I didn't notice any difference with the 13T sprocket in terms of noise. FWIW, I always wear silicone ear plugs when I ride. If you already had a lot of miles on your chain when you switched to a new 13T sprocket, that might account for it. A drive chain that is even slightly stretched will "click" as it rolls over a new sprocket.
I think 1 inch of chain slack should be considered the minimum amount... I run mine at 1.25 to 1.5 inches. Make sure you are lubing the chain periodically as well... a dry chain can be noisy compared to one that is regularly lubed.
Last edited by MotoMike; 12-13-2012 at 03:46 PM.
The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to MotoMike For This Useful Post:
Ok I don't ride with earplugs since I'm typically less than 55mph. My bike has only 2400 hundred miles so doubt its a stretching issue and I lube every 400-500 miles. Lubed after I installed the sprocket actually.
I'll try loosening the chain maybe that will quiet it down.
Anyone notice this? I have my chain tension at the factory 1 inch.
when you tighten the chain , make sure someone is sitting on the bike or some weight on the bike ... if you tighten the chain without any weight on it , when you do sit on it and ride , that 1-inch will not be there and the chain will be too tight ,, therefore making a noise like is too tight
not sure if you did have some weight on the bike when you tighten it or if this has already been suggested
The Following User Says Thank You to Street Sniper For This Useful Post:
when you tighten the chain , make sure someone is sitting on the bike or some weight on the bike ... if you tighten the chain without any weight on it , when you do sit on it and ride , that 1-inch will not be there and the chain will be too tight ,, therefore making a noise like is too tight
not sure if you did have some weight on the bike when you tighten it or if this has already been suggested
The recommended chain slack / adjustment does not require another person sitting on the bike - not sure who told you this, but it's not correct or necessary.
1.5" of slack is definitely more than Honda recommends - the exact specs are in the manual - .8" to 1.2" to be exact.
I keep mine at 1", checked / adjusted when the chain is cool (not after a ride - important).
Follow what it says in the user manual to adjust your chain. It usually tells you to do it on the side stand, or centre stand (if your bike has one). The reason for the slack is that it gets taken up when the suspension compresses. Once the swinging arm is past the point where the centre of the axis of the sprocket, swinging arm and rear wheel line up, it starts to slacken again. It's always better to err on the slack side if you are unsure, a tight chain will damage your sprocket shaft bearing, which will cost a lot of money to replace. Also, check the chain in a few different places, it can be slack in one place and tight in another. By this, I mean move the bike forward and backward, or if your bike's on a stand, move the back wheel round to a few different positions and re-check. Always adjust your chain before you ride the bike, when it's cold. When your chain's hot, after a ride, it's longer.
__________________
You meet the nicest people on a Honda.
I'm with MotoMike. I adjust the street bikes to 1.25 inches slack at the tightest point (your have to rotate the chain and try 8-10 places) and the enduros to 1.5 inches.
A too-tight chain is not kind to the counter sprocket or the transmission.
__________________
John '89NX250 (daily rider), '09CRF230L (L'il Red Piglet)
Propelled by Penguin Power
Nekid motorcycles feel faster
The chain noise is not super loud but I can hear the louder "whurr" or however you describe it. It does only make the sound when on light throttle, on deceleration its not noticeable. Heavy throttle the exhaust is too loud.
The chain does drop more to go over the smaller sprocket and run across the guide alot more if that has anything to do with it. I'll try going to 1.25" slack tomorrow. Also I adjust my chain on a rear stand when cold.
Anyways thanks for the input everyone. I'm not too worried about it the bike runs great really enjoying the extra 6th gear acceleration!
The reason for the slack is that it gets taken up when the suspension compresses.
True
Quote:
Once the swinging arm is past the point where the centre of the axis of the sprocket, swinging arm and rear wheel line up, it starts to slacken again.
Not true... when the front countershaft, swing arm pivot, and rear axle are in alignment with each other, the drive chain will have its maximum amount of slack. From there, the slack will continue to progressively decrease, right to the point where the rear suspension has bottomed out. It won't become slack again, until the swing arm returns to the position where rear axle is in alignment with both the counter shaft and swing arm pivot center lines. In effect, as the suspension compresses, the front of the swing arm creates a third point of contact for the chain, and is the reason for the plastic chain guide which wraps around the top and front of the swing arm and along the underside.
Quote:
It's always better to err on the slack side if you are unsure, a tight chain will damage your sprocket shaft bearing, which will cost a lot of money to replace. Also, check the chain in a few different places, it can be slack in one place and tight in another.
Good advise...adding to that, the drive chain should be adjusted to the recommended spec relative to where the chain is the tightest... which means that even if you adjust the tightest spot to just 1.0" slack, you could ultimately end up as much as 1.5" of slack in the places where it is loose.
Last edited by MotoMike; 12-13-2012 at 10:03 PM.
Reason: typos
More chain noise with 13T sprocket
1989 Honda NX250
2009 Honda CRF230L
