Chain Tension on GPX250

kc · Post by kc » Mon May 22, 2006 11:54 am

I know this topic has been discussed before but I can't find the tread so here goes again.
My GPX250's chain touches the centre stand when stationery. I'm guessing that this means that the tension on the chain is too loose (although there's no obvious scrape marks on the centre stand at the moment).
Can anyone educate me if this is the case.

Duane · Post by **Duane** » Mon May 22, 2006 11:57 am

should be about a inch of play in it.
2.5cm with any chain

mike-s · Post by **mike-s** » Mon May 22, 2006 2:21 pm

i'd be more specific and say 2-2.2cm of play with the bike on the sidestand, 2.4-2.6ish with someone on the bike and about 1.8-2.0 with the bike on the centrestand and no load on the rear wheel.

All depends on how you decide to measure it really....

Duane · Post by **Duane** » Mon May 22, 2006 2:25 pm

mike-s wrote:i'd be more specific

I knight ye Sir Specific

wazza1234 · Post by **wazza1234** » Tue May 23, 2006 5:10 am

alternatively you could use the manuals recommendation of 35-45MM slack. I have mine at 35mm. When I bought it it had about 60mm, but it still didnt touch the centre stand...yours must be way too loose

Lainie · Post by **Lainie** » Tue May 23, 2006 5:40 am

This is the link for the manual if it's any help to you

http://home.swiftdsl.com.au/~tenoq/GPX250Manual.pdf

kc · Post by kc » Tue May 23, 2006 3:41 pm

Thanks for all the posts.
The slack on the chain is a lot more than the recommeded limits so I decided to take it to the bike shop today to get a professional opinion. The verdict, I'll need a new chain & sprockets on the bike as these are parts that need to be changed every 25-30,000kms (or so I'm told). Apparantly it's not worth adjusting the tension as the chain stretches through it's lifetime and this one is close to its limit. The damage for this will be $260 (and another $170 for a new Bridgestone rear tyre 'cause the current one is in bad nick). Better start breaking the piggy bank.

GlennB · Post by **GlennB** » Tue May 23, 2006 6:51 pm

I had the same problem, I had a bad tight spot in my old chain and was hitting the the kick stand I do recomend get 2 new spockets and new chain. Also recomend put a 47 tooth spocket on the back. Ive just done that and makes a heap of difference in exaleration. But will rev slightly higher at a 100ks.

kc · Post by kc » Tue May 23, 2006 9:25 pm

I might give that a try because acceleration is crap at the moment (get beaten off the lights by Hyundai's & Kia's) although I suspect it has more to do with the chain in it's current state than the sprocket size.
The price I was given at the bike shop was for the "standard kit". Do you know how much extra it is to put a 47 tooth sprocket in place of the standard?

GlennB · Post by **GlennB** » Wed May 24, 2006 5:28 pm

shouldnt be much more mine cost $40 with 5% off.

ZZRCHIKKY · Post by **ZZRCHIKKY** » Mon May 29, 2006 9:44 pm

kc wrote:(get beaten off the lights by Hyundai's & Kia's)

UMMM DEARY ME

IS THAT BRINGING SHAME ON THE MOTOCYCLE COMUNITY OR WHAT

( jk, but theres sumthing wrong there

)

kellz · Post by **kellz** » Mon May 29, 2006 10:11 pm

must be teh week for gpx chain and sprocket issues.
well after coming down mac pass adn hearing a not so nice clunking on down shifting, time to tighten chain was way to loose, and also found wheel alighnment was out, so i did that and also chain guard was hitting chain as it had warped, dont know how, so that explained the annoying clunk coming down mac pass

its quiet easy to do yourself kc, if i can do it you can.

a bit of string for teh wheel alignment, about 3 spanners and a race/ centre stand and your right