Your Chain's Fine!

[karlos]

Again i popped into my local Kawasaki dealership today to confirm an order i place over the internet and to have my chain adjusted.

There were 3 mechanics sitting around outside the workshop and after waiting 20 mins i was told that my chain is fine......

I know what the proper tension of a chain should be and i was asking them to adjust it, not give me their opinion.

The adjustment (my fault) is a little over due and has become a little sloppy when rolling off the throttle, not to mention the 2.5-3" of total movement it has!

Other than Red Barron, someone should open up a propper big bike workshop that does what the customer wants and knows what's what.

So it looks like my own tools will be coming out again this weekend….

[JeffreyMcCollum]

• Am I missing something here ?
  

Any bike rider should know basic mantenance just as adjusting ones chain. I do mine in under 3 minutes on my Ninja. About the same on any other bike. Why whould you trust your bike, and your life to anyone else ? They are the same guys who check tire pressure with their thumbs

Yep feels OK !

[McMagus]

Get a shaftie

[siampreggers]

workshop that does what the customer wants and knows what's what.

A local doing what someone tells them, as opposed to what they think is best, that's asking a lot mate.

[siampreggers]

• Am I missing something here ?
  

Any bike rider should know basic mantenance just as adjusting ones chain.

I don't have the tools to unlock the axle nut, so get it done in dealerships.

[wantan]

From what i read here at TV the last days i get the impression that Kawasaki service isn't much better than Honda service (in LOS). I wonder why some guys here always try to tell us something different.

But Karlos, your bike was built in Thailand. Who else knows it better than the Thais. They know what they do and they sure have a reason to do it different than you want

[apetley]

• Am I missing something here ?
  

Any bike rider should know basic mantenance just as adjusting ones chain.

I don't have the tools to unlock the axle nut, so get it done in dealerships.

You'd be surprised how inexpensive spanners are.

[karlos]

• Am I missing something here ?
  

Any bike rider should know basic mantenance just as adjusting ones chain. I do mine in under 3 minutes on my Ninja. About the same on any other bike. Why whould you trust your bike, and your life to anyone else ? They are the same guys who check tire pressure with their thumbs

Yep feels OK !

Lol

The only reason why i took it there is due to the fact i ride past the dealership every evening, so thought it would save a little time and effort to just chuck it in and let them do it for free, nowt wrong with doing that considering i always watch over them like a hawk.... I even watch over the Yamaha guys when they work on my Mio125

I also can assure you that my bike is rigorously checked over by no one other than myself (a mechanic) no less than twice every week, if i'm not going to be passing the dealership for a while (holidays) i'll adjust the chain myself. The thing i find alarming is that they have always adjusted my chain to the correct tension before (well, with exception of over tightening it once) but today a different mechanic flicked the chain with his finger and thought i would be gullible to take his word for it...

So In Thai i said "Never mind i'll do the adjustment at home by myself again krub"

[justcruisin]

If you are a mechanic as you state you are, would you work for free?

The Kawasaki dealers obviously don't know how to do a basic task like tightening a chain, not so long ago all the new KLX's at my local dealership that I saw delivered,the chain was tensioned up like a piano wire and the rear suspension would not even work.

Edited August 30, 2012 by justcruisin

[siampreggers]

Dealing with Thais... always fun!

[floridaguy]

• Am I missing something here ?
  

Any bike rider should know basic mantenance just as adjusting ones chain. I do mine in under 3 minutes on my Ninja. About the same on any other bike. Why whould you trust your bike, and your life to anyone else ? They are the same guys who check tire pressure with their thumbs

Yep feels OK !

Lol

The only reason why i took it there is due to the fact i ride past the dealership every evening, so thought it would save a little time and effort to just chuck it in and let them do it for free, nowt wrong with doing that considering i always watch over them like a hawk.... I even watch over the Yamaha guys when they work on my Mio125

I also can assure you that my bike is rigorously checked over by no one other than myself (a mechanic) no less than twice every week, if i'm not going to be passing the dealership for a while (holidays) i'll adjust the chain myself. The thing i find alarming is that they have always adjusted my chain to the correct tension before (well, with exception of over tightening it once) but today a different mechanic flicked the chain with his finger and thought i would be gullible to take his word for it...

