I could use some help getting up to speed on chains as I am working on my first, TomMLC’s 1980 GS1100E, and the chain is at the end of the adjustment plus the return/lower side can be pulled down about two inches. Unfortunately Tom cannot really tell me much about it right now. It is a bit hard to ask him about this when he is fighting for his life. He did tell me I should take it to a shop and ask the mechanic to let me watch the first time, which is good advice. But of course, as I’ve just learned yesterday, first I have to decide on sprocket and chain so I can have the parts ready for the mechanic.
Monday I went to a my usual aftermarket store Road Rider in San Jose to learn something and the parts guy came out to take a quick look and he saw the rear sprocket has a “50” stamped on it and my chain was “probably a 630”. He said if I wanted to go “stock” with new sprockets the front would be about $16, the rear $50 and the RK chain $89. More shocking was the price of the chain tool at $100(!), which I might use twice if I’m lucky. He said this would be a conversion to “530”, and all I know is that he said that is a lighter, quieter chain. I forgot to ask but I’m guessing the new sprockets would be specific to the 530. If I go this route I wonder if there is anything else I need…
Last night I removed the front cover and saw on the sprocket is stamped “18”, so apparently I have an 18 front and a 50 rear. Also if I am right (I counted twice) I have 59 links on my chain. Looking at a chart on Bikecliff’s site I see stock is supposed to be 15-front and 42-rear with a 630-96 chain, so yeah, Tom or the PO did something different here and I need to make a decision on which way to go for me. Looking at the sprocket condition it is not bad, they are not “hooking” at all as I have seen in some diagrams and the teeth are still a bit flat at the top and not pointy (that is good, right?). So to leave them or change them, I guess is the question I have to answer first.
As this is meant to be a commuter bike I would like the revs to be low in 5th, and from what I can tell the revs on this E with 18/50 do seem a bit lower while in 5th gear at 65 MPH than on my GS1100GL. If I can save money just leaving as-is I am good with that, but just want to understand the options and differences.
Thanks guys.
-Bob
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