Chains
You've met the dilemma I faced. The Vincent doesn't need a 3/8" motorcycle (530) chain. My 900 Monster (71 bhp) has a 1/4" (520) o-seal chain which is perfectly adequate (steel front sprocket, ally rear). The reason is that Renold isn't motorcycle chain, it's industrial chain, designed for constant loads in clean conditions, with constant lubrication. Oh, just like a motorcycle, I hear you say........
The only specifically motorcycle chain Renold made was Renold GP, as issued at the TT, distinguished visually by having no chamfers on the sideplates, and rumoured to be subject to different heat-treatment, and pre-stretch. If you want a motorcycle chain, buy the chains (that I assume) Hondayamasaki commissioned from DID, Tsubaki, et al once road-bike horsepower got serious. Just look at the sideplates........
Now listen very carefully, I will say this only once.......
Renolds 3/8" chain is 19.5 mm outside width. There isn't a lot of room either side at the gearbox end.
According to my numbers, Tsubaki 520 is 17.4, Tsubaki 530 is 22.8 (I have some doubts about this, it ought to be 20.4, 17.4 + 3), o-seal 520 is 21.25, o-seal 530 is 22.55 (it ought to be 24.25).
The ones I've measured are Renold, Tsubaki 520 (I use it on the Manx) and Tsubaki 520 o-seal (Ducati). The other dimensions are from a Tsubaki website.
On the face of it, the best option is a Tsubaki 520 o-seal (unless you have a 70 bhp plus Vin) - but enter "faffing about" which means thinning sprockets. Don't ask how I know this, but thinning ally rear sprockets is a bug pause ger (device to bodyswerve Vin-nanny) of a job, and means clamping them to a faceplate: chucking them doesn't work because they spring.
If you chose to stick a verynear calliper across your 530 o-seal chain I'd be very interested in the maximum width.
You've met the dilemma I faced. The Vincent doesn't need a 3/8" motorcycle (530) chain. My 900 Monster (71 bhp) has a 1/4" (520) o-seal chain which is perfectly adequate (steel front sprocket, ally rear). The reason is that Renold isn't motorcycle chain, it's industrial chain, designed for constant loads in clean conditions, with constant lubrication. Oh, just like a motorcycle, I hear you say........
The only specifically motorcycle chain Renold made was Renold GP, as issued at the TT, distinguished visually by having no chamfers on the sideplates, and rumoured to be subject to different heat-treatment, and pre-stretch. If you want a motorcycle chain, buy the chains (that I assume) Hondayamasaki commissioned from DID, Tsubaki, et al once road-bike horsepower got serious. Just look at the sideplates........
Now listen very carefully, I will say this only once.......
Renolds 3/8" chain is 19.5 mm outside width. There isn't a lot of room either side at the gearbox end.
According to my numbers, Tsubaki 520 is 17.4, Tsubaki 530 is 22.8 (I have some doubts about this, it ought to be 20.4, 17.4 + 3), o-seal 520 is 21.25, o-seal 530 is 22.55 (it ought to be 24.25).
The ones I've measured are Renold, Tsubaki 520 (I use it on the Manx) and Tsubaki 520 o-seal (Ducati). The other dimensions are from a Tsubaki website.
On the face of it, the best option is a Tsubaki 520 o-seal (unless you have a 70 bhp plus Vin) - but enter "faffing about" which means thinning sprockets. Don't ask how I know this, but thinning ally rear sprockets is a bug pause ger (device to bodyswerve Vin-nanny) of a job, and means clamping them to a faceplate: chucking them doesn't work because they spring.
If you chose to stick a verynear calliper across your 530 o-seal chain I'd be very interested in the maximum width.
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