WTF?!? Chain causing this?

markjs

markjs

XS400 owner, bike lover
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I just had my problem in 1st, 2nd and 3rd or maybe 4th gear. I got home and the chain is loose as all fuck, like a dirt bike! I didn't have the problem at all yesterday and it was way too recently I set the chain tension. No way I can be affording sprockets but I have an account at the local Honda shop and I have an extra rear (though the rear looks OK), and I have my 17 on there (probably chewed up) and I still have both the old 16 toothers but still serviceable.

Not sure what the hell could be causing this, it was the donor bike chain and it wasn't in bad shape, plus it got a nice coating of bearing grease when I put it on.

Gonna get that cover off in a little while, but I think my XS400K woes may be a lot less serious than I thought. Maybe just a chain will be all she needs.
 
Last edited:
No, I know I didn't forget anything, there has to be some other problem. Not into looking at it till a bit later.
 
The chain is $25 shipped on eBay. I'm no Rockefeller, but to me that's worth avoiding potential problems with used chains.
 
Well this is looking like a bunch of weirdness combined. The screws were backing out of the clutch rod and sprocket cover, the chain is excessively loose, It's raining and thunder and lightning out there now and I'd have to change lights in the barn, so I'm trying to wait it out and then go get the cover off and attend to stuff.
 
Keep in mind that not all chains are created equally. I made the mistake of buying a cheap chain and it is stretching at an alarming rate. And I lube the heck out of it every day with an onboard oiler!

I plan on replacing it soon with an X or O-ring chain before it snaps.
 
Sprockets look worn but not abnormally, and are fine, but the slack was such with the much wider arc the chain makes over a 17 tooth sprocket as opposed to a stock 16, I think I may have actually been jumping chain on my front sprocket teeth. The chain which looked good a thousand miles ago was binding in places when the tension was set. I ran her on the center stand with it in first gear and liberally doused that thing with some of household 3 in 1 oil, and the binding is better. Picking up a new chain this week or next is on my to do list. Cross your finger for me and my XS on this one guys OK?
 
Try some heavier oil on your chain and see if it helps. I'm using synthetic 75w90 gear oil now that it is hot out. 5W30 synthetic Mobil 1 in cold weather.

Having an onboard chain oiler makes it a 10 second job to lube the chain every morning and again mid day. My chain is wet with oil, but otherwise clean - as Lou Ranger and others have been amazed to see. I ride pavement, in the rain, and on gravel and dirt roads. The dirt just gets flung off with the excess oil.
 
I've never had one go loose so fast and so badly. I think the 17 tooth sprocket exacerbated the issue. In any case, still lusting after the CB700SC, may still get it, may still sell my XS400K, but for now, she's a champ again.
 
It's a weird love-hate relationship with these XS400s... Some days you wish you had never bought her, some days you tell your bike you'll never leave her..
 
willem said:
It's a weird love-hate relationship with these XS400s... Some days you wish you had never bought her, some days you tell your bike you'll never leave her..
Click to expand...

Thats the crossraods Im at with my bike.When its running good I luv riding it and enjoy it.But when its comes to fix and repair daily:banghead: I hate it.
 

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