Loose Chain

[GZ250]

Hello everyone and first of all thanks as always for helpful replies

Chain on my GZ250 (year 2005) gets loose quite often, like after every 500 miles. The dealer said the chain and sprokets are still ok and these are the original ones came with the bike. is it something to do with the way i ride or is there something that i can do.

Thanks.

[jonathan180iq]

It's possible that your chain adjuster bolts aren't tight enough. Check that.

Motorcycle chains will tend to loosen up if you rider harder than normal, but it's always just a quick adjustment away.

In the downloadable service manual, there are directions on how to adjust your chain tension.

Have fun,
Jonathan

[Easy Rider]

Chain on my GZ250 (year 2005) gets loose quite often, like after every 500 miles.

How many miles on the bike?
How loose is "loose"?
Who is doing the adjustments?

You are right to think that frequent chain adjustments can be a sign of excessive chain wear but even a new chain will "develop" some slack almost immediately after being adjusted.........and then stay like that for a long time.
What I am trying to say is: Maybe you are being too picky about how tight it is.

[Water Warrior 2]

How are you measuring the chain slack ?? 5-15 mm is what the owners manual says. I would want to stay closer to the 15 mm mark. With my first bike( no experience or info) I was sort of anal about chain slack. Wanted it tight. Got lots of premature chain stretch and wear on the sprockets. Also, what are you using to lube the chain ?? How often ??

[mcintyre_aerospace]

I played mine by touch. I got a new chain with a master link and tightened it to what felt like the right amount of play. Also you may need to loosen the axle bolt to adjust it, and then make sure you tighten it to the proper torque, I over tighten mine a little. Your axle bolt may be a little loose allowing the wheel to creep up.

[Lyndon]

I was told by a Sukuki dealer that the chain adjustment should be measured with someone sitting on the bike. Not sure whether I believe that. Enyone know ??

[jonathan180iq]

I understand the concept of how it would help, but I've never done it that way and I haven't had any problems.

[mcintyre_aerospace]

Lyndon may be right, I tightened the chain around a weak ago by lifting the rear tire and loosening the rear axle and tightening the adjuster nuts. I went out and checked just now and the chains a lot looser that when I tightened it. I know for sure that I had torqued the axle right, so the only factor left is the rear shocks.

[jonathan180iq]

That's interesting. Like I said, I just tighten mine up and leave it alone. It's abour 1000 miles since my last adjustment and I haven't noticed much slacking; meaning it's still within what I consider acceptable.

[Water Warrior 2]

A little more food for thought concerning chains. Check for slack and rotate the wheel a bit and check for slack again. With some bikes and chains there will be a difference after rotating the wheel a bit. Always do your actual adjustment after you find the tightest location. If not you might find the chain too tight after an adjustment and accelerate chain stretch and wear on the chain and sprockets. I found this out the hard way on my first bike. Hope this makes sense to you.

[Badbob]

My first chain needed adjusting a lot when I first got my GZ250. Then I discovered that the adjustment marks were not right. I use an alignment tool now to get everything straight and there isn't a problem.

Always make you chain adjustment at the tightest spot.