I've been trying to figure out how to measure the drive chain slack, the instructions (in my opinion) in the field service manual are vague at best:

-Clean chain if dirty, lube if dry
-Check wheel alignment
-Find tightest spot on chain
-Measure vertical movement midway between sprockets
-Adjust if necessary (32-38mm)

There is no reference if this is done with the chain hot or cold (assumed cold) and if you are supposed to be moving the chain with your hand how can you be sure you are putting the same force each time you measure? The other motorcycles I have owned usually specify hanging a 10kg weight off the chain and measuring from a straight line obtained between the sprockets to determine the slack.

They show the slack as "A" which i read to mean you pull the chain up as high as you can, measure from a point on the chain, and then push the chain down as far as you can and measure from the same point. This measurement should be between 32-38mm. But if you pull the chain up midway between the sprockets you end up hitting the swing arm so there's no way to get an accurate measurement. The bike has ~5,000km on it so I wouldn't expect the slack to be out so far that I can't even measure it...

yea the instructions suck when it comes to that, mine does the same hits the swing arm when u move the chain...use ur best judgment from ur previous bikes, one thing i did notice is that u can tell easily when the chain is too tight and too loose on this bike and the adjusters are kind of sensitive, just find a middle somewhere, and use the shift quality and sound of the chain when u first start rolling as ur guide, good luck :-)

Let me tell you what I have done, Nightmare. I use a 14 inch steel rule and rest the end of it on top of my undertray. If the ruler is straight up and down resting on the tray the top will find a nice firm spot up by the undertail area to reast against and stay steady while you measure.

With the ruler positioned and the wheel turned to the tight spot in the sprockets, I pull down on the lower run of the chain using about 6-8 lbs pressure. That's all, better too loose than too tight. Count off how many inches/centimeters/what have you and that is the first part of your slack measurement. Make sure you do not include the thickness of the chain in this measurment(take your mark off of the bottom side of the chain before the pull and then again after the pull).

Next, with the ruler in the same position, push up on the top run 6-8 lbs. Again, do not include the thickness of the chain in your measurement. Measure off the bottom of the chain before and after the push. Add both your measurements and you have your total slack measuremnt and the swindarm has not interfered with anything.

As far as wheel alignment, tightening the axle nut can throw that off too. Best way to keep your marks even on both sides is to not loosen the axle nut too much. The axle should not be loose in the swingarm but be just free enough to allow the adjuster screws to push it back. It should be pretty darn good and snug. If you loosen it up, you will find yourself chasing back and forth making one adjuster too loose to compensate for the horizontal shift of the axle which throws off alignment when you torque the nut.

Hub told me a good tip one time. Just number the flats of your adjuster screws with a sharpie so that you know how much you turned each side. Both should be turned the same number of flats. Chances are, just a couple flats on each side is all you need to take up a half inch of chain slack. It really doesn't take much tightening on the adjusters at all.

Rook

* Last updated by: Rook on 6/16/2009 @ 10:10 PM *

Here's mine-remove cotter pin.Loosen axle nut(not WAY loose).Loosen lock nut on left side adjuster.Check slack somewhere above the lower rear pan fairing-1" from centerline of chain(1/2 up,1/2" down).It should not slap the underside of the swingarm,but may in fact contact it A LITTLE(by pushing it up firmly).Adjust adjuster bolt accordingly(do not tighten lock nut).Check your hash mark,left side.Check hash mark right side,and adjust to the SAME mark as on the left.(easiest to file off the paint just right there where your marks are at-JUST the paint).Check chain again.If too tight,loosen left adjuster bolt some.Repeat on right side.Check chain.The two sides MUST be equal.If you have it up on a rear stand,chock the front tire or tape back front brake lever.Firmly kick rear tire forward(without pushing the bike that is).Check chain.Okay?-tighten lock nuts(hold the adjuster with a wrench,tighten the locker).Tighten axle nut(not all the way yet).Check chain.Good to go-tighten axle nut,(line up black marker line on nut with hole on axle)You did mark the nut,yes?That's it.1" total slack on chain.(it's not THAT critical,but lining up those hash marks ARE!!!.)Ride-stop after a bit,inspect sprocket-no weird looking wear on inside or outside?That's it!WARNING-DO NOT RIDE YER BIKE WITH THE HASH MARKS NOT EQUAL ON BOTH SIDES!!!!Throw a chain-yer a goner!!!

* Last updated by: blue07 on 6/17/2009 @ 2:26 AM *

Woe, blue - you go with just 1" slack? Measured with the weight off the back wheel? I guess that might equate to the Kawi suggested method if you don't pull/ush real hard to take your measurement.

I always check/tighten with the bike on the side stand and the weight of the bike on the suspension. With the wheel off the ground the suspension will open up and the chain will appear quite a bit looser than it really is when the bike is in opperation. Also, I'm not about to untorque/torque my axle nut with the bike up on the stand. I know, you didn't say to do that. I guess some people do but I always get a picture of some guy torquing his bike over onto the floor. I'm just careful about ditching my bike when I'm not riding it!!

I always went with the O manual suggestions, 'check chain tension with bike on side stand and 1.3" - 1.5" proper chain slack measurement.' I usually ere toward 1.5 because a little relaxed ain't bad, too tight and she will stretch or break if you hit a hard bump and i have a feeling too tight is going to wear the front sprocket worse - did that on my litle Yammi back in school.

Well, Nightmare, I have on ocassion, tightened my chain up a little more than I think I should and I see no unusual ware on the back sprocket (have not looked at the front yet). I might have stretched the chain a little, no big deal, but that's why I always try not to go real tight on the chain. JMHO. I'm no mechanic yet. But I'm working on it.

Rook

* Last updated by: Rook on 6/17/2009 @ 9:06 AM *

I normally check it while it's on the kickstand,and adjust it usually on the kickstand as well.It rarely changes anyway-you can certainly do it on the sidestand.I don't "measure" it either up and down-I just eyeball it.Long as it's not flopping against the swingarm underneath,I call it good.10 pounds of force(like with the hanging weight)is really not very much.You can achieve that by pushing up or down on the links there about midpoint in the lower chain run.I donno-it works for me?It may have sounded like I check the slack while she's on the rear stand-no,I don't.Just when you have er up there,and the axle nut's loose,I give er a firm kick like I said to seat the adjuster blocks up against the adjuster bolts,then snug up the axle nut.Final tightening of the nut can be done when she's on the sidestand.

* Last updated by: blue07 on 6/17/2009 @ 10:28 AM *

I'm with ya Blue, I've only had to adjust my chain once in 11,000 miles. I had the back wheel off to change a tire last month and the sprocket teeth looked like new. They're method of chain adjustment was so vague in the book I figured it couldn't be that critical, get her close and move on. Better a little loose though than too tight and pound the countershaft bearings to death.

Kruz

I agree with Blue & Kruz. I try not to make things more complicated than they really are. I find the tightest spot on the chain and go by "feel" between the center of the sprockets. To reiterate some basic things to look for: don't want kinks, rear part of chain should not pull more than half off rear sprocket teeth, never trust the factory "tick marks" to align rear wheel etc lol...

Couple good reads for your reading pleasure: Sport Rider Chain Tech Tips & Canyon Chasers Chain Maintenance.