Motorcycle Tutorial: Adjust Chain Tension

Over the kilometers, the chain will wear out and tend to relax slightly or even beat. For the longevity of your motorcycle and your safety, be sure to check regularly tensioning your chain... Note that a loose, bouncing chain will cause jerking in the transmission, which will adversely affect the transmission shock absorber.

Datasheet

Tight chain, yes, but not too much

However, be careful not to overtighten the chain, which, like a weakened chain, will accelerate its wear. The ideal tightening value is indicated by the manufacturer in the instructions or directly on the sticker on the swingarm. Manufacturers usually recommend a range of 25 to 35 mm in height between the bottom and top of the chain.

Preparing the motorcycle

First of all, place the motorcycle on a stand or, otherwise, on a center stand. If you don't have one or the other, you can simply place the motorcycle on a side stand and then slide the box or other object to the other side to take the load off the rear wheel.

Step 1. Measure the chain height.

Before moving on to setting up your channel, measure its height at rest. To do this, push the chain up with one finger and lift the rib. If the measured size does not match the value recommended by the manufacturer in the manual, loosen the rear wheel axle to allow the wheel to slide.

Step 2: Loosen the axle

Loosen the wheel axle slightly, then adjust the chain ¼ turn on each side, checking the chain run each time.

Step 3. Check the wheel alignment.

Then check the correct installation of the wheel according to the marks marked on the swingarm.

Step 4: tighten the wheel

Once the correct tension has been obtained, tighten the wheel with a torque wrench to the recommended tightening torque (current value is 10µg). Make sure that chain tension did not move when lifted and blocked the tensioner locknuts.

NB: if setting up your channel returns too often, it will be necessary to take into account its change. Pull the link on the crown to see if your chain needs to be changed. If you see more than half of the tooth, the chain kit should be replaced.