Had a VERY close call last week. Im SUPER thankful

I live in NYC, the land of hipsters and ppl who dont wear gear for city riding.

Last Easter Sunday I met up with some friends in Williamsburg Brooklyn - (where all the hipsters hang out and a 2 bedroom apt is $3,500 per month. I kid you not!

Anyhow, after meeting up with them i journeyed across the Wiliamsburg Bridge in Manhattan. Normally I do about 65-70 on the bridge, but all morning long, something told me "theres no need to go fast on these old bikes. Slow down."

FTR, I have 4 vintage bikes, a 1972 Honda cb 750, a 73 Honda cb 500F, a 77 Yamaha XS 650 and most recently, a 77 Kawa KZ750.

I stopped at a restaurant in downtown manhattan, ate and headed down broadway to Houston street to get back on the Williamsburg Bridge. As I went along Houston street, I blew through a light, leaving no one behind me as I approached the next red light. THANK GOD i did this.

As I approached the red light, with no traffic behind me, the bike rear wheel locked and I was like "WTF!" I didnt panic, I was just wondering what the hell was going on. The bike started leaning over and it took all my strength to hold it up, I reached over and turned off the engine, Finally I couldnt not hold the bike up any longer and was able to put it down, without a scratch. I was a bit stunned and didnt know what was going on. A man came over and was like "your chain snapped" and sure enough it had. It snapped and wedged around the rear wheel causing it to lock. The PO had used a half link, a NO NO with these torque monsters. And I was too eager to ride it, only having had it for 2 weeks, on easter sunday, without changing the chain and sprockets which i do on EVERY old bike when I first get it.

I only had on a pair of dress trousers, a 3/4 helmet and a TSHIRT!!! Thank GOD i wasnt going faster. I was only a quarter mile from the bridge, and had I got on it, going at speed, and the chain snapped, man, i would have been bad.

Got a new chain and am changing the bearings too as the wheel now squeaks when I turn it, so Im guessing the bearing is shot.

Any advice guys on the new chain and sprocket install and what MAY have been damaged? The engine runs fine and the crankcase is solid.?

Thanks. Here is my bike getting towed after it happened:

Glad you are OK .
Check for any damage from the chain whipping near the engine sprocket while the cover is off
Check underwear for pucker factor
Ride Safe
Dave

Did it get any of the spokes. On my 350 Honda I heard a sound like glass breaking but more metallic in sound. I didn't know what it was. One night while riding to the desert house with my girlfriend on the back and all our stuff strapped down, the bike went from the fast lane to the slow lane and back in seconds. I barely stopped in time not to go down. That sound was a spoke breaking. We limped to a gas station where I patched the tire. I had a chain break before that and it was my first street bike. That taught me to check the spokes every tire change.
Give it a good going over before you hit the road again.
Steve

SWest wrote: Did it get any of the spokes. On my 350 Honda I heard a sound like glass breaking but more metallic in sound. I didn't know what it was. One night while riding to the desert house with my girlfriend on the back and all our stuff strapped down, the bike went from the fast lane to the slow lane and back in seconds. I barely stopped in time not to go down. That sound was a spoke breaking. We limped to a gas station where I patched the tire. I had a chain break before that and it was my first street bike. That taught me to check the spokes every tire change.
Give it a good going over before you hit the road again.
Steve

Thanks for responding!

No the chain never touched the spokes. it got wrapped around the front of the sprocket. Never touched the spokes.

Street Fighter LTD wrote: Glad you are OK .
Check for any damage from the chain whipping near the engine sprocket while the cover is off
Check underwear for pucker factor
Ride Safe
Dave

Thanks. The chain thankully didnt break off near the engine sprocket. It broke somewhere in between. It never hit the engine, only wrapped around the wheel

I had one roll out the back. Spare link and I was on my way. My fault. Old chain and bad sprockets. I don't do that schtick anymore.:blush:
Steve

SWest wrote: I had one roll out the back. Spare link and I was on my way. My fault. Old chain and bad sprockets. I don't do that schtick anymore.:blush:
Steve

One thing im trying to figure out is the squealing. The bike is in the garage sitting on its center stand, without the chain on it. When I spin that rear wheel it squeaks a bit. Never did that before. I guess the failing chain may have knocked it out of alignment or ruined the bearings?

Could have made them bind. It's a great feeling having new bearing front and back. Tire balance is easier too. Before I could never keep the front wheel from hopping no matter how much I tried balancing it. The bike is rock solid.
Steve

SWest wrote: Could have made them bind. It's a great feeling having new bearing front and back. Tire balance is easier too. Before I could never keep the front wheel from hopping no matter how much I tried balancing it. The bike is rock solid.
Steve

Yeah I have ALL Balls bearings on hand for the bike. Going to swap them out.

Before I take an bike old bike I purchase on the road, I check all the saftey related systems (front and rear breaks, tires age, etc) along with all the blolts to make sure they are torqued properly. The engine can break down and you are most likely still safe. I check the torque on the shocks, front and rear axle, tripple tree, handle bars, front and rear sprocket, calipairs, etc. You get the picture. On the last bike I purchsed, I found the rear sprocket lock washers where not bent to their proper position over the sproket nuts (operational position) and looked like they had never been so since new. The PO had mentioned it has a new chain and sproket. That should have been a read flag for me for it to be the first item to inspect.
I would suggest replacing the rear shoes while you have the rear wheel off. It is cheap insurance and will give you confidence that you don't have to worry about the shoe pads delaminating and causing you to go through another lock up situation.

KZJOE900 wrote: Before I take an bike old bike I purchase on the road, I check all the saftey related systems (front and rear breaks, tires age, etc) along with all the blolts to make sure they are torqued properly. The engine can break down and you are most likely still safe. I check the torque on the shocks, front and rear axle, tripple tree, handle bars, front and rear sprocket, calipairs, etc. You get the picture. On the last bike I purchsed, I found the rear sprocket lock washers where not bent to their proper position over the sproket nuts (operational position) and looked like they had never been so since new. The PO had mentioned it has a new chain and sproket. That should have been a read flag for me for it to be the first item to inspect.
I would suggest replacing the rear shoes while you have the rear wheel off. It is cheap insurance and will give you confidence that you don't have to worry about the shoe pads delaminating and causing you to go through another lock up situation.

Thank you!!

Ive heard some ppl dont even use sprocket lock washers. They just periodically check that the bolts are torqued properly

Glad you are still in one piece.....we all need a little divine intervention from time to time. I would suggest getting new front and rear sprockets (with all corresponding lock washers).....especially with a new chain as they should be changed as a set. ++ on replacing rear brake shoes, check the clutch and fuel cables too (don't ask me how I know)