82 KZ750-H3 LTD split O-rings on stock chain

I have noticed that the chain on my 82 KZ750-H3 LTD is in very poor condition. The O-rings on the chain have all split (seriously, ALL, I can't find ONE intact) and many of them are just missing, however the chain has barely stretched at all. When measuring 20 links it measures out at less than 1mm over new chain length. The sprockets are both in excellent condition as expected with this being a rather low mileage bike, it's just that the chain O-rings have all failed from age and neglect.

I have a couple options in front of me:
1) 530 swap. I can get JT sprockets (16/38 to keep reasonably close to stock ratio) and DID 530 VX-PRO X-ring chain from Canada's Motorcycle for about $190 shipped, however I will need to find somebody to rivet the chain together once I cut it to length
2) Replace the 630 chain. I can get an RK 630 SO O-ring chain from Canada's Motorcycle (I use this shop because it's really easy to find pricing) for $133 and it comes with a clip-on master link I could install myself once I cut the chain to length
3) Ignore it - oil the chain frequently and hope it passes inspection as-is

If I go the 530 route I don't know that I will be able to find somebody local with a chain riveting tool and I also don't know what spacers (if any) I would need for the front sprocket, or whether DID is even a good company when it comes to chains.
If I go the 630 route I am worried that the RK chain will be a piece of junk, or that the clip-on master link will fail
If I ignore it I'm worried it will fail inspection (technically the inspection only lists to check whether the chain has stretched beyond the service limit but I'm worried bits of O-ring poking out of the chain will cause it to fail), or worse, that the chain itself will fail while riding.

Do I save the $57 and stick with 630 chain? Is RK a good brand? Do I spend the money and save 0.5-1.0kg and change over to a 530 chain? Should I just oil the chain every few rides and move on with my life?

I'm second guessing the hell out of all of the options - any input would be appreciated.

It seems like you have in effect a basic non o-ring chain so it should react OK with frequent oiling. I use DID chain and will never ever run it without a rivited master link. I did it with a master link and it worked out badly when it spit it out. I faced the same decision as you are about going to 530 chain and ended up staying with the 630. I think this was the wrong choice since walkin service isn't available for the old chain and any roadside time can be a prolonged stop (it was a 3 day event in East Glacier with me) Guess i'd run the chain and the sprockets out together and then decide on the 530 modification. The best place to find a chain riviter is in your own tool box - get one that will handle 630 chain and your all set. Hope this is a little help!!
Art
I bought my first bike from Walt Healy in your town. A real fine man.

How long has it been sitting? I had a new chain and sprockets for my bike I bought 15 years before I put it back on the road. (engine needed overhaul). The chain was still in the box so I put it on. It developed tight spots right away. The grease had dried out. Rather than ruining my new sprockets, I bought a new chain on eBay. It turned out to be CHINESE and started wiping out my sprockets. I bought a standard DID chain and that's what I'm running now. DID and RK are good chains. The DID came with a peen over master link. It was a PITA and I got it too tight. That was the first one so it didn't matter. The endless chains are meant to be just that. You have to take off the swing arm to install them. That's great as long as everything is new. That's when the road was lousy with Z1/KZ's, but now 92 link chains are not so common. I've been toying with the idea of a swap too. You can find 530 chains anywhere.
For now, it might be wise to buy the endless chain, go through the extra trouble and ride it for 20-30,000 miles.
Steve

Just for info I've run RK chains in both the 530 and 630 with standard clip type masterlinks for 250,000 miles or more and they were always a great chain. Don't worry much about the clip, as it is really a secondary safety measure as the chain plates on the masterlink press together as a very tight fit. I was riding around the country one year on a KZ1000 and one night I was cleaning and noticed my clip was missing. Don't know how long it had been that way, but being without a clip, I just wrapped some solid wire around between the two pins and in effect made my own "clip", After that rode from Houston out to southern CA, up to north of Seattle, and back to Denver without incident.

In a case like the one RonKZ650 described I suspect the clip actually breaks in half and falls off. I don't know what would cause that, but that's my guess since those clips usually are fairly difficult to remove even using tools. I had a similar incident in which my chain clip went missing. There was no logical reason in that it was facing the correct direction, never came into contact with anything, wasn't rusted or otherwise unsound - it simply disappeared. I found this out fairly soon because I lube my chain about every 300 miles. As Ron mentioned, the sideplate was still firmly in place and no harm was done, but it still was a bit unnerving. I replaced the clip and I look sometimes between chain lubes to make sure it still there. Ed

I bought an RK 530 x-ring chain (XSOZ1 ?) And sprockets from Canada's motorcycle a few months back. RK are a good brand. You should not need a spacer but I did get a new nut and spline washer for the front sprocket. I have always used a clip link and like Ron and Ed say the backing plate is pressed on anyway. Checking the clip should be just another part of a riders regular inspection.

I have an old inexpensive small chain breaker tool which was great for shortening the chain and I used a C - clamp and socket to press the backing plate of the clip link in place. The chain came with excellent instructions on how to fit a clip link. I pressed the back plate a little at a time until the clip just fit over each pin and then gently used the little breaker to press each pin bring the plate back snug (not to tight) against the clip.

if you decide to run your existing chain as is then it should be fine with regular lube. O- and x-ring chains are relatively recent inventions which I don't think we're around when most of these bikes were in their hey day
good luck

swest wrote: How long has it been sitting? I had a new chain and sprockets for my bike I bought 15 years before I put it back on the road. (engine needed overhaul). The chain was still in the box so I put it on. It developed tight spots right away. The grease had dried out. Rather than ruining my new sprockets, I bought a new chain on eBay. It turned out to be CHINESE and started wiping out my sprockets. I bought a standard DID chain and that's what I'm running now. DID and RK are good chains. The DID came with a peen over master link. It was a PITA and I got it too tight. That was the first one so it didn't matter. The endless chains are meant to be just that. You have to take off the swing arm to install them. That's great as long as everything is new. That's when the road was lousy with Z1/KZ's, but now 92 link chains are not so common. I've been toying with the idea of a swap too. You can find 530 chains anywhere.
For now, it might be wise to buy the endless chain, go through the extra trouble and ride it for 20-30,000 miles.
Steve

The chain is original to the bike, so it's 33 years old and it has been sitting for at least the last 15 years without going anywhere. On first inspection the chain looked okay so I didn't budget for replacing it but once I removed it to clean and grease it I found every single o-ring was split open, and when I started moving it around the o-rings started pulling part-way out and sticking straight out of the chain.

Looks like I am worried about nothing regarding the clip style link. I can get the 630 o-ring chain with a clip type master link for $133. It'll be 98 links but I can shorten it with the tools I have (grinder, nail, vise, patience) so I think I'll go that route. I'll make a point of checking for the clip regularly. Thanks everybody for weighing in on this!