http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O_5Q-pEWDk

My bike is on the stands because I was going to remove the wheels. You should have it on the side stand for this.

Wow...you're getting quite the collection of how to vids on You Tube. Nice work, Steve!

Thanks JMD. Having people appreciate it makes it worth the hastle of shooting and hosting these. This is a great site with great people.

I've seen all your how to vids now Steve, excellent job on all.
What brand of stands are those you are using?, I'm currently looking for a set.

I'm using Pitbull. They are on the expensive end, but I like the forward leaver design. I haven't seen another brand that does that.

Steve,
After my post I watched your "how to remove your front tire" video and got a real good look at them including the Big o'l "Pit Bull" logo, so sorry for the dumbass question. Anyways, thanks for the quick response and the forward arm thing is what caught my eye too.

Hey, just the video I wanted! How'd ya know, Steve!?

:wink:

I'm sure these vids will help lots of people Steve. You're doing an awesome job!

I'm sure these vids will help lots of people Steve. You're doing an awesome job!
Absolutely.That certainly helps build confidence instead of trying stuff out on your own.
I'm not a mechanic by any mean,but Steve O videos make me feel pretty confortable with the bike and basic maintenance.

Keep up the good work,Steve,and thanks :thumbsup

Thanks JMD. Having people appreciate it makes it worth the hastle of shooting and hosting these. This is a great site with great people.

Just having picked up my first 599 for my wife, I have already viewed several of your vids. They are great and wanted to say thanks....they are appreciated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O_5Q-pEWDk

My bike is on the stands because I was going to remove the wheels. You should have it on the side stand for this.
As a side note, the rear axle nut on the 599 is 24 mm,not 27 like your 919.
Otherwise, the video helped tremendously and I adjusted my chain in about 15 minutes.
What a change! ( mine was WAY out of specs,2.5" slack :shock: )
Thanks!

"I got mine done... and I need to go do it again. I got it too tight.
But with Super Sneaky Steve, it's all good!"

There. Did that sound like a late-night TV commercial, or what? :lol:

" I got it too tight.
But with Super Sneaky Steve, it's all good!"

Can you actually get your chain too tight ?
I mean,is no slack is as bad as too much slack ?
Mine is fairly tight now,with only minimal slack (0.4 ")

...Can you actually get your chain too tight ?
I mean,is no slack is as bad as too much slack ?..
Yes and Yes...I don't think it'd be too hard to argue that "tight" is worse, in the extreme sense.

...Can you actually get your chain too tight ?
I mean,is no slack is as bad as too much slack ?..
Yes and Yes...I don't think it'd be too hard to argue that "tight" is worse, in the extreme sense.
Guess I'll have to loosen up a bit :)

If it's too tight you'll damage your front sprocket.

Only just begun investigating this section - great job Steve, thanks for putting the time into these.

If it's too tight you'll damage your front sprocket.
With possible gearbox bearing damage as well if run for too long.

" I got it too tight.
But with Super Sneaky Steve, it's all good!"

Can you actually get your chain too tight ?
I mean,is no slack is as bad as too much slack ?
Mine is fairly tight now,with only minimal slack (0.4 ")

Yes no slack is as bad as too much, just in a different way.

If it's too tight as the rear wheel moves up from a big bump then the chain will snap, this is rather extreme and probably wouldn't happen on a streetbike unless the chain was extremely tight. But I Have witnessed this happen on a dirtbike bike, then again they have 12 inches of rear travel. He snapped his chain and then the front sprocket pulled the chain into the engine case.... Goodbye Motor!

I would imagine its going to put extra wear on the gears and potentially stretch the chain if the suspension gets worked real hard.

I would adjust it to spec which is 1.2-1.6 inches or 30-40MM. Don't forget to tighten the rear axle bolts to 65 foot lbs.

Steve,

I have a question, my 04 Owners manual states the following in step 4.
"Turn the adjusting bolts counterclockwise to tighten the chain, or clockwise to provide more slack." I guess it depends on ones perspective but if I am behind the bike looking at the adjusting bolt I should turn it clockwise to tighten the chain right?

