What chain to go for

[Travis Bickle]

I'm in the middle of changing my rear sprocket from a 45t to a 49t and have discovered I need a new chain to complete the process (shock horror!).

I'm guessing going from 118 links to 120 would be sufficient?

I don't mind spending a bit of money to get the best chain for the job even if it's overkill. I think the general rule of thumb is cheap chain for 125cc and under and it's got to be a O ring chain for anything over that right? Mine is 125 but I don't mind spending a bit more on an O ring chain even if it's not necessary. Also I believe they're lower maintenance?

I've narrowed my options down to either:

1) A fairly standard O ring chain from Tsubaki for £62.11

2) A NON O ring chain (also from Tsubaki) but apparently it's a heavy duty motocross chain for offroad applications. I'm wondering if this would be the better option if I get lazy with maintenance as it's HARDER wearing or whether the O ring one would be better as it's LOWER WEARING (if that makes sense, and I think I've understood the differences correctly). £41.40

The write up that was given for the motocross one is: This high quality NON O-ring chain has been manufactured for professional motorcycle mainly motocross / off road applications. The MX Pro features eliminated kinking and seizure in abrasive and muddy conditions through special treated pins and projected - shouldered bushings. Critical components are heat treated and shot peened for greater durability. The MX Pro distinguishes itself by its gold coloured link plates.

Specific for off-road bikes
Non 'O' ring chain
Suitable for bikes up to 450cc
Heat treated & shot peened
Gold coloured link plates

DID would be my preferred brand but it doesn't look like they do any heavy duty or O ring ones in the size I need.

I'm guessing the motocross one, if lazy and not maintained, would probably wear the sprockets more whereas as the O ring would would actually require less maintenance anyway it wouldn't wear the sprockets as much if left alone?

Not planning on neglecting my chain just looking for the best option possible.

Thoughts anyone please?
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Must Go Faster
1999 Yamaha FZS600 Fazer

[Skudd]

The most important bit is split link or rivet link.
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Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[Travis Bickle]

Thanks. What's the difference / which is best?
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Must Go Faster
1999 Yamaha FZS600 Fazer

[Skudd]

[MCN]

o-ring chains on bikes with open chain.

Non-o-ring chains 'should' have a cover over them.

O-ring chains do not need a cover as they are more resistant to shite getting into their 'workings'.

125 split link would work but I prefer the feeling of security of a riveted pin masel.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[P.]

On what bike... because that is a fairly sizable change.

Edit - YBR125.... I wouldn't go 'up' on the rear of a YBR. you are going to starve the shit out of it and its top speed is going to plummet.

[Ste]

The fairly standard O ring chain from Tsubaki for £62.11 is what you want.

Reason for wanting +4 on the rear sprocket?

[ThatDippyTwat]

It's a 9bhp 125. Anything half decent. Pretty sure I has a RK Tsakago on mine when it was sold to the local training school. About £45 all in for front, rear, chain and locking tabs.

Just make sure you clean and lube it.
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'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[bikenut]

If its under a 250 ( so not that powerful then eh !!!! bike dependant ) wemoto do a swallow chain non o ring which are quite good, also they do good sprockets as well.

How wealthy are you ?
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nuts about bikes

[G]

How about a cheap chain and spending the savings on a chain oiler?

[Travis Bickle]

[MarJay]

-1 on the front and +4 on the rear will be unrideable. The first gear will be useless, and the top gear will be the same as the gear below was, meaning you'll just have a bike that is slower than it started.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Travis Bickle]

[G]

[Travis Bickle]

Reduction would be 0.83 not 0.87 so new theoretical top speed of 58.1mph but yeah I agree with your maths! Thanks I hadn't considered working it out that way
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Must Go Faster
1999 Yamaha FZS600 Fazer

[garth]

Get a DID chain, don't fuck about.

My last DID o ring coupled with an oiler needed adjusting twice in three and a half months, or 13,000 miles, and half of that was off-road, loaded with camping gear.

It wore out a front sprocket before it needed adjusting.
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You ain't a has been if you never was

[Travis Bickle]

Yeah but DID don't do an O ring chain in the size I need (428 120).
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Must Go Faster
1999 Yamaha FZS600 Fazer

[jaffa90]

[Travis Bickle]

Hang on that's complete crap! I've been looking on the sportsbikeshop website and couldn't find any, however a search on eBay has produced both O and X ring chains from DID in the size I need.
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Must Go Faster
1999 Yamaha FZS600 Fazer

[garth]

[G]

[Travis Bickle]

I'd kinda been working it out the same way as you but back to front:

(14/45)/(13/49)=1.172649573 which is equally as valid a way to work it out... unfortunately the next step I took was to just subtract 0.172649573 from 1 which gave me 0.827350427 but that makes no sense. Should have divided 1 by 1.172649573 which would have given me 0.852769679 and we'd have been in agreement! LOL

So yeah, basically the new theoretical top speed after -1t on the front and +4t on the rear would be 60mph which is still more than I'm achieving at the moment anyway so I'm hoping it will give no reduction in top speed (maybe a slight increase) as well as vastly improved acceleration.
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Must Go Faster
1999 Yamaha FZS600 Fazer

[bladerunner]

on a 125 4t I'd say stick with a 428 and non O ring. Bigger chain= more power loss and O ring chain also means another 0.5HP gone!
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Current bikes...cbr929, KDX200's, Rd125lc mk2, RGV250's

[Travis Bickle]

Oh really?! Ok that's interesting I hadn't considered that. Thank you. Didn't realise the O ring ones were heavier.
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Must Go Faster
1999 Yamaha FZS600 Fazer

[Sister Sledge]