Chain tension

I tend to do the tension on the center-stand (to what my experience tell’s me is about right). Pop it on the side stand and give it a check.
I suspect bikes with the chain on the right are that little bit easier than chains on the left :thinking:

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I can only say from a personal experience as a time served mechanic (in a previous life so to speak). Using a centre stand or rear wheel stand is helpful when you’re cleaning and lubricating the chain, but measuring the actual amount of chain slack is usually done with the bike on the side stand, which the owner’s manual will usually tell you how to orient the bike to measure the chain slack, if you look at the bike like a triangle, when you lift it up, the triangle is more narrow and when you set the bike down and put load on it, the base of the triangle widens, hence the difference in tension from rear stand to side stand. I am sure manufacturers would not write the side stand procedure in the owners handbook if they did not think it to be correct, if a different method works for people and they are happy then stick with it, as riders we all know the effects a tight or slack chain has on a motorcycle. Ride safe all from an ageing Rocker.

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I do mine on a rear paddock stand. I can compress the suspension to check slack and both sides are easy to access.

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What really screws with your head is when you finally realise that the amount of chain slack required differs from what it says in the book as soon as you move away from the stock rear preload setting…:scream:

After adjusting the rear suspension or fitting a lowering/jack up kit all that is needed is the correct chain adjustment

If you check tension with increased preload you need to allow more slack because swingarm will have further to go before going to the tightest position, that’s when axle, swingarm pivot and front sprocket make a straight line. It’s very important there’s still some slack at that point or bearings will get knackered.

That’s what I think happened to me (worn sprocket carrier bearings) and I’ve now started increasing slack and making sure there’s still some left at the worst case point. Which I realise there really wasn’t when going by the owners manual with my now lower static sag. I’m just hoping that the bearings in engine that the output shaft rotate in aren’t too bad. (Things felt OK when checked).

Chain monkey works every time.

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