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How To Check Your Motorcycle Chain
To seriously check the motorcycle chain, you must focus on the 3 core elements: the openness of the chain, the physical state and the wear of the tooth plate.
First of all, put the car in neutral, and then according to the specific requirements of the model, use the side ladder or the big ladder to stabilize the frame (be sure to turn over your owner’s manual, some cars are very picky about the support method). Find the midpoint of the chain between the front and back discs, take a ruler, first push the chain up hard, then pull it down hard. For most street cars, this total up and down travel should be between 20mm and 30mm (0.8 to 1.2 inches), and if it is an off-road vehicle, this value is usually much larger.
Next, turn the rear wheel and watch carefully for “dead knots” or “kinks” (the kind of chain links that turn around but don’t stretch straight), while watching for orange powder—a typical sign that the internal O-ring has failed. Finally, check the back tray: if the teeth look sharp, or bent like “shark fins”, or if you can pull the chain away from the back of the tray and expose more than half of the teeth, don’t hesitate, this set of chain trays has been completely scrapped and must be replaced in complete sets.
Step 1: Assess Chain Openness
Learning to check the chain, the first step is also the most common step, is to measure the open volume. As mentioned earlier, the placement of the vehicle is critical to the accuracy of the reading.
The Vehicle Shall Be Positioned Correctly:
Be sure to put the car in neutral. This allows the rear wheel and chain to rotate freely without competing with the compression resistance of the engine. Remember to consult the owner’s manual to confirm whether the side ladder should be on the ground or the large ladder when measuring. This is critical because different support methods change the geometric angle of the rear suspension, which in turn directly changes the tension of the chain.
Measuring Travel:
Find the midpoint of the lower chain—that is, the position between the front small flywheel and the rear tooth plate. Use a ruler or tape measure to push the chain up until it can’t move, and then pull it down until it can’t move. The total distance up and down is the amount of your chain.
Correct Specifications:
For most street cars, this vertical travel should fall between 20mm and 30mm. If the chain is tighter than this, believe me, your countershaft bearings and suspension system will be under tremendous pressure, and it is not cheap to repair; if it is too loose, the chain will shake or even jump off. In addition, it should be noted that off-road vehicles have a long suspension stroke. In order to adapt to the large swing of the rear rocker arm, they usually require a larger chain.
Chain Series
The brake calipers and sprockets offer excellent performance.
Calipers & Sprockets
The brake calipers and sprockets offer excellent performance.
Caliper series
Lighter weight、Corrosion resisting 、Sliding resistance
Step 2: Check The Physical State: Dead Joint And Sealing Ring
After confirming the tightness, the next step is to do a “physical examination” for the chain to check the health of the chain itself. You need to turn the rear wheel slowly and examine every inch of the chain.
Identify The “Dead Knuckle”:
Staring at the process of the chain rolling through the dental tray. What you’re looking for are the links that don’t straighten out immediately after leaving the set. We call it a “dead knot” or “kink” in the jargon. If this happens, the pin at the connection is stuck due to lack of lubrication or rust. If you still can’t stretch straight after several oiling activities, the chain will basically be useless.
O-Ring Failure Found:
Take a closer look at the color of the dirt on the chain. Black oil sludge is normal, but if it is orange powder, it is a serious alarm. This powder is actually “red rust” from the inside of the roller. This means that the protective rubber O-ring (or X-ring) has failed, and the grease sealed in it at the factory has run out and moisture has drilled in. Once you see the orange powder, the internal components are grinding themselves, and the life of this chain has come to an end.
Step 3: Analysis Of Dental Disc Wear
This last step determines whether you only need to adjust or replace the entire transmission system. It is pointless to check the chain without looking at the tooth plate, because they are a system that works together.
“Shark Fin”Test:
Visually inspect the teeth of the back tray. A healthy tooth shape is symmetrical, with a flat tip. As it wears, the continuous forward pulling of the chain will wear off the leading edge of the tooth, making it look curved, hooked or pointed—shaped like a “shark fin”. If you ignore it, this hooked tooth will quickly destroy the new chain you just changed.
Tension Test:
There is a simple physical way to judge excessive wear. Come to the very end of the back tray (that is, the 3 o’clock direction). Try pulling the chain straight back away from the tray. If it is a new car, the chain is motionless. However, if you can pull the chain apart, even more than half of the tooth height can be exposed, indicating that the chain has been stretched to the limit, and the tooth valley of the tooth plate is also worn.
Replacement Principle:
If you find “shark fins” or fail the pull test, don’t just replace one of the parts. The chain and the front and rear trays must be replaced. Putting a new chain on an old one (or vice versa) will only double the wear rate and make the new parts you bought at a high price be scrapped in a very short time.
Author： Alex Turner
With over a decade of experience maintaining both street and dirt bikes, I specialize in simplifying motorcycle maintenance for riders. I hope to help you stay safe and extend your bike’s lifespan through precise drivetrain inspection and care.