So In Thai i said "Never mind i'll do the adjustment at home by myself again krub"

I enjoy working on my vehicles also, but agree with Karlos, sometimes you just want someone else to dirty their hands on the "easy" stuff. My time is more valuable than the local mechanics. Do you make your own clothes or grow your own food? No, your time is more valuable and you have someone else do it, it is their job. For me to do it, I have to change my clothes and get out the tools, then after put everything away and wash up. So it takes an hour all told. All a local mechanic has to do is do it, it is his job, he is ready. I would be frustrated too.

[KRS1]

The axle nut on my old CBR 150 was hell, i'd have to overtighten it or else the rearwheel would slip back from the extra torque do to the modifications. Could only use one axle 'and 'nut for no more than 5 adjustments, then it would strip.

[chuppachops]

is there not a small toolkit under the seat to do simple jobs like this? i have it in my cbr250 but not on the ninja?

[canuckamuck]

Give the guy a break, he took his bike to the dealer to get a chain tightened, and the dealer failed the most basic of all motorcycle mechanical skills. I think that is thread worthy.

Technically the axle nut should be tightened with a torque wrench, I don't have one of those either and I also hate guessing how much to tighten that nut.

[siampreggers]

Give the guy a break, he took his bike to the dealer to get a chain tightened, and the dealer failed the most basic of all motorcycle mechanical skills.

And these guys presumably are presumably certifiably trained and certified by ************* (Enter Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, Honda etc. here). It boggles the mind sometimes.

Oddly enough it seems to be the same regardless of industry or service in Thailand... go to shop to buy a large shirt, be told I'm medium not large and then they angrily try to measure me to prove my body size is medium while making indignant hissing sounds when I repeat my request for a large shirt. Never mind that I like a loose light shirt in size Large because of the hot climate. No, I'm wrong and have to buy a medium shirt despite me telling them I'm looking for a large one. (and no they didn't get my service)

I think you have to remember that you're dealing with a not very bright populace who cannot think in any objective manner, and think that you are stupid and they are intelligent.

Or perhaps I'm just jaded and burnt out.

Edited August 31, 2012 by siampreggers

[Richard-BKK]

The motorcycle tool kit, did anybody ever used it for real? I can remember motorcycles that I discovered that it had a OEM toolkit after I had it for a year...

The only time I wished a motorcycle had a toolkit it didn't had a toolkit...

[wantan]

Technically the axle nut should be tightened with a torque wrench, I don't have one of those either and I also hate guessing how much to tighten that nut.

Just read the comment from KRS1 two posts above. Even if they (the thai mechanics) would use a torque wrench and the recommended torque, there still would be some farang who would insist that they are wrong. Very difficult to deal with farangs. They think they know everything better

When i got my new CBR150 the chain was very tight. Personally i wouldn't have tighten it so much. But the bike was fresh from the factory. No Somchai outside the factory has touched it, of this i am sure. So Honda has decided to sell the bike like this. And i guess this has a reason. I guess the new (cheap) chains lengthen very much at the beginning (when they are new). So Honda tightens them a bit more when new.

Edited August 31, 2012 by wantan

[thaicbr]

Technically the axle nut should be tightened with a torque wrench, I don't have one of those either and I also hate guessing how much to tighten that nut.

Just read the comment from KRS1 two posts above. Even if they (the thai mechanics) would use a torque wrench and the recommended torque, there still would be some farang who would insist that they are wrong. Very difficult to deal with farangs. They think they know everything better

When i got my new CBR150 the chain was very tight. Personally i wouldn't have tighten it so much. But the bike was fresh from the factory. No Somchai outside the factory has touched it, of this i am sure. So Honda has decided to sell the bike like this. And i guess this has a reason. I guess the new (cheap) chains lengthen very much at the beginning (when they are new). So Honda tightens them a bit more when new.

Well. The Somchai at the shop SHOULD have done a 'PRE- DELIVERY ' inspection. Then he would have noticed the tight chain and loosened it to the specification in the book.

sent from my Wellcom A90+

[wantan]

Technically the axle nut should be tightened with a torque wrench, I don't have one of those either and I also hate guessing how much to tighten that nut.

Just read the comment from KRS1 two posts above. Even if they (the thai mechanics) would use a torque wrench and the recommended torque, there still would be some farang who would insist that they are wrong. Very difficult to deal with farangs. They think they know everything better

When i got my new CBR150 the chain was very tight. Personally i wouldn't have tighten it so much. But the bike was fresh from the factory. No Somchai outside the factory has touched it, of this i am sure. So Honda has decided to sell the bike like this. And i guess this has a reason. I guess the new (cheap) chains lengthen very much at the beginning (when they are new). So Honda tightens them a bit more when new.

Well. The Somchai at the shop SHOULD have done a 'PRE- DELIVERY ' inspection. Then he would have noticed the tight chain and loosened it to the specification in the book.

Well, i am very happy Somchai did not touch the bike He has put the battery in the bike and the bike was ready to go. Its a Honda and i guess as a rule Honda knows what to do and how to deliver their bikes. The bike hasn't had one single issue until now and the chain losened up quickly in the first kilometers. For me nothing to worry about.

[BSJ]

No spanner! Heavens above, motorcyclist aren't what they used to be....are they!

[floridaguy]

Technically the axle nut should be tightened with a torque wrench, I don't have one of those either and I also hate guessing how much to tighten that nut.

Just read the comment from KRS1 two posts above. Even if they (the thai mechanics) would use a torque wrench and the recommended torque, there still would be some farang who would insist that they are wrong. Very difficult to deal with farangs. They think they know everything better

When i got my new CBR150 the chain was very tight. Personally i wouldn't have tighten it so much. But the bike was fresh from the factory. No Somchai outside the factory has touched it, of this i am sure. So Honda has decided to sell the bike like this. And i guess this has a reason. I guess the new (cheap) chains lengthen very much at the beginning (when they are new). So Honda tightens them a bit more when new.

Well. The Somchai at the shop SHOULD have done a 'PRE- DELIVERY ' inspection. Then he would have noticed the tight chain and loosened it to the specification in the book.

sent from my Wellcom A90+

It is possible that they are told that the chain should be overtight to a certain spec as it leaves the show room floor, with a certain amount of loosening quickly there after. We would often get these "dealer notes" on parts and items informing us to release items a certain way, knowing that it would not be listed that way in the owner's manual or repair manual.

[floridaguy]

Give the guy a break, he took his bike to the dealer to get a chain tightened, and the dealer failed the most basic of all motorcycle mechanical skills.

And these guys presumably are presumably certifiably trained and certified by ************* (Enter Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, Honda etc. here). It boggles the mind sometimes.

Oddly enough it seems to be the same regardless of industry or service in Thailand... go to shop to buy a large shirt, be told I'm medium not large and then they angrily try to measure me to prove my body size is medium while making indignant hissing sounds when I repeat my request for a large shirt. Never mind that I like a loose light shirt in size Large because of the hot climate. No, I'm wrong and have to buy a medium shirt despite me telling them I'm looking for a large one. (and no they didn't get my service)

I think you have to remember that you're dealing with a not very bright populace who cannot think in any objective manner, and think that you are stupid and they are intelligent.

Or perhaps I'm just jaded and burnt out.

Did you explain all this to the salesperson? They were correct, you are a medium, but you prefer large. I often find that most misunderstandings are because of assumptions. You assume they would just do what you ask, they assume you are stupid

I just read a post on TV where someone said the Thai language is a useless language, to which I vehemently disagree. When I get into a misunderstanding with someone at a mechanic's shop, it is because they don't understand me or vice versa. Usually because they insist on speaking English. So I switch to Thai and explain why I want something, and then they are fine.

me "I don't want those spark plugs"

mechanic "but better!"

me "just change the bad one"

mechanic "but change all better"

me in Thai "just change the bad one, I am ordering iridium plugs from Japan and will change them all when they arrive"

mechanic "ok"

[siampreggers]

Did you explain all this to the salesperson? They were correct, you are a medium, but you prefer large. I often find that most misunderstandings are because of assumptions. You assume they would just do what you ask, they assume you are stupid

No need.

I the customer specified what I want.

It should be 'Yes Sir, would you like two?'

Much better than the none that they sold. Instead they got angry and begun hissing at me.

Unlike the shop next door which immediately got what I requested and sold three about 5 minutes later.

Edited August 31, 2012 by siampreggers

[BirdsandBooze]

• Am I missing something here ?
  

Any bike rider should know basic mantenance just as adjusting ones chain. I do mine in under 3 minutes on my Ninja. About the same on any other bike. Why whould you trust your bike, and your life to anyone else ? They are the same guys who check tire pressure with their thumbs

Yep feels OK !

Lol

The only reason why i took it there is due to the fact i ride past the dealership every evening, so thought it would save a little time and effort to just chuck it in and let them do it for free, nowt wrong with doing that considering i always watch over them like a hawk.... I even watch over the Yamaha guys when they work on my Mio125

I also can assure you that my bike is rigorously checked over by no one other than myself (a mechanic) no less than twice every week, if i'm not going to be passing the dealership for a while (holidays) i'll adjust the chain myself. The thing i find alarming is that they have always adjusted my chain to the correct tension before (well, with exception of over tightening it once) but today a different mechanic flicked the chain with his finger and thought i would be gullible to take his word for it...

So In Thai i said "Never mind i'll do the adjustment at home by myself again krub"

Maybe the `mechanic` doesn`t like you calling him krub

[mcgriffith]

My issue with having a local mechanic doing a chain adjustment is not whether they do it too tight- it is whether they:

1) know enough to not rely on the little stamped markings on the swingarm for alignment of the rear wheel (there are tools that allow perfect alignment)

2) know to torque the axle nut while the above mentioned tool is attached, noting any change in alignment while tightening

3) torque the axle nut to the proper value

I've left my CBR250 chain a bit sloppy and loose (although when the bike is fully loaded with me and travel gear and is warm, it is within spec for play) until I can get the proper tools to do it myself....

[Bung]

It is very worthwhile getting:

A socket set.

A set of tools

Some sort of paddock stand (if the bike is not equipped with a centre stand.

Some degreaser to clean the chain.

Some quality chain lube.

All up, about B5000. You have them for life and all the other things you need tools for.

Do these sort of basic maintenance yourself. It is very satisfying to know these things are done properly and makes any ride more enjoyable than having a rattly chain and crappy gear changes. A torque wrench is good but unless it is a high performance bike you can get away with using the long "breaker" bar in all socket sets.

It's also good to know the exact tension required and have some way of checking this. One trick I learned is to remove the shocks or shock linkages (Ok it's a bit or work but bear with me) Then chock up the back wheel so the chain is at it's tightest point ( the shocks would be compressed at this point thats why you remove them). Adjust the chain so it is tight at this point. This way you are certain of having your chain adjusted perfectly and it will last the longest before stretching from being overtightened or going slack sooner from not being tight enough.

Then, reassemble the shock(s) and here's the trick. As you know your chain is a it's optimal adjustment, grab your allen keys and stick one between the chain and sproket then roll it so it is stuck there. You will need to find the right size as if it is too big it will not fit and too small the chain will not go tight. You know you have the right size when you are able to roll it around between the chain and sproket and the chain goes tight.

Sooo, all you have to do now for the rest of your days with that bike is get that allen key (a screwdriver works just as well) and when you want to adjust your chain just roll that around into the sprocket and tighten the chain up. No need to check the slack as you know it is perfect this way.

It sounds a lot of work but it's well worth the effort in the time you save each time you want to check or adjust your chain. maybe worthwhile doing it when new as you would think it is adjusted properly from the factory. So you will have a nice clean, well lubricated and perfectly adjusted chain everytime giving you the maximum life and time between adjustments. I seriously doubt you will get such a great job from any mechanic here...

Or maybe just take it to Somchai....

[BirdsandBooze]

It is very worthwhile getting:

A socket set.

A set of tools

Some sort of paddock stand (if the bike is not equipped with a centre stand.

Some degreaser to clean the chain.

Some quality chain lube.

All up, about B5000. You have them for life and all the other things you need tools for.

Do these sort of basic maintenance yourself. It is very satisfying to know these things are done properly and makes any ride more enjoyable than having a rattly chain and crappy gear changes. A torque wrench is good but unless it is a high performance bike you can get away with using the long "breaker" bar in all socket sets.

It's also good to know the exact tension required and have some way of checking this. One trick I learned is to remove the shocks or shock linkages (Ok it's a bit or work but bear with me) Then chock up the back wheel so the chain is at it's tightest point ( the shocks would be compressed at this point thats why you remove them). Adjust the chain so it is tight at this point. This way you are certain of having your chain adjusted perfectly and it will last the longest before stretching from being overtightened or going slack sooner from not being tight enough.

Then, reassemble the shock(s) and here's the trick. As you know your chain is a it's optimal adjustment, grab your allen keys and stick one between the chain and sproket then roll it so it is stuck there. You will need to find the right size as if it is too big it will not fit and too small the chain will not go tight. You know you have the right size when you are able to roll it around between the chain and sproket and the chain goes tight.

Sooo, all you have to do now for the rest of your days with that bike is get that allen key (a screwdriver works just as well) and when you want to adjust your chain just roll that around into the sprocket and tighten the chain up. No need to check the slack as you know it is perfect this way.

It sounds a lot of work but it's well worth the effort in the time you save each time you want to check or adjust your chain. maybe worthwhile doing it when new as you would think it is adjusted properly from the factory. So you will have a nice clean, well lubricated and perfectly adjusted chain everytime giving you the maximum life and time between adjustments. I seriously doubt you will get such a great job from any mechanic here...

Or maybe just take it to Somchai....

The trouble is some people believe mechanical maintenance is some sort of black art and would rather leave it in the inexpert hands of back soi Somchai even though they know he hasn't a clue what he's doing. Correct tools, a manual, digital camera, labels and a bit of patience and you can do most things yourself.

[William Osborne]

The axle nut on my old CBR 150 was hell, i'd have to overtighten it or else the rearwheel would slip back from the extra torque do to the modifications. Could only use one axle 'and 'nut for no more than 5 adjustments, then it would strip.

... you crack me up with your little gems... that extra torque on a 150 4-stroke must have been frightening ... ..anyway, axle is held in place by the adjusting brackets on either side and not over-tightening the frikin main nut.

[KRS1]

The axle nut on my old CBR 150 was hell, i'd have to overtighten it or else the rearwheel would slip back from the extra torque do to the modifications. Could only use one axle 'and 'nut for no more than 5 adjustments, then it would strip.

... you crack me up with your little gems... that extra torque on a 150 4-stroke must have been frightening ... ..anyway, axle is held in place by the adjusting brackets on either side and not over-tightening the frikin main nut.

The 'chain adjustment indicators' on the cbr 150 only prevent the rear wheel from sliding forward, not backwards. In comparison the axle on the NSR 150 is much larger, the axle on the LS 125 is still even larger than the old CBR 150.

Only way to keep it in place is to over torque that nut. Or install an NSR 150 rear wheel, which many people do.

The CBR 150 axle is designed to hold a certain amount of torque and thats it. Now <deleted>.

Edited September 2, 2012 by KRS1

[William Osborne]

how does a rear wheel slip backwards ... due to extra torque.... on a cbr 150.. ?

Anyway, if you over tightened the axle bolt , this would most likely end up crushing the cheap box-iron swingarm than stripping the axle bolt ?