I feel like an idiot:thinking

Thanks,
Paul Delavergne

I believe you are right... rotating the nut clockwise from the perspective of looking at the bike from the back should pull the axle back and tighten the chain.

Do not take the manual as the word of god on these things, use it more like a suggestion for how to work on the bike (with the exception of things like torque values). I find things that the manual gets wrong all the time. It's especially bad about the steps to take parts off the bike - for example, I found that to remove my coolant reservoir, the manual recommended that I basically take the whole back half of the bike apart. In reality, I only had to take the seat cowl off and loosen various bolts.

In the first post it says that the bike should be on the side stand... that doesn't seem to make sense to me. I bought a rear stand for doing this and lubing the chain...

I was always taught to adjust the chain while sitting on it, obviously this takes more than one person. I get a similar sized friend to sit on it, I don't trust him to turn the wrenches.

The reasoning is that suspension sag effect's adjustment.

I think the 1.2 to 1.6 in. measurement takes into account the fact that you wouldn't be sitting on the bike when you measure the chain slack. Just a guess, though.

The actual adjustment is easier done with the wheel off the ground, but the measurement of slack should always be done with the wheel on the ground. This means you have to go back and forth a few times to get it right with trial and error.

In the first post it says that the bike should be on the side stand... that doesn't seem to make sense to me. I bought a rear stand for doing this and lubing the chain...

Actually, it says that in the manual too, judging by the picture delaverp posted...

Steve [and all]

I know I'm digging up an old one here - But I have a judgement call situation that I'd like some feedback on.

I've noticed that my 599 isn't riding quite as beautifully as it did the day after the first service I put it through [including chain adjustment] and I think the chain needs tightening again.

The indicator on the swingarm says virtually _any_ tightening will put it into the "replacement" zone.

How much trust should I put into the swingarm indicator and for how long?

Just a sidenote: I'm doing tires in late March and would rather knock out tires and sprocket and chain in one shot at that time.

For what its worth I'm at the same exact point, and I'm just going ahead and replacing my chain and drive sprockets. It's gotta get done at some point anyway.

For what its worth I'm at the same exact point, and I'm just going ahead and replacing my chain and drive sprockets. It's gotta get done at some point anyway.

Are you going with a stock sprocket and chain?

Are you going with a stock sprocket and chain?
No, I'm going with an RK set. Stock gearing, though. And steel.

http://www.sprocketcenter.com/p/310550/rk-525xso-series-chain-steel-sprocket-kit---honda.html

No, I'm going with an RK set. Stock gearing, though. And steel.

http://www.sprocketcenter.com/p/310550/rk-525xso-series-chain-steel-sprocket-kit---honda.html

Nice. That's reasonable!

I am not real hard on a motorcycle, but I do ride. Anyway, when I first got my 599, I rode it 200 miles and then adjusted the chain to the LOOSE side. After making this initial adjustment, I have kept a good eye on it. When I push the bike out of the garage, if I can hear the chain, I know it's time for a clean and lube. I also check the chain's tension at this time.

The bike has 23,000 miles on it and I have yet to adjust the chain since 200 miles. I must be doing something right. With that, I want to tell all exactly what the tension on the chain is.

Put the bike in neutral and place the bike on sidestand. If you look at the swingarm, you will notice the black "guide/guard" for the chain on the bottom. Push the chain up towards the very end of this guard. You should be able to touch the chain to the most aft area of the guard and almost touch the swingarm with the chain. Almost, like perhaps one finger's width from the metal part of the arm, but not touch it. Again, mine's been this way for 23K, through numerous clean/lubes and two tires. At this pace I wonder if I'll ever wear out a sprocket or chain.

I am not real hard on a motorcycle, but I do ride. Anyway, when I first got my 599, I rode it 200 miles and then adjusted the chain to the LOOSE side. After making this initial adjustment, I have kept a good eye on it. When I push the bike out of the garage, if I can hear the chain, I know it's time for a clean and lube. I also check the chain's tension at this time.

The bike has 23,000 miles on it and I have yet to adjust the chain since 200 miles. I must be doing something right. With that, I want to tell all exactly what the tension on the chain is.

Put the bike in neutral and place the bike on sidestand. If you look at the swingarm, you will notice the black "guide/guard" for the chain on the bottom. Push the chain up towards the very end of this guard. You should be able to touch the chain to the most aft area of the guard and almost touch the swingarm with the chain. Almost, like perhaps one finger's width from the metal part of the arm, but not touch it. Again, mine's been this way for 23K, through numerous clean/lubes and two tires. At this pace I wonder if I'll ever wear out a sprocket or chain.

wow, really o.O?

and i thought gettin 20k miles out of my stock chain before i replaced it was good...

There may be more to it than just the chain maintenance and adjustment. I have always been very smooth with the drivetrain on all of my vehicles, smooth throttle control puts less stress on the drivetrain. I don't ride slow, but I do ride smooth.

Not to ramble too much, or completely hijack the thread, but Jackie Stewart, famous race car driver, had an exercise where he mounted a cone shaped bowl like contraption on the hood and put a ball in it. The bowl had straight sides so that, in theory, one could corner at max g's and the ball would stay inside the bowl. The goal was to drive as fast as one could without the ball coming out of the bowl. If one entered a corner and was not smooth with the steering, the ball would fly out. Stewart could drive at racing speed and the ball would stay in the cone. While I have never had the pleasure, I always try to envision the device on my hood or handlebars and keep the ball in the bowl.

Anytime you feel the drivetrain snatched, there is a metal drivetrain component that is put under stress. Rolling on and off the throttle, if not smooth, "snatches" the chain. Now, once power is applied to the chain, you can gently roll on full throttle. Executing smooth speed shifts can keep the chain at tension between shifts. But of one is deliberate with their shifts, rolling power off, then grabbing the next gear, and then quickly applying power again, the chain is put through a bit of abuse. Not to be arrogant, but my chain doesn't see that type of abuse at all.

She does see full power on many occasions though...

as i found out today DONT adjust the chain while on (paddoc)stands or on sidestand!
bike needs to be in gear AND you need to be sitting on it!!

i did as the manual said.. ie. neutral and sidestand and overtightened it! and now theres a bad sound from the front sprocket :rant need to go out at lunch and loosen before i ride home and do more damage! :?

as i found out today DONT adjust the chain while on (paddoc)stands or on sidestand!
bike needs to be in gear AND you need to be sitting on it!!

Dear Panagiotis,

You're wrong.

Love,
Honda.

Seriously, the manual says to put it on its sidestand, and doesn't say to be sitting on it. You've found another, probably unrelated way to screw the proverbial pooch, my friend.

Hey, just the video I wanted! How'd ya know, Steve!?

:wink:

x2 :mrgreen:

I adjusted mine a few days ago and I'm on the the line of the first green box on the swing arm. Ive got 12k miles on the bike.. are you sure you guys aren't replacing before its time? FWIW I did it on the kick stand in neutral and I have the preload on the last notch.

Dear Panagiotis,

You're wrong.

Love,
Honda.

Seriously, the manual says to put it on its sidestand, and doesn't say to be sitting on it. You've found another, probably unrelated way to screw the proverbial pooch, my friend.

Dear Honda..

I followed Mr Haynes instructions and ended up with a overtightened chain.

So Mr Haynes thats wrong

Love P

Dear Honda..

I followed Mr Haynes instructions and ended up with a overtightened chain.

So Mr Haynes thats wrong

Love P

(said in oriental voice) Mr Pan San, you no take notice of Mr Haynes! wo you do is
listen to us, we make fcukin bike,
We big factory, we trump Him Mr Haynes

Goodday.

Pan San,

Haynes is a noob. I kicked his ass for you.

http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad74/IanR_Album/00_mr_s_honda1.jpg?t=1299666734

Lots of love,

Soichiro.

lol.. thank you Senseis :D

Dear Panagiotis,

You're wrong.

Love,
Honda.

Seriously, the manual says to put it on its sidestand, and doesn't say to be sitting on it. You've found another, probably unrelated way to screw the proverbial pooch, my friend.

I adjust mine while up on a rear stand. Works just fine for me. After the first time I adjusted it, I put it on the side stand just to check and see. There wasnt enough of a discrepancy to bother with.
And yes, you can do serious damage by having the chain to tight.