broke on me. Was lucky I was only doing 5mph at the time.

[stinkwheel]

Mind you, my mates 250bhp TLR drag bike had two split links in the chain and he used to ride that to the meetings.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[SoND]

How often did he change the chain?

[mchaggis]

Thing is though, being able to split the chain is really useful!
I've never had a problem with split links before, but to have that happen within a few hundred miles of the chain being fitted really isn't a good sign. Even though I was wringing the bike's neck, I would not expect it to fail at all! The replacement got me home fine, but I think I'll get a rivet link to replace it..

I was really lucky I was cooling down into a 40 limit, into a town! There were any number of corners prior to that on which I could have been spat off over a cliff or into oncoming traffic.
____________________
I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[Ichy]

In the old days it was fairly common, at least with the people I knew, to safety wire the split link on larger bikes. the wire was wrapped around the centre of the link, it didn't interfere with the sprockets.

I've even seen them with a bit of silicon on the split link to stop them getting knocked.

No idea if the silicon works but I've never had a split link come off.

[ZRX61]

[ZRX61]

[Nath]

It's very easy to fit a split link so it appears on, but is actually not seated right and will ping off pretty easily if you tap it the right way. When it's on right it should be able to move around a little bit in the grooves on the end of the pins.
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Hard livin', hard luck.

[Pete.]

Split links are fine IMO, so long as they are properly fitted and good quality. What you have to watch out for is cheap chains that have split-links not made from the same/equivalent stuff that the chain was made from. Since they use a different manufacturing process they will most likely be made by different places and the quality may vary.

You can buy some of the top-quality chains and specify split- or rivet-link. It's a matter of personal choice but it's not right to say they are dangerous/shouldn't be used on higher-power bikes.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[stinkwheel]

Ok, but I'll say they shouldn't be used on Kawasaki 500 twins. Do you have any idea how anal I was about making sure the last one was properly fitted having had two break previously?

I had only fitted it temporarily because my mate had my rivetting tool. It was an EK chain.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Jack_Cheese]

i wonder how many peple have fitted the split link facing th wrong way round?

Its a shame the GPZ fell over, looked a right minter in the first pic
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www.bikepics.com/members/jackcheese <--- NOW FOR SALE! 51 Plate Cagiva Planet 125
Quacker_boy: "Jack, you really are a dick!"

[stinkwheel]

I've had a bike arrive new with the split link on the wrong way round. It was a Czechoslovakian one though.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[mchaggis]

[Pete.]

[stinkwheel]

No, they drive on the right.

Do try to keep up 007.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Pete.]

*..sounds of furiopus back-peddling....*
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[Kickstart]