Help - Chain Burning Hot

TreyYoung

Registered
Replaced my chain a few days ago. When I took off the old chain it would blister your hand, but only a few spots in the chain were hot. After putting on the new chain, and after riding, the chain is cool to the touch except for one spot, maybe 5 links will burn to the touch. Any insight?
 
sounds like bad links or a tension / alignment problem...how was the sprocket wear...hope you changed them as well given the issues with the old chain.
 
Hey Trey,
I know with new chains they will gunk them up HEAVY with white lithium grease. Yes this keeps the dirty out but also creates a lot of resistance. I hope you took that brand new chain and submerged it in kerosene to remove all that gunk with a tooth brush and then used Duponts Chain wax... Did You!
 
Hey Trey,
I know with new chains they will gunk them up HEAVY with white lithium grease. Yes this keeps the dirty out but also creates a lot of resistance. I hope you took that brand new chain and submerged it in kerosene to remove all that gunk with a tooth brush and then used Duponts Chain wax... Did You!

Lol well not exactly, and you are right that thing had that white grease all over. I cleaned with Dupont but no kerosene. I have cleaned it three times with only 500 miles and that thing still gets burning hot in one spot (same spot every time). Fortunately this is not the Busa chain (that thing has 20k miles and is like new, never gets hot). The chain does not hit the sprockets in the same spot during rotation, so you would think if it was the sprockets, the entire chain would get hot. Tension is good. Maybe the chain is a lemon, but it had good reviews. The chain is RK RACING GXW XW-RING, $135

You could be right, but I can't imagine the lithium grease would cause that thing to heat up like it does. I am talking 180+ degrees
 
The only thing I can think of is that the chain is too tight. Proper adjustment is done with you sitting on the bike.Then 20-30mm of slack at the mid point.

Other than that,perhaps you got a lemon chain and/or sprokets.

RSD.
 
The only thing I can think of is that the chain is too tight. Proper adjustment is done with you sitting on the bike.Then 20-30mm of slack at the mid point.

Other than that,perhaps you got a lemon chain and/or sprokets.

RSD.

Tension is good. Went ahead and replaced the sprockets since my new ones came in a few days ago (meant to replace with the chain, but the sprockets came in too late). Had no clue the rear was aluminum. What a difference in weight, putting on steel... Anyway, sprockets still look good, but something has to be causing the high temp on the chain. We will see
 
Chains stretch in spots, it could be getting hot in a tight spot. Set the tension and rotate the tire checking the tension every few inches or so. I have no clue what would cause your heating issue but this was the first thing that came to my mind.

My bike it back together we need to meet up for a ride
 
Like said above...chains always seem to have a tight spot...if you have the time / ability and a new master link....take it off and just go through the chain...if one of the side plates are binding up pry it open a bit with a wide flat blade screwdriver / punch that fits in the gap. Put it on a stand and slow roll it ad look for a spot that looks non linear... side plates are binding for a quick first test.
 
Take the chain off the rear sprocket, and try to bend every link. Maybe you will discover the link that you can hardly bend by hand. If you find it, try to use WD-40, see if the O-rings are missing, hence no grease, hence tightness.

Just to exclude one silly possibility... The area around the front sprocket is very hot because it is very close to the engine. If you check the entire chain after a ride, it is only natural that the area of the chain around the front sprocket will be hot if the bike sat for a few mintues after you finished the ride. The rest of the chain will be cooling off during the same time. As you start checking the chain it is mostly warm or cool, until you reach the area which spent a few minutes next to the engine.
 
Chains stretch in spots, it could be getting hot in a tight spot. Set the tension and rotate the tire checking the tension every few inches or so. I have no clue what would cause your heating issue but this was the first thing that came to my mind.

My bike it back together we need to meet up for a ride

Finally. Did you go 1440? We need to get Donn out. He has been dying with Bill's move.

Changed sprockets, still got a little hot. I can't believe the torque on the sprockets 91 ftlbs seems high
 
Finally. Did you go 1440? We need to get Donn out. He has been dying with Bill's move.

Changed sprockets, still got a little hot. I can't believe the torque on the sprockets 91 ftlbs seems high

Yeah my buddy just got a SV1000 but its almost like riding with a haRdley davidson.
Let's do it this weekend!! Did you get it dyno tuned Kev?
 
Mark the chain. Is it the same spot each time after you ride it? If so, then check for the bind as stated above.

Make sure you are not letting it idle in one spot before checking the chain (engine heat).
 
Finally. Did you go 1440? We need to get Donn out. He has been dying with Bill's move.

Changed sprockets, still got a little hot. I can't believe the torque on the sprockets 91 ftlbs seems high

Yes its the 1441, so our bikes should be closer now, instead of you eating me alive! 91 ft lbs this must be the BMW, I thought the Busa was 104 at the engine sprocket???

Yeah my buddy just got a SV1000 but its almost like riding with a haRdley davidson.
Let's do it this weekend!! Did you get it dyno tuned Kev?

You probably wouldn't want to ride with me yet Don, its not tuned yet and still being broke in so I am not beating it up too hard. I have the 1st 500 miles on it from this past weekend so its ready to tune, probably in a couple more weeks I'll be able to run with you lol
 
Yes its the 1441, so our bikes should be closer now, instead of you eating me alive! 91 ft lbs this must be the BMW, I thought the Busa was 104 at the engine sprocket???



You probably wouldn't want to ride with me yet Don, its not tuned yet and still being broke in so I am not beating it up too hard. I have the 1st 500 miles on it from this past weekend so its ready to tune, probably in a couple more weeks I'll be able to run with you lol

Nice. No I meant the torque on the sprocket nuts are 91 ft lbs, although it is the BMW. Whenever you all are ready, I will take you to the Dam. We will break the 1441 in right.
 
GOTTA be something binding in that chain....you guys be careful out there at the Dam; Trey make sure you remind them about that decreasing radius left hander....
 
How's your cush drive rubber? Any chance it's worn out and allowing excess movement at the sprocket?
 
GOTTA be something binding in that chain....you guys be careful out there at the Dam; Trey make sure you remind them about that decreasing radius left hander....

Well, had Lankee out today, stop to get a drink in Gordonsville, and a PO pulls in behind us. I get off the bike walk up to the officer, "yes sir", "no sir", Lankee walks up and says something along the lines of "what the hell". Pretty sure I heard him mumbling "mind your own business" lol. Anyway, must have had someone call in due to Lankee's loud a$$ Akraprovic, saying we were speeding, although we were going the speed limit.

He tore off the bottom of his puck and a little off the leathers making those left handers though:

Donn 1.jpg
 
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