Time for new chain and sprockets

77' KZ1000A1
Bear with me....
Pulled the wheels off this weekend installed the new Shinko Tires and had the wheels and spokes trued and balanced.
The Shinkos were quite a bit out of balance... it took 2 oz for the rear and 1.5oz for the front.
I also knocked out all the original seals and bearings for a change to 5 new All Balls, sealed bearings and seals.
I have done this bearing replacement before on a dozen or more other bikes but I had a terrible....VERY very difficult time getting the rear bearings out this time.
Seemed like the old ball bearings (about 40,000 miles)... were really stuck in the hub and the hub insides were a little corroded too... GOOD grief!!
Anyhow, I got it all done and put the wheels on.
I know I'm getting old and lazy but it took me close to four and half hours!!!

While readjusting the rear axle and chain tension... 15/35 sprocket combo.... I am now just about 1/16" past the last notch on the swing arm!! I don't think I can push the adjusting bolts in any further and the chain (cold) is still a little more slack then service limit.
Says RK 630 SO on the links.
I think it and the sprockets are just worn out.
It really only has about 6,000-7,000 miles on it and for some reason I thought it would go much longer then this.
I knew the chain wear has been moving the axle back over the years but there is virtually no adjustment left now.
So it looks like I'll be buying a new sprocket set and chain.
Not terribly interested in offset sprockets and 5 series running gear but where and what is the current good quality chain and sprocket combo?
I see 630 O'ring stuff on eBay... MUCH less $$ then what I paid for mine a few years and thousands of miles ago.. which red flags my attention as being cheap Chinese crap.
Any suggestions?

I' will go with new sprockets and a DID O ring chain. I've been looking at sprockets but will ask about where they are made. I found a 630 O ring chain, asked about it and the answer was, "we don't know the point of origin." F them.
Steve .

Now would be a good time to switch to a 530, chain & sprockets, ...630 stuff is becoming obsolete, Z1 E. can give you the right conversion for the gearing ratio you want.
Pete

I looked at the DID 630 Pro but I need a $200.00 DID swedging tool to put the master link on!!!
This is will be the fifth drive chain and sprocket swap I've installed on the bike in 40,000 miles.
That doesn't seem "too bad", but I've had good chains go +10,000-14,000 miles with proper tension and care.
I don't know what mileage others are getting....
Found another RK 630 SO on eBay for around $105.00... but getting only 6K-7K miles???
I'd rather pay $50-$65 more and go 12,000 miles or more.
I found a 16T drive sprocket in decent shape in one of my junk boxes... I might put that on and pull the rear axle up closer to the swing arm pivot for a while until I hear more from members and decide which way to go.
My wife has been enjoying evening rides with me up in the foot hills and flat land farm country east of Denver....so there is lots of 40mph-60mph riding to do.

pete greek1 wrote: Now would be a good time to switch to a 530, chain & sprockets, ...630 stuff is becoming obsolete, Z1 E. can give you the right conversion for the gearing ratio you want.
Pete

Yeah.. I guess I should not be so stuffy and really look into that.... I'm looking for about 2.3:1 ratio, which suits my riding style.

Tsubaki; EK; D.I.D. all make quality chains. The Tsubaki O-ring chain on my KZ650 has more than 21,000 miles on it and has only needed to be adjusted a little bit so far. I installed new sprockets when I installed the chain. I use Maxima Chain Wax every 300 miles (when I remember :whistle: ) and most important - I keep the proper slack in the chain. Too tight will kill a chain extremely quickly. Ed

www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&...PqxdRC0R_OQv_vmqTaXw
Pete

My first chain and rear sprocket was replaced at around 3000 miles by the dealer. For some reason it hooked the crap out of the sprocket. The tech made them replace the chain too and that set up went around 12,000-14,000 miles before I replaced them all.
Not sure if the KZ1000 is harder on the drive line then the Kz650s.
Yes I wore one out too soon by running it too tight. Just a dumb tension adjustment for a couple months.

missionkz wrote: 77' KZ1000A1
I see 630 O'ring stuff on eBay... MUCH less $$ then what I paid for mine a few years and thousands of miles ago.. which red flags my attention as being cheap Chinese crap.
Any suggestions?

Never buy anything off ebay that can directly affect your survival.....

missionkz wrote: This is will be the fifth drive chain and sprocket swap I've installed on the bike in 40,000 miles.
That doesn't seem "too bad".

doesn't seem too good.

I got close to 18 - 20,000 miles out of my first RK o ring chain but it was shot worse than I thought when I took it off three years ago. This is my 2nd swap in 29,000.

Went with the new RK RX ring chain from Z-1 this time ....... is suppose to be a tiny bit smoother or less friction cause of the o ring design but I'm sure it very slight and more a sales pitch........ ran a JT 41T alum rear sprocket last time and this time too only a 42T....... 2 and half lbs lighter using 7075 heat treated alum but I'm sure it will wear slightly quicker even though. I should be shot before it is this time.

I'll stay with the 630 O ring as long as I can. I've tried aluminum, no good. Went away too soon. Like this time I ran a standard chain just to get the rest of the life out of the sprockets. I once had a duel 530 chain and sprockets. They were the answer to the 630. The pin started backing out before the sprockets started to wear. Once again MARKETING. Everyone and their dog has something better, but when it doesn't work out, they're nowhere to be found. I'll stick with what works thank you.
Steve