[Pete]

Maybe this belongs in another forum but after getting on my bike only 3 times and logging less that 60 miles I noticed last night that the chain is ridiculously slack - as in 2 inches plus. So it looks like I'm off to get some tools today and do this myself as I don't even want to ride the thing with that much slack. The manual says have a dealer do it but then gives instructions which make it look fairly straight-forward and it seems that way looking at the chain adjustment thread on the Maintenance board. I will call the dealer but I doubt they'll do much; they're on the other side of the SF Bay. They delivered the bike and the inspection paperwork wasn't in the packet; the guy said he would mail it and never did. I will bring that up in my call and tr to get it (it's been about 3 weeks).
Question is - what would account for this other than some ef-up when the bike was being prepped (yes, I know, I should have checked it before now - before my first ride). I can only think REALLY inept downshifting with constant snapping of the chain but I did nothing like that. As it's still in break in I've been babying the thing. Posts on the Maintenance board indicate that chain tension often doesn't require adjusting for a couple thousand miles. Any ideas?
BTW - got it at East Bay Motorsports, Hayward, CA

 

[DoubleRGirl]

is the slack when you push the chain up or down?

 

[furious_blue]

FWIW, I finally had to adjust mine at about 2,000 miles (I usually wait until I can feel the drive line slack before I do anything about it).
It sounds to me like the bike was assembled with some excess slack in the chain. I'd trust myself to set the tension more than a random dealer's mechanic (I have non-random dealer with good mechanics that I do trust, but I've had poor experiences in the past in which I had to readjust (loosen) the chain because the mechanic took ALL the slack out and it was killing the bike to ride it like that).

 

[Pete]

is the slack when you push the chain up or down?

Up.
I measured it today and it's not quite as bad as I thought it was last night but still about 1.5 inches so I guess it's not a problem to ride but I may as well learn to do this myself.

 

[DoubleRGirl]

1.5 up doesn't sound bad. is the throttle jerky from the slack?

 

[Pete]

No, throttle seems fine. I had a great ride last Monday through the local redwoods and up some twisties with lots of shifting; everything seemed fine.

 

[DoubleRGirl]

sounds good. that reminds me i gotta clean my chain...

 

[Pete]

The owner's manual isn't clear about whether the spec is "up"or "down" or both - it looks like "up" from the picture. Too bad there isn't another CBR around to compare it to; perhaps this is all much ado about nothing.

 

[spdklls]

you measure by pushing up, both the manual and pic on sticker near the rear axle show this...there was a thread in maintenance that i started about this very subject

http://www.cbr250.net/forum/cbr250-service-maintenance/1207-chain-adjustment.html

 

[stumps]

I thought mine was loose when I first got it...at the end of slack range at 30mm....so I adjusted it up to 20mm...but noticed it soon went back to 30mm.. and it has stayed there for 1600 kms. So it seems maybe for my sprung weight that's where it should be.

 

[Aufitt]

Loose is good, chains stretch to where they need to be.

Tight is bad.

 

[Pete]

Thanks all. I'll keep watching it and won't worry until/unless it approaches the "do not ride" point mentioned in the manual.
Had it out yesterday afternoon. Another glorious day in the redwoods.

 

[cricri]

I had to go back to the dealer just a week after getting the bike as the chain was so slack it was grinding on the plastic guard. They adjusted it and it's been fine ever since, that was 3000 kms ago.

 

[Badger]

Been 1000 miles since I bought mine with 684 miles on the odometer. Chain is still in specs at just under 1 inch. First service was performed by previous owner, have the receipt from selling dealer.

regards
Badger

 

[stumps]

Thanks all. I'll keep watching it and won't worry until/unless it approaches the "do not ride" point mentioned in the manual.
Had it out yesterday afternoon. Another glorious day in the redwoods.

Pete, assume you mean Nth Cali area you call the redwoods?....20 years ago I was over there and drove through up that way...special part of the planet...and to do it on a nice light torquey CBR250R...wow..you are lucky!

 

[Pete]

Pete, assume you mean Nth Cali area you call the redwoods?....20 years ago I was over there and drove through up that way...special part of the planet...and to do it on a nice light torquey CBR250R...wow..you are lucky!

Yes I am