having issues with my chain

so my chain doesn't seem to sitting in the rear sprocket. I have made sure that the wheel is adjusted and straight. The wheel will turn and the chain will go out of the teeth. then it will pop back in. the pictures show the chain as it sits in the sprocket, and when it doesn't any suggestions would be appreciated

chain is probably stretched too much,new sprockets and chain should fix that problem

as long as it is aligned with the front sprocket and the spacers and everything is in order on the axle then...the chain has a stretched spot....does it have a center stand so you can free spin it front and backwards in the air in neutral?PLUMMEN wrote:

chain is probably stretched too much,new sprockets and chain should fix that problem

Can you take a picture of the sprocket from the side view? Someone may be able to tell you if the sprocket appears to be worn beyond its practical limit. Ed

1976 KZ900 OEM chain/sprockets are a 630 pitch...

Hard to say in review of the image but it seems the rollers don't fit between the sprocket teeth at all. Even in a worn state (sprocket teeth) the rollers should drop in between...

Measure your sprocket & chain pitches...

Via Z1:
The first number of the chain designates the chain pitch and represents the distance between each pin in eighths (1/ of an inch.

630 chain is 3/4" pitch (or think of it as 6/8"), 530 chain is 5/8" pitch - so if you are not sure what size chain you have on your bike, just measure the pin-to-pin distance.

The second two numbers show the width of the roller section of the chain in eighth's of an inch with an assumed decimal point between the numbers. So 630 chain is 3/8" wide and 525 chain is 5/16" wide (2.5 eighths).

520 5/8 inch pitch, 1/4 inch wide
525 5/8 inch pitch, 5/16 inch wide
530 5/8 inch pitch, 3/8 inch wide
630 3/4 inch pitch, 3/8 inch wide

Plummen hit it on the nose, new sprocket and chain...

worn rear sprocket

Good Luck!

I can get that pic, but it sounds like a new chain and sprockets are in order. That's what I thought. any suggestions on what sprockets work best

a well maintained middle priced set up will out last a non mantained pricey set by about 10 times as long...that said ...if you get a name brand set and are not made of money or gonna ride a hundered miles a day all year....then a basic heavy duty chain is fine.....lube adjust whatever you get as often as you can and a decent chain for 65-85- and about 20 front sproc and 35 rear is not out of a guys financial reach.....it'll work well for a long long time...replace all at the same time with new......good luck......

i've been watching some basic chains online for another bike project i have and dont wanna spend too much on for now.... and if you search "630 chain" on the e-bay site....you will see some D.I.D brand chains for as low as 49 i think.....the same brand goes past 100 depending on the class of chain......check your model for exact sprocket teeth counts and how many links your chain has then double check and see if thats what you have now on there........i want to go one tooth bigger in front next time on my kz900...i'm told this helps from trying to shift into the phantom kz 6th gear on the freeway.....good luck

I'll chime in and say 'Me too", something does look funny to me in that picture.

I bought a RK x-ring chain from Z1Enterprises two years ago and it is the best chain I ever had on a bike. It has 23,000 miles on it and I am at the second mark on the adjuster. This chain took two adjustments in the first 700 miles and has had TWO adjustments since, unbelievable but true. I lube it every 200-300 miles.

Prior to this chain I had a JC WHitney regular chain, NON oring style. With the same lube schedule I got 15,000 out of it.

Would recommend these offerings from Z1E:


rear sprocket


countershaft sprocket


0-ring drive chain

Haven't yet tried the xw-ring drive chain, but will likely do so when replacing the existing 0-ring version.

xw-ring drive chain

With a larger countershaft sprocket, expect noticeable decrease in acceleration from stop or crawl, same attainable top speed, and same mpg, but with a lower more relaxed cruising rpm. Akin to swapping gears 1~5 for gears 2~6.

Remember the buds you could out-accelerate in friendly drags? Becomes a fond past memory with the larger countershaft sprocket and watching them pull away! :laugh:

Good Luck!

Thanks for the advice, I have said it before, and will say it again, this site is an awesome